Open Forum Friday
by Eric on Friday, April 17, 2009 13:49This entry is filed under: Coping/Support
It’s Friday, ask us Jpouchers your toughest questions and anything you’re too embarassed to ask your surgeon. Be well!
These posts might also help out:
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Chaz & Lori Burton says:
April 17th, 2009 at 2:54 pm
I just had step 1 surgery March 24th. I am having my takedown the middle of May. Even though I am chewing my food well, and have not had any stomach pains…..I still have pieces of food in my bag. Is this normal? Also, once I have my takedown should I be worried about possible blockages? It’s usually anything that would not just naturally just breakdown in a cup of water. The stool is thick, just curious about things not fully digesting. Just wondering if any of you went through it, or am I a freak of nature. If I am….just lie to me and make me feel good.
Thanks, Chaz
[Reply]
Eric says:
April 17th, 2009 at 5:11 pm
Hey Chaz, glad you asked. With my bag I always had little bits and pieces. Mostly they were of the green variety: lettuce and leafy thing especially, if I made something with a lot of cilantro (love cilantro) or the like. Sometimes it just seemed to depend on something else, a cycle or something. I could eat normal things and have remnants and I could eat fibrous things and have fully formed “stool”.
It is MUCH less of a problem now after takedown. I feel like I can absorb water better, so I am also absorbing more of the food. Still, if I eat a salad with things like raw carrots and raw onions, you’ll see them later on to some extent.
Don’t stop eating! Just find what works for you. When all else failed for me, I would get a Little Caesar’s pizza (for real) and eat some for lunch and then for dinner and I was back on the ‘formed’ track.
Even now after takedown (I don’t take immodium or anything else), every 10-15 trips to the bathroom it seems like my Jpouch cleans itself out. Those times are always loose and very liquid. Then things stabilize again. Could be just me. Hope this isn’t too much info!
Cheers,
Eric
[Reply]
Eric says:
April 17th, 2009 at 5:13 pm
The one thing I will say is gas is a lot less of a problem now. I recall avoiding carbonation and gassy foods because my bag would fill up with air. Now I can have chili and a beer (really!) and not worry about it. My takedown was on November 5, 2008 BTW. Hang in there!
[Reply]
Chaz & Lori Burton says:
April 17th, 2009 at 8:45 pm
Thanks Eric, that gives me hope that there is nothing wrong with me. I will continue to monitor my intake and output. I keep a journal and mark what and when I eat and then when I go to the bathroom and what is the consistency of the stool. Trying to get ready for the take down.
One more quick question if you have the time. I am currently taking Cholestyramine to help thicken my stool. I take a shake twice a day. If you are not familiar with Cholestyramine, it is basically yellow, lemon-aide flavored sand. I’ve had worse, but it’s nothing to get excited about. Any way, I was wondering if you started off with something like this or Imodium or something and then slowly weaned off of it?
Thanks for the info.
Chaz
[Reply]
Jamie says:
April 18th, 2009 at 11:09 am
i have a question about exercise post- jpouch surgery. At my 4 week check up, my surgeon gave me the go ahead to start doing moderate exercise with the guidelines that “this is not the time to feel the burn”. Funny but not that helpful. I have read a bit about hernias and wondering if exercising early in recovery can lead to hernias? Specifically, can lifting weights early in recovery lead to hernias? I would like to start lifting light weights (starting with 5 pd dumbells) as i have osteopersosis from the steroids and want to start rebuilding my bone mass. i am now 8 weeks post-op and have been walking but would like to expand my exercising. Thanks for any info you may have!
[Reply]
Lizz says:
April 18th, 2009 at 8:05 pm
I think, if it hurts don’t do it, is good advice. I was eager to start exercising after the surgeries too. I would do the occasional sit up or ab workout, and I could tell the difference between discomfort and “oh that feels weird.” Basically, try not to strain. Gentle workouts like walking and gentle yoga and light weights would probably be okay. Just try not to push yourself yet. Your body has been through a lot, and there’s plenty of time after recovery to work out.
[Reply]
Eric says:
April 19th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
Jamie, not quite sure what led to my hernia. Sometimes you feel so good that you forget you’re not completely healed. I’d start with some aerobic, then some core exercises, nothing like weights. I’m still weary of lifting too much at the gym after 5 months. That said, 8 weeks should be long enough to try small weights. No dead lifts or other craziness yet. I understand about the bones, I’m osteopenic from all the Prednisone back in the day. I should take more calcium, but I’m forgetful (and quite frankly I put in 4 years of heavy pill taking). Impact aerobics, I’ve heard, help with bone density.
[Reply]