saw my surgeon about cipro yesterday

Ask for a prescription for cortifoam.....it stays in more easily and disperses better since it is a foam. I also use nifedipine (think that is the name) which controls the spasms. I have very similar problems to yours and this has helped.

I have a hard time retaining cortisone suppositories and the canasa suppositories burn very often. Also, use a squirt bottle to flush the anal area with water as this tends to stimulate things to allow you to empty your pouch more completely.

Cipro also constipates me as I have a minor stricture at my anastomosis site also and when I am on it I also have a hard time emptying my pouch. Such fun

i have a theory. i started the cipro last wednesday and because it slowed me right down i stopped taking my imodium almost right away. the next couple days were wonderful then on the 3rd night spasms began and the straining started. could the stopping of the imodium be causing my problem? i know it takes a few days to get out of the system so this would make sense and since im having a hard time moving a bm even when liquid thats rules out constipation. ive always said that imodium has been like an antispasm med for me. i know i can just trial imodium again but i dont want to exacerbate things if this doesnt seem reasonable. could imodium relax the sphincter for easier passage?

I believe it does, but I am not certain. Jan would know this best.

I cannot take immodium either as it also constipates me and makes me very bloated, but remember, I have a stricture that I am dealing with also. The nifedipine helps relax the sphincter so maybe you can ask your surgeon about it, but is is mainly used for fissures that occur from either too much straining or diarrhea.

Nifedipine is a topical that you basically use in the bottom of the anal area and may help you empty your pouch more easily by relaxing the sphincter. Also, try and let gravity do its job. Sometimes the more you strain the more you spasm and it defeats your goal of trying to completely empty the pouch.

Hope this helps.

Wiggles,

Have you been examined recently? It sounds more like you may have a bit of a stricture there. I have been suffering with cuffitis for over a year now with recurrent strictures. After numerous dilations and a slew of medications, what is finally working for me is Cortenema foam every other day, Hyoscamine antispasmodic twice a day sublingual, daily self dilations with a Hagar dilator and xylocaine jelly, along with carafate or nifedipine cream, VSL#3 and the number one thing that helps me is Cipro 500mg per day. My GI just made the decision today to put me on the long term low dose Cipro. I take Vicodin as needed for pain and a tiny dose of Valium most evenings to do my dilations.

If I were you, I would have at least a digital exam to see if you are stricturing. No amount of medication can help that. In fact, if that is what is going on, local medications can't disperse properly.

I hope this helps at least a little...

Thanks,
Alex

Wow Alex. You sound like me minus the self dilations. I'm still suffering though and I know my stricture is also Acting up but my surgeon frowns in self dilating.
I am at my wits end and now Dr Sgen is suggesting Kenolog injections but he in nine hours away and I'm concerned about my local GI doing this.

Cipro seems to constipated me which us bad for the stricture and cuffitis. How long have you been on cortifoam and what dose ? I have tried Canasa and then cortisone suppositories and cortifoam as well as cipro and now pentasa. Nothing is really helping. I'm so discouraged and do not want pouch advancement surgery

was scoped a few weeks back and no stricter. only pouchitis and cuffitis...