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Question for long-time jpouchers

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Posted 6/30/2012 9:59 PM (GMT 0)
I'm three months after take-down and having to do pelvic floor therapy to get the muscle back in order, and take immodium and tincture of opium every four hours. If I miss the doses, I get diarrhea by the fifth hour. My question is, when does the jpouch start firming things up a bit on its own? Is that a longer-term deleopment, like after 12 months or so?
Posted 7/1/2012 4:51 AM (GMT 0)
i spoke with my surgeon on monday and he said it would take about 1-2 years before things firmed up by themselves. i don't know from experience as my jpouch surgery isn't until september. but that is what he told me. i would have to take something to firm up my stools for 1-2 years before the small intestine got used to its new job.
Posted 7/1/2012 12:00 PM (GMT 0)
I seem to be a bit of an oddball j poucher because things thickened up for me a couple of months after takedown. I never have taken Imodium....geez if I did I i it would probably clog me up big time. My surgeon did tell me that as time goes by (could be a couple of years) that your small intestine may start to compensate and start doing some water absorption like your colon did....thickening things up. Are you eating enough fiber? Because that could help form up your stools.
Posted 7/1/2012 1:11 PM (GMT 0)
OK, thank you. At least I know things are not slow in that regard. I am eating psylium husk in the morning with yoghur and sometimes in the afternoon. I have to be very careful because if I get diarrhea I am not 100% continent at this time, because the uscles forgot how to coordinate and have to relearn that in therapy. The therapist says about six months. If in six months I can handle diarhea without accidents then I won't mind, as long as I am in control. But for the time being I really do have to take 2 immodiums every 4 hours.
Posted 7/1/2012 2:03 PM (GMT 0)
What about Metemucil wafers? They are like a fiber cookie. If I remember correctly you are not in the USA so I'm not sure if they have them where you are. I remember reading that they help bulk up the stool.
Posted 7/1/2012 2:15 PM (GMT 0)
Definitely increase you intake of fiber. Try different ones to see how they work for you. People swear by metamucil wafers.

Sue
Posted 7/1/2012 4:59 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Suebear. Metamucil is pysillium, which I'm taking, so I don't think the wafers will do a different job. I also sometimes think that when I've increased that fiber, my number of bm's also increases. What other fibers should I consider?
Posted 7/1/2012 10:42 PM (GMT 0)
Do try the wafers, again pouchers say it works better than straight psyllium. I use chia, others like benefiber.

Sue
Posted 7/2/2012 8:31 AM (GMT 0)
OK. I'll see who is making a trip to the states or if I can get it o amazone.
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