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Helloooo my lovely people!

 I have an appointment with my PCP this week to start, but I've been googling the pants off of j-pouch problems and their symptoms, and I've found it actually pretty difficult to get a solid idea from any single website, let alone the 40 or so I've looked at...digression.

 For awhile (a few weeks, maybe?), I've been feeling quite distended, lots of bloating and gas, and it seems more difficult to empty without straining (I know, I know, bad); I end up with lower right back pain, lower abdominal/upper pelvic pain, and a bit of far-right abdominal pain during and after. Normal massaging of my ileostomy scar site and around doesn't help as much as usual. Stools have been looser more frequently.

 All said, I honestly can't tell if I should be focusing on a potential obstruction, stricture, or PFD (or a combo?! noooo! ). Again, PCP visit this week, and I'm assuming it'll escalate to my GI unless something else is a clear dx.

 Insight, thoughts, advice? Thank you guys I like being able to pop in here for a refresher and/or paranoia-calming now and then...

edit for my formatting failures

Tags: Stricture, Pelvic, floor, Obstruction, dysfunction

Replies sorted oldest to newest

How long since you've seen your GI? Your symptoms could be something simple, like pouchitis or anal stricture. I had very similar symptoms to you and it turned out to be just severe pouchitis. I could have sworn I had gallbladder problems or an obstruction, but no.

I absolutely would escalate to your GI to sort this out. Your primary MD should order screening labs and maybe simple imaging, but otherwise, it is out of his league.

Jan

Jan Dollar

Hey Jan can you help me. I know I'm going through a lot of stress and it is causeing Very irregular bms. The greenes is gone. I went to a "natropat" I'm not eve sure if that's how you spell it. She's very liked an well known around this small town btw. She told me what was affecting me and my digestive was shut down to 20%. This could cause more problems I know. I'm working on stress release like walking and just getting out of the house for a cruise or what not. Wondering what kind of doctor I should look into to make sure nothing else is happening. I have no blood In stool at all and I don't consider it runny diarrhea at all. I feel fine for the most part. The only thing that matched my symptoms was 'nervous break down'. Hope to hear from you soon Jan. if someone else sees this can you let Jan know please. I'm knew to this page. Thanks Jake. 

JakeG88

This is just my opinion, but I feel that naturopaths are OK only after you have seen your primary MD and any relevant specialists. My point is that they are not trained to treat our specific problems, and I would not want you missing necessary treatment. I'd be interested in knowing what your naturopath did to determine your diagnoses of "shut down digestive to 20%," as it sounds quite vague to me. 

That said, if you are adverse to medicine and/or surgery, then maybe the naturopath is the right guy. It is possible (and even common) to have IPS (irritable pouch syndrome), which is a functional disorder. Also, we can have mental health problems just like anyone else. Still, I'd want the expertise of a GI or colorectal surgeon when it comes to j-pouch issues. 

Jan

Jan Dollar

I went to my family doctor and got blood work and a urine test done. All came back good so far. What does  GI stand for. Sorry I'm very new. I never had any issues since I was I kid. I'm not sure if you seen my post on another topic. It was to Allison saying she's good so far I believe. Just has my story kinda of I guess summed up.  Thanks so much for responding so quickly God bless you!

JakeG88

Sorry Jake. I think I must have gotten you mixed up with the original poster.

A GI is a gastroenterologist. If you have not been seen by one or your surgeon in a long time, it is time for a check up. 

I did not mean to imply that naturopaths are bad doctors (if that is what you thought I was saying), but that they are more about maintaining good health using your own body's resources. That can be a good thing. But, when you have new gut symptoms, it is time to follow up with the gut doctor. Of course, all of us will have the random virus or dietary indiscretion to deal with. You don't need special care for that.

Jan

Jan Dollar

Gastrointestinal . Yes I believe there is a very intelligent one not far from me. I will be requesting to see her In the next day or  two. I'm cutting more things out of my diet things that usually bothered me more. Would you know of a few different foods that might be easier on my system. I'm all worried an paranoid and I know that's worsening things. 

JakeG88

Hi Jan!

It's been about eight months since I saw my GI; I was scoped because I was having symptoms that didn't match what other episodes of pouchitis I'd had before, although that turned out as only pouchitis as well (whew!). Everything looked fine, and he biopsied a few pieces which were also fine.

I have a host of things non-GI related to see my PCP about anyway (appointment is today), so I thought I'd go to him first as a front-line in the hope that I'm just missing something and it's minor/easily fixable, although I have a gut feeling (I COULDN'T HELP MYSELF) I'll still end up seeing my GI.

Always glad to hear your thoughts, Jan. Couldn't do this without you.

A

Jake, there are oodles of posts here about diet, and I probably am the worst person to ask for advice on that. It is mostly because I am not a believer in a "j-pouch diet," but more of a diet that works for my j-pouch or your j-pouch. I truly do not worry about it and if something causes problems, I just avoid it in the future. After 20+ years with a j-pouch I try to ignore it as much as I can. 

I could tell you to eat this and avoid that, but it may be completely wrong for you. The main thing to know is that there is no one food that will cause any real harm (unless you gorge yourself on it!). 

Jan

Jan Dollar

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