not happy! can't figure out my pouch!

Vent away! That's why we are here. Sorry you are still having a rough time. It really does get better. Do you have cramping or pain? Although it's not too common to develop pouchitis so soon after takedown, it can happen and that will make you feel miserable.

thanks... i have pain inside the anal area. i don't feel a lot of abdominal pain. just lots of soreness from all the pooping! also, i don't know how people 'hold it'. i have to clench my butt cheeks so hard when i get the urge.

i think the ostomy was far better. this is no way to live.

Hi FQ,
First off you will have to start doing your kiegel exercises to reinforce your pelvic floor muscles...tightening and relaxing your muscles helps keep everything in place.
As for your pouch...it is just a newborn baby pouch and it has absolutely no rhyme or reason yet...yet. But it will happen over time. It has to start to take over the funcions of your colon and that adaptation can take up to a year...so if it helps, start keeping a food journal of not just what you eat but when and where and with what else...the mix makes a big difference. Some foods are fine on their own but mixed with others can have a positive of negative effect on you and your digestion. Also mark the meds that you take and at what time etc and don't forget to mention what you drink and when.
This should help you to slowly figure out your pouch and its functionality.
Then again, as Marianne says, Please vent as much as you need to...that's what we are here for.
Sharon

I am almost 5 months post op for takedown and I felt the same way at first. I said there is NO way I will ever be able to leave my house , now way I can go to work but it does get bettr with time. Not perfect for some of us but better. My mornings seem to be the best time for me. So I take an earlier lunch break from 11-12 to do errands , the afternoons hopefully will get better for me , so hang in there. You are still a newby for sure!

Also, maybe try upping the immodium. Check the label to see the max you can take in a 24 hour period.

And I like Sharon's suggestion of the food log. Sometimes the most innocent foods you eat and think nothing of can give you trouble. When I had my ileostomy I could not eat potatoes. For some strange reason they made my output pure water. I'm fine with them now but the point is something you are eating right now may not be agreeing with you.

Are you keeping a food journal? I am almost five weeks post-take down and I still cannot process dairy products such as the Greek Yogurt in your diet. It increases bathroom visits dramatically. I eat soy yogurt without any problems. I list what I eat and any reactions, if any. I started out with very simple low residue foods and gradually add new foods when it seems safe. If I keep to my safe food list I use the bathroom 6 to 8 times a day. That number can triple when I try a new food. Yesterday, cucumbers turned out to be a very bad food for me. I just had a few in a sandwich but I was up all night sitting on the ceramic throne.

thanks, that helps! how do you know transit time or if a food is a problem? does it happen immediately or almost immediately, or within 1-2 hours? 80% of my bathroom trips are 4 PM or later, so I cannot tell if it is something from breakfast, lunch, or dinner the night before???? I don't know if it's butter in the potato or the potato itself, or the tiny amount of pepper on the potato???

this is such a puzzle!

First off, do you have any 'natural' food allergies? Things that you used to react to...Those are off the list for now...then there are the 'good foods' like bananas, applesauce, rice, whole grain toast etc...oatmeal is usually good but if you have bad 'runs' then I would cook rice in triple the water and then drink the cooking water (you can sweeten it or salt it to taste)...Most pouchers do well with peanut butter and banana sandwiches on toast...I found that carrot juice helped too and so did grated carrots but that might not be advisable for now...(I used to love grated carrots and apples mixed together...made for a really good 'slow-me-down' salad.
Just keep the food diary going and soon you will see patterns appearing.
Sharon

Tuna and chicken do not work real good for me unless I eat them with pasta they tend to make my output loose. I would try macaroni and cheese or any other pasta with a cream or cheese sauce. Also peanut butter and banana sandwiches seem to work real good for me. Keep trying until you find out what works for you everybody is different and your pouch should adjust over time.

I know we are all different, but I am over a year out of take-down and I cannot eat eggs. I can have things with eggs in them, but as soon as I have a couple eggs I get cramping and have to run to the bathroom. I never had problems with eggs before. So, yes, a food log would be good. I also found I cannot tolerate nuts. I love them but I pay when I eat them. I'm in the bathroom all night and a lot of cramping.

thanks... i admit i was too lazy to keep a food journal and thought it wouldn't help much anyway since pouch is so finicky and unpredictable!! but i think over a time period I will see a pattern. this pouch is for very patient people, that I am not

Fq, you ask a lot of good questions. When I first started the journal, I ate only safe foods and gradually added new things only once a day. My reaction time can begin within an hour and last a full 24 hours depending on how strong the reaction is. If you do not want to go the slow route, just look for patterns. You may see that every time you use pepper, for example, your bathroom time is increased. It does take patience, but your bottom will thank you!

It takes a while. Remember, this is a new job for the small intestine. My dr explained that the tissue has to toughen up inside the pouch. He also told me it took mine a couple of years to where the inside looked like it could handle the full time new job. Be patient, I know it is hard. Hang in there.