**how could my small intestines not be long enough? I've never had any or them removed.

This is a support board for people with problems which is why you are reading about pouchitis and J Pouch issues.  The posts here represent a small percentage of J Pouch patients that have issues.  Most J Pouch patients that do not have any issues and hence do not need support never post here.

Answers to your questions (which I was preparing before you put up your prior post, but got diverted, sorry):

What is pouchitis? 

Inflammation of the J Pouch, sort of a new IBD form, more manageable than UC in most cases but not in some cases.

 Do low carb diets help with the frequencey of going to the restroom so much? 

Yes - low carbs and low sugars.  Imperative when you have SIBO or pouchitis.

How do you know if you have ulcers and how do you get them? 

You don't in most cases, and you get them from inflammation due to autoimmune disorder in most cases. Surgery removes your colon, it does not cure the autoimmune disorder that caused the UC and which also may cause other manifestations in the future (of which pouchitis is one such manifestation).

Is a probiotic something you would recommend right away? 

There is a difference of opinion on this, but probably a good idea to take them proactively before developing SIBO.

My surgeon also wants me to have a CT scan prior to surgery to determine if my small intestines are long enough to make the pouch.  Has anyone had any expierence with this?  How could they not be long enough??

I have not heard of this in a patient who retained all of his/her ileum.  It is an issue when ileal tissue has been removed due to possible "short bowel syndrome." 

Regarding the length of small intestine issue. First of all, there is a normal range of length, and we are not all the same. If you never had your small intestines ressected, then it is definitely long enough in regard to what you need to digest food to sustain your body. But, what is more important is the length of your mesenteric blood supply, or more accurately: its reach. The blood supply is in the mesentery, which is a membrane that supports the intestines. It connects it all together in a fan-like manner. So, it is not as if your intestines are like a garden hose, coiled in your abdomen. The mesentery can only be separated so much, and if you have a long, deep pelvis, it can be more challenging. They only know for sure once you are opened up, but imaging can give some clues.

Jan

Jan, this is Jeffrey's problem.  And he has a shorter than average small intestine.  But the mesentery doesn't stretch real far either.  If God forbid he needs a redo on his pouch, it won't be possible.  So this one better work properly when he has his take down!

Yes, uncommon, but it definitely happens. Mostly, the mesenteric reach issue is in men, who tend to have a deeper, more narrow pelvis. You stretch that mesentery too much, and ischemic complications can ensue. Ischemia= compromised blood supply, bad news for any living tissue, and can lead to a failed pouch.

Jan