I have just started using this webseite and have found it really helpful. It is great to know that you are not alone.....

18 months ago I had bowel a resection as I had a fistula between bowel and bladder and prostate. It was a pretty messy and involved surgery and resulted in the surgeon removing my whole sigmoid section and all but last few centimeters of my rectum. I also had an iliostomy for six months until it was reversed a year ago.

I was told following the reversal that the part of bowel joined to the tail of my rectum would start behaving like a rectum and that things wold soon go back to normal.

I have come to the decision that things will never be quite "normal". Most of the time I feel ok, but between 4 - 8 times a day I have a very strong urge to have a BM and it usually hurts. I then normally produce a smallish movement, but have to rusk to the toilet. Every few days i produce great quantities in one sitting.

I try to eat loads of fruit and veg and also go for at least one walk a day (I am not very good at the walking part)

I am wondering if there are supliments that I should take particularly fibrious ones to help keep everything moving and maybe help me to feel more confortable more of the time. I was thinking of getting my GP to prescribe some fibrogel.

I do take milk of magnesia when my stools feel very hard, and I also regulary take probiotics.

Has anyone else had a similar surgical experience? Does anyone have any views on what might help? I am particulary keeen to hear from you guys that have clearly been around for a while like Harry and Goody2shuz.

Thanks

Mischa

Mischa,
As you know removing the sigmoid colon is the real muscle part of your colon. So, the urges to have a BM are certainly different. I had the same surgery 2 1/2 feet (about 76 cm) of my colon but the entire rectum was left-- hemorrhoids and all.

I have written about soluble and insoluble fiber many times on this and other boards. Please go to the thread on this Board started By -- GYMRAT -- Needing Help--- and read about the fibers and foods that I wrote today -- It is the last post right now.

I repeat some of it and slant it to your problems.
I never had a fistular or bladder/protate involved with my resection.

I am a great believer in taking a water soluble fibre supplement daily-- and I have been using psyllium twice daily for 23 years. It come in powder form that you mix with water, capsules and Metamucil includes it in wafers. I like the powder form best because then I know it is well dispersed with the water I mix it with but my wife take the capsules and does Fine. I use the Equate brand from Wal Mart.
Of course you have Wal Marts in the UK-- Right???

I have found that with my diet psyllium makes up about 1/3 of my fibre daily. About 7 to 8 grams daily.

Psyllium is a natrual fibre and it is brokendown during digestion and does produce gas when you first start using it but will go away with continued use.

You have to use at least 6 to 8 glasses of water daily. You need to be well hydrated so your stool never becomes hard and with that much water -- I don't.

I also take probiotics -- have found that L Reuteri is very good because it recolonizes your intestines so you don't get diarrhea caused by alot of various bacteria. I eat yogurt that contains it 3X daily--- you can look up this on their web site and see where you can get it in the UK-- it is a patented probiotic-- very good. Site is www.reuteri.com

I make sure that I get at least 50 to 70 grams of protein daily so as to maintain muscle mass. I get it mostly from poultry and fish --- very little red meat or pork/ham and almost no cheese regularly or cottage cheese. The cheeses seem to slow my digestion down to the point of constipation.

I also take a digestive enzyme with every meal--- larger meals I use an enzyme by Source Natruals -- Essential Enzymes. Smaller meals I use other types.

Have to Go now -- will post later~~~Harry

Harry...........do you take the L Reuteri only in yogurt or do you also take it in a pill? Where do you buy in the US......a regular pharmacy? or via the mail?

Thanks.........Lori

Lori,

There are 3 ways to get L. reuteri in the USA. In -- Stonyfield Farm products sold in health food stores as well as grocery stores-- yogurt & all their products and as a supplement-- from Nature's Way -- Primadophilus Reuteri-- a capsule that you can buy at health food stores and online.

And, as a supplement L.Reuteri from Nature's Sunshine Products, Inc -- I buy it online but use to be supplied by Wal Mart-- a lemon favored tablet that you chew or suck on.

I take a capsule about half the days but if I get intestinal uneasyness-- I suck on a tablet -- It is the only probiotic supplement that I have ever taken that I could tell a difference in 30 minutes--- Most others it takes time and then you wonder if it really is working.

I wish you well~~~Harry

PS -- There is none sold in Canada or Mexico.
It is cultured in Sweden and processed in Denmark and distributed by Biogala around the world but not every where!

Harry

Many thanks for your reply.

I am going to read your other strings on the subject and do some research, and come back to you later.

Many thanks again.

Mischa

ps - We do not have Wal Mart in the UK.