Peristalsis, loop ostomy vs.j-pouch?

The difference is night and day so don't worry yourself about it too much. With my loop ileo transit time was super fast. With my j pouch much, much slower....even immediately after takedown. And it only gets better with time as your body adjusts to its new plumbing. Best of luck with your upcoming surgery!

The reason the bowel is made into the "J" shape is partially to slow the peristalsis (one side "up," one side "down").

Thanks to you both. Rachel-- no one had ever explained that to me before, but it makes sense.

Marianne, Rachel,

Thanks for that advice. I Too am like ATXGuy, it goes in and it comes out. If, for example I have a hamburger and fries (not a good food choice, but hey), I need to empty the bag three times in the next 2-3 hours (and it is very liquid and full). If this was the case with the J-Pouch it would be an issue.

I find that I am unable to determine whether the output is going to be very loose or of more solid consistency based on the food I eat. I eat something I think will cause a very loose output and it isn't. Conversely, if I eat something I think should be a more solid output, it comes out very loose.

I'm not overly fussed at this stage, it's an interim condition with takedown in 10 days and counting......

It is not always what you eat but what you eat it with too.
Certain foods, on their own have a short or long transit time but when combined with other foods have a totally different time.
Any and all fruits shoot through me in 1/2hr. Most liquids too (I do not drink milk).
Protiens take 2-4hrs. Carbs about 1hr. If I eat a pizza or hamburger it is about 5-8hrs.
If I add fruits on top of that it can be even longer. (plus more gas and bloating).
Most foods have a digestive value that is a more or less correct.
Fruits & Veggies: 30mins-1hr
Carbs (bread, cake, pastries, pasta): 1-3hrs
Soft cheese: 2hr
Hard cheese, fish, chicken: 3-4hrs
Meats: 6hrs
These are approximate times due to our various diseases and stomach problems but these are the times that it should take for things to digest in our stomachs and then enter the small intestine.
The intestinal time to the pouch is vary individual.
When you mix things up in there you tend to multiply the digestive time.
So, technically, once you have your pouch connected you should be able to control the times to a certain degree.
So don't panic. Also, things slow down over time once your body adapts to its new plumbing.
Hope that this helps
Sharon

quote:

Is the effect similar with the functioning j-pouch? I don't recall this being such an issue with the end ostomy.

I did have this issue in my first year or two with the J Pouch. It is called "spasmodic bowel" or "spasmodic pouch." The problem was in the short term completely eliminated by taking anti-spasmodics like bentyl or levsin about 45 minutes before eating. These drugs basically calm peristalsis down so that the bowel does not spasm when food goes down the pipe.

After a year or two, my pouch "settled down" and I did not need to take the anti-spasmodics on any kind of regular basis.

I would note that bentyl and levsin had some side effects of making me feel a little loopy. I found that donnatal was as effective with less side effects. However as of about 6 months ago I was unable to refill a prescription of donnatal and my understanding is that it was either temporarily or permanently taken off the market. In any event I now have an active prescription for levsin, but I only take it at bedtime, or as needed if I feel like the pouch is spasmodic - which is rare.

If you should need it, which we don't even know if you will, take it about 45 minutes before meals and it should resolve any such issue.

Thanks. I hope to avoid Bentyl ever again. During my brief UC run, I was on it for a second & it made me a zombie.

ATXGuy,

LOL, I think bentyl made me a half zombie, but donnatal was much milder, and I think levsin is perhaps slightly milder. You may want to ask your Doc what other anti-spasmodics out there are milder because I do not believe these are the only two. Maybe you can also cut the dosage or get smaller dosage pills. Lomotil may be another choice. I believe it has anti-spasmodic and antidiarhheal properties.

The atropine in Lomotil isn't adequate to serve as a useful antispasmodic at recommended doses. It's added to reduce the abuse potential of the drug, by making it unpleasant at higher doses.

Just an aside.....having learned the term "peristalsis" in high school physiology I seemed to know what it is almost all of my life. However, I was absolutely thrilled to watch one of my scopes on the monitor when lo and behold my innards began the process of peristalsis and I actually knew what was happening by just watching it! Mr. Jones, my physiology teacher would be proud of me!