HELP! Anyone with an ileostomy experience this?!?!

My husband has Crohn's (currently not in a flare), post total colectomy in '96 with ileostomy and rectum intact. Since saturday he's been having "gut cramps and the urge to poop." Now as of yesterday he started having lots of actual discharge coming out! Of his rectum! Which is not attatched to anything! How is this possible? All of his output comes from his pouch so we're both very scared and confused as to why this could be happening! about a year ago when his GIs tried to do a rectal scope to check for rectal cancer, they were only able to insert the scope approx. 2 inches b/c of scarring. He then had HORRIBLE rectal cramps with ALOT of discharge and the urge to poo so terribly I had to take him to the ER b/c we thought they perforated his rectum (they hadn't)! Now he's having similar cramps but nothing has happened to bring it on this time. Does any of this sound familiar to anyone here and if so could you please explain it to us!? P.S. He goes to the GI doc on mon.

This is totally normal! I had it as well and was very confused because of the same reason you are, i didnt understand how if my bowels werent attached to anything how i would need to go.  Its just mucus, you should be able to tell by the smell.  The only way there would be a problem would be if there was blood.  I went to my doctor saying, i keep feeling like i have to poop but i know its impossible but i thought since i hadnt done it in soo long(talking like actually sitting on the toilet and having a bowel movement) that i was just psyching myself out thinking i needed to.  He told me to let that stuff outta there!!  So, he should be okay!!

I had the same thing before my proctocolectomy...eight years worth

Has he thought about removing the rectum since he won't be using it? On my last scope they could only use the peds scope and got about as far as they did for your husband.

Thank you everyone for the info! He's still worried, though, but he goes to the doc on mon. to ruke out a rectal flare. BTW, they want to take out his rectum eventually (sooner than later) but he is REALLY resistant to this. It may have to come out though.