Skip to main content

I've had my j pouch for 17 years having been diagnosed with FAP in 2000.  It has functioned wonderfully for me throughout the years to the point that there were times i forgot I had FAP.  Granted, I had to go to the bathroom numerous times a day, over time I didn't think about it.

Now I'm 50 and twice now, a period between May and June and now, I've experienced harder than normal movement contractions like I have to go, but when I go to the toilet nothing!  I cannot go or if I do I'm hardly eliminating.  I end up feeling bloated all day.  When I walk around I have leakage.  If I'm lucky, I'll have one good movement a day which is not normal for  me.  As I mentioned, I will have the feeling of having to go, but when i try hardly anything happens.

The big issue is in the evenings.  If I can't go completely before going to bed, I experience incontinence during the night.  As such I have to resort to depends at night and men's underwear guards during the day.

To complicate things, I just recovered from a very serious and near deadly form of pancreatitis.  I was on antibiotics to fight sepsis a great deal of 2016. 

So I'm not sure if the function of the j pouch had diminished with old age, from the ordeal of pancreatitis or is something else going on.  Back in June my GI used a scope to check the j pouch and ruled out inflammation or pouchitis.

This is incredibly frustrating and if it doesn't become resolved I may resort to eventually having a permanent illeostomy.

I appreciate any thoughts on this matter.

Thank you,

Tags: Pouch, Function, FAP

Replies sorted oldest to newest

It sounds like your doc took a proper look. Since the pouch is constructed from the ileum (the last part of the small intestine), passing a scope into the pouch (pouchoscopy) is technically also passing a scope into the ileum (ileoscopy). The billing systems often lack a proper code for pouchoscopy. There are still a number of possible causes. He's probably ruled out accessible (near the anus) strictures, but some structural pouch issues, like prolapse, can be invisible on a simple scope. Partial obstructions, perhaps due to adhesions, can cause pain and leakage.

After the events you describe, is your stool consistency the same as usual? Is it formed or soft? Even simple constipation can behave the way you've described, and our tricky water absorption can dry us out with troublesome consequences. This can change over time, as our bodies change.

Hopefully your doctor will methodically figure out what's going on. In the meantime, as frustrating as this is I think it's most likely diagnosable and fixable, with the right doctor and some persistence. 

Scott F
Last edited by Scott F

Consistency of stool is the same. I asked him after he did the scoping if there was any physical issues that could be causing the problem like strictures and he said no. 

When I had pancreatitis I did have to undergo surgery to remove abscesses and a portion of the necrotic pancreatic tissue.  It was a general surgeon who performed the procedure.  He mentioned there was a great deal of scar tissue and it was even difficult for him to locate the pancreas. I was opened wide up and I also wonder if the ileum went back in naturally.  I know it may sound absurd but I would imagine it could end up routed slightly differently.

J

Fair enough. Maybe back up the troubleshooting one step, though? If you feel an urge to go (or a sensation that simulates it), but nothing comes out, a key question is whether the pouch is full or empty (or somewhere in between). A temporary or partial blockage upstream can create plenty of cramping without a full pouch, and have nothing to do with a pouch problem. There are plenty of possible pouch problems, too, of course.

If you want to get fancy/aggressive you could try irrigating your pouch when this happens again, to see what's in there. Or just work it through with your doctor.

Scott F

I will say this.  Up until recently I would have a movement an hour after I ate.  You could almost set a watch to it.  If I ate four small meals, I'd have four movements.  I never was incontinant at night.  Now I'm doing good to have two good movements and I have leakage during the day.  I'm having to wear underwear guards during the day and depends at night.  Maybe it's a kink or a slight blockage.  I hope not because it sounds like surgery is the only way to correct a kink and my last surgery almost killed me.

J

Add Reply

Copyright © 2019 The J-Pouch Group. All rights reserved.
×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×