I had j-pouch procedure done in March 2016 and removed ileostomy bag in June 2016. Dr Wexnar ,my surgeon, told me that it would be good 2 years before I get to my new "normal". I'm curious to know what others consider to be their normal. Number of BM's a day? Bathroom visits overnight? Thanks for any feedback.
Michele
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Michele,
As you no doubt know, 'normal' will vary widely. This board offers a wonderful cocktail of advice, solace, inspiration and experience, so in my opinion, it will tend to attract folks who are struggling more than the average.
I had my surgery in 1986. My normal is probably 5-8x a day and 1x at night. But then I eat and drink everything and take no meds nor probiotics. I consider my pouch a raging success and wouldn't have it any other way.
Michael
I had my pouch in 2004, my normal on a clean diet with lots of greens and veggies is 3-4 times day no nighttime. However, if I stay on a fattier diet with lots of red meat, fried food and booze, then that number jumps on to 6-8 times a day with once at night. So your food will greatly determine how you feel I've found. I also take no meds or probiotics. Though at one time I was taking VSL #3 probiotics, which I found some relief in.
I am 2 weeks plus my takedown. So I guess its pretty soon to say but its good so far. Intial 2 weeks were really challenging . But now its really getting good. I can eat almost anything. Nothing's off the list which is what i've always wanted. 6-7 visits. No urgency even while walking I can choose not to go for like half hour. This will slowly increase my surgeon told me within a month you wont even have to bother about this. Everyone's different for me normal is 3 times if I am on maintainence diet and 4-5 if I choose to bulk up.
I had my pouch done in 2012. The first few months were rough...I was rehospitalized twice for obstruction but things got better subsequently. I still have 8-10 movements a day and always get up once during the night but I don’t have accidents. I usually can’t go longer than 3 hours without access to a bathroom but I have adapted. I am greatful not to have an ileostomy anymore and greatful to be alive ( I had my colon removed as a cancer treatment in 2010).
As Michael already noted, this is a support board and if you are looking for a representative response to your question, you are not really going to get one here. The so-called normal here is probably a lot different than the normal of all J Pouches. The answer is that you will have more BMs than average for all persons because you are missing a significant portion of intestinal tract and food will go through you faster. This of course is basic physics and gravity, but the individual response to intestinal removal varies widely. Some people develop shortened bowel syndrome, a major symptom of which is diarrhea. Others manage their diets well and judiciously use stool slowers and/or thickeners, and have a reasonable number of BMs with no urgency. I would be more concerned with your own individual Pouch and how it progresses and whether you are doing the right things so that the Pouch properly expands over time. These techniques include holding your BMs in as long as possible during the developmental phase of the Pouch so as to help expand it, consuming appropriate amounts of dietary fiber, proper hydration, and watching your carb and sugar intake closely. Sugar does impact on the number of BMs I have, and on my pouch function, rather noticeably, especially since I started managing my intake of it.
Thanks to everyone who has replied. And yes, I'm very well aware that everyone has a different "normal" due to our circumstances. I had my surgery in 2016 and I was just curious to know how things were going for others. I'm currently taking VSL and CBD oil twice daily, I exercise 4-5 days/week and I'm pretty good about my diet. Nothing totally excluded, but try to not go too crazy with sugar, alcohol, processed, etc.....
I probably have about 6 BM's daily and get up 1-2 times nightly. I have noticed that I will have more BM'S overnight (plus accidents) if I consume alcohol (1-2 glasses of wine) in the evening.
Thanks again for everyone's input.
My pouch is 15 months old. I go between 5 to 10 times. Mostly diarrhea. Have had Cuffitis twice. Pouchitis three times. And diagnosed with crohns. I take loperamide two to four times per day. Methotrexate, Folic Acid once a week and Remicade once a month. I’m stable at the moment. I don’t have much to complain about where the pouch is concerned other than some pain.
