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Proctitis of rectal stump? (Discharge)

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Posted 2/21/2009 11:32 PM (GMT 0)
I was wondering if anyone could give me the symptoms of proctitis of an existing rectal stump?

I've had my ileostomy since December and have the occasional mucous and pink/reddish discharge with the urgency of feeling like I need to "go" about once or twice a day. I've never had any leaking or anything like that though. I usually just ignore and it goes away and it usually will come out once I urinate.

I read an article on another site about the proctitis and I scared myself, lol! Just wanted to see what the actual symptoms are when it comes to the rectal stump, I can't seem to find them anywhere online!

THANKS AHEAD OF TIME! wink

Post Edited (lentil) : 2/23/2009 11:55:52 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 2/22/2009 1:54 AM (GMT 0)
lentil--welcome to the site! It's a great place for questions:)

The mucous is normal...whether it's a rectal stump or colon with a loop ileo, it still produces the mucous it would have as if it was functioning. You are lucky not to have the "I gotta go NOW" feeling!

Is your diagnosis UC? Are you in the process of a j-pouch connection? I wouldn't worry about proctitis if you doc hasn't diagnosed you with it...but you can always call them and ask.
Posted 2/22/2009 2:57 AM (GMT 0)
I've had my ileo since Dec. too, but I only empty my stump every 3-4 days. Sometimes it's pink, sometimes it's white. I worry when it's pink.

I saw my surgeon last week and he said my frequency was good. He said it will even decrease more than that with time.

I think you should call and ask your dr. b/c Having the empty everyday seems like too often. It seems that it shouldn't make enough mucus every day to have to empty it that often and maybe you've got inflammation in there making you feel you have to go. Also, that pink/reddish color is blood.

I could be wrong, but that's what I think.
Posted 2/22/2009 4:03 AM (GMT 0)
OHIO: Thanks for all of your help! I was first diagnosed with UC, then CD after the surgery from my old GI Doctors. My new one (whom is amazing), diagnosed me with UC again! So I have no idea what I have at this point, lol! I'm not a 100% if I am going to get the j-pouch done, the bag isn't all that bad and I'm really not crazy about having another surgery. I saw on another site that when your rectal stump produces mucous/pink & red discharge that it's possible proctitis, so it scared me, lol! My Doctor never diagnosed me with it though.

Chasblah: I will say the more I think about it, there are some days that I don't pass any mucous. But I probably pass it about 5-6 days a week, it only comes out when I urinate (I guess because I'm pushing, I'm a female). I called my GI Doctor about it and he said it was normal because my intestines is cut in half right now and gave me the option of prescribing me suppositories to help with the mucous if it was bothering me (I took it, but haven't used them yet). The nurse told me that it would be worrying if I was passing clots or large amounts of blood. I have an appointment in mid march, I'm going to ask again though. Thanks for your advice!
Posted 2/22/2009 4:07 AM (GMT 0)
P.S. I read some other posts on healing well, and others said that pinkish/reddish mucous is normal and a sign of healthy tissue. Is this correct?

Also, I noticed the "feeling to go" only happens after I drink a bottle of water REALLY fast or eat a large meal. Never any other time. I don't know if that has anything to do with it or not..

:)

Post Edited (lentil) : 2/21/2009 9:10:38 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 2/22/2009 4:23 AM (GMT 0)
I'm glad pink is normal healthy tissue. I thought I remembered my 1st surgeon say that pink was blood.........I thought he did, but I could be mistaken.
I'm not sure why food or drink (besides caffeine) would have any affect on your rectum, if it's not hooked to anything anymore.
BUT, I've noticed I get the 'urge to go' after I take my pain meds....? Or I guess it could just be the time of day I tend to take them.....You too?
Posted 2/22/2009 5:10 AM (GMT 0)
I'm not on any meds, but when I was taking percocet right after my surgery, that never happened to me. Could be something in the meds making you feel like you have to go. I wouldn't be too worry about it though...

I'm pretty sure pink is blood, but from what I read on another post about a month ago (I found it on a google search), they said when your rectum still produces mucous, it's normal to have some pink/red mixed in, it's a sign of healthy tissue. (I hope I'm getting that quote right, lol). Mine is sometimes a light pink, dark brown and a few times streaks of red. It always freaks me out though, I just don't like seeing blood again (reminds me of my last and hopefully EVER flare)! :-/


P.S. My daughter was born on 2.18.2009, so our babies are close in age! :)
Posted 2/22/2009 1:59 PM (GMT 0)

The blood is completely normal.  The UC is in your rectal stump and can be treated with enemas until you have your next surgery.

Sue

Posted 2/22/2009 5:05 PM (GMT 0)
What if I don't have the j-pouch surgery? Should I look into having the rectal stump removed at some point?

My Doctor never mentioned anything to me about UC being in the stump, I wish he would have though if that was a possible case. He told me it was normal to see mucous and pinkish discharge! :-/

Ugh, now one more thing to be worried about, lol!
Posted 2/23/2009 2:06 PM (GMT 0)
Every UC patient who has their rectal stump left will continue to have problems with it. Since I don't know the specifics of your surgery I can't comment as to why you were left with it. Anyway, no if you choose not to have the jpouch surgery you will need to have the remainder of your rectal stump removed.

Sue
Posted 2/23/2009 5:35 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Lentil,

My daughter had her surgery in December 08. They only removed the large intestine and left the rectal stump. She also has the ileostomy. When we came home she was passing the mucus and pink blood as well. She complained that it was very painful. I did not realize they didn't remove the rectum. When I called the surgeons nurse practioner to find out what was happening she said that they left the stump and it still has the disease. That will be removed with the next surgery (would have been nice if they had told us this before we left). She was taking her steroids and was tapering down. She would pass this pink mucus daily. The doctor said this was normal and can continue to pass it until her next surgery. They prescribed proctofoam to help ease the pain and to help with the inflammation. She did notice the pink mucus wasn't every day. But when she went below the 20 mg of prednisone she hemorrhaged.. We had no idea what was happening. She passed so much blood that the next day they admitted her and had to give her 4 units of blood and IV steroids. When her GI did the scoping he said they left 12-15 cm of the sigmoid colon. He did see that there wasn't any active bleeding, but that she did have dried up blood. They said pink and brown is a sign of old blood. They said the bright red is what needs to be watched.

They have her using hydrocodisone 2 times a day and taking 30 mg of prednisone still. Her GI doctors just started her on 6mp again since it worked for her the 1st time she was diagnosed. She is still passing the pink mucus. And it is still painful. Vicadin seems to take the edge off but it is still painful for her.

Has anyone else experienced this same thing? Our next follow up appointment with the surgeon is mid March. Not sure if they will schedule the next surgery or if they will need to wait.

 

Posted 2/24/2009 12:33 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Megamsmom! I am so sorry to hear about how much your daughter has been through. :( I have never experienced any pain with passing the pinkish mucous, it just slips out when I urinate. But I would just think that there would be something that they could do for her in the mean time to make the pain more bearable until she can get the next surgery. I'm just surprised that they can't help your daughter more, I'm so sorry and I hope that someone on here can give you some advice/help.
I also had my large intestines removed and I still have my rectal stump. I was never told that my rectal stump had any disease, the reason why I had my colon taken out was because when I had a second colonoscopy during a terrible (my first and hopefully last) flare up for inflammation in my colon and the Dr. punctured 5 holes in my colon. So I had no choice but to have the surgery and I REALLY don't want to have anymore!!!! But I hope your daughter gets some relief very, very soon. No one should have to live in pain, she has been through enough...


Suebear: Thanks for all of your advice, I am going to ask my GI Doctor at my next appointment about my rectal stump! :)
Posted 2/24/2009 5:15 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Megansmom,

I am also a mom to a Megan and I had painful rectal spasms and tailbone pain between my surgeries. I had 3 surgeries in all to complete my jpouch and suffered with this pain until my takedown. They tried Canasa & B&O suppositories which didn't help and I took a quick week of prednisone which helped, but was told not to continue when it came closer to surgery. I passed the mucous/blood 6-8 times a day and would have horrible spasms afterwards that left me weak. I am assuming they are keeping her on the meds to keep her stable until her surgery. I really feel for your daughter as I really suffered for 8 months in pain and worried that it wouldn't get better, but it went away immediately after my last surgery.

What type of surgery is she having in March?
Posted 2/26/2009 6:33 PM (GMT 0)

Hi Lentil and tbraz,

Thank you for your thoughts and comments. We are back in the hospital. My daughter started passing large amounts of blood again. Two weeks ago when we were here they gave her IV steriods and we stayed on that dose when we got home and they added hydrocordisone enema's twice a day. She was diagnosed with severe UC through out the colon and rectum. Her GI doctor who we've always liked was telling her that they didn't think they could do anything else for her and they would probably have to send her to the sugeon to clean out the rectal lining and the chances of reconnect wasn't going to be an option. The surgeon told the GI doctor that he needed to try a few more things. She is not willing to give up yet. She believes in the reconnect. We were thankful to hear that. They did scope her yesterday to take some biopsies. They are checking her for a couple of different virus' as the surgeon said that these types of virus' will cause this inflammation. As I am hoping it could be a virus, they can treat that with meds. During the scoping he found a hemotoma and multiple sessile polyps. The other options is a different type of enema that they use for liver transplant patience or she can try the self injections (not sure of the name of the meds) which is like remicade and humira.

Our appointment in March was the 12 week follow up with the sugeon. At that appointment we would have been discussing the next surgery. But it seems that it will take longer for the next surgery. Which is okay with my daughter since she wants to be healthy and not have to worry about complications. She has been really well with the ileostomy. Now if only we can get the rectal inflammation under control.

BTW: her GI doctor is a Pediatric GI and the surgeon is an adult surgeon. So I believe the surgeon has seen this before. As our GI doctor said they don't really see this severity in their younger patience. So we are praying that they are going to be able to work it out.

Posted 3/1/2009 11:30 PM (GMT 0)
I so hope they can get this inflammation under control for your daughter and I agree that it's a good idea to wait for the next surgery. I was so sick after my first surgery and they told me that they would do the second in 3 months and I waited 5 just so that I could build myself back up.

I wish I had advice for you as I can't imagine how stressed you are dealing with another setback, just know that I will be praying that it will work out soon. I hope that one day she can look back and see how strong of a person she is and be a support to other young people who are dealing with the same issues that she's overcome.

I did want to mention the jpouch website that you can post on and maybe someone there has been through something similar and could post it for you.

You and your family are in my thoughts.
Posted 2/19/2010 9:42 PM (GMT 0)
I had my colon removed in Sep. 08 due to a severe attack of Crohn's. the rectum was left intact, but I have been passing mucus ever since. I have been on Remicade for a year now, but the effectiveness has worn off and the rectal movements are increasing in frequency and size. Some are bloody, but there doesn't seem to be a pattern or trigger. I'm currently in the process of switching from Remicade to Cimzia... hopefully it will help and I can keep the rectum and maybe be reconnected from my ileostomy.

Have tried suppositories, foams, pills... nothing seems to effectively stop or slow down the discharge...
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