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Reply to "Pouch leaks might be from SSRI anti-depressants and other drugs"

Shavon, if you don't have to switch from an SSRI that's working for you -- and give up those very effective SSRIs forever! -- I'd rather that you sort thru the problem step by step to make sure that the SSRI really IS  the problem and not something else. Even if what you have is "normal" leaking that you'll have to live with (and not caused by the SSRI), what I'm going to suggest might help.

Please collect some "data" for your surgeon -- that will help him figure out what's going on. Make a chart, keep records for each day:

How many times a day do you empty your pouch? What times of day do you empty, in relation to your meals?

How many times a day do you change your patch ONLY because you've soaked through? Do you always soak thru or just at certain times or just after drinking a lot of liquid?

Is it clear liquid or colored like what you last drank, like coffee? Is the liquid coming out a little at a time over a few hours or is it coming out in random streams?

How much liquid are you drinking before the leaks? is it all at once (like 6-8 oz in a few minutes?) or is it spread out over a few hours? Is it carbonated drinks or not?

How much solid waste is coming out?

What kind of pain is it and where do you feel it? Does it happen after you eat, after you intubate, or randomly?

I know this sounds weird but you could take pictures of your patch when you've gotten solid matter leaking out, so the surgeon can see how much it is.

I changed my patch a few extra times a day for the first few years, in addition to changing it when I emptied. That is normal if your pouch is "active" and produces a lot of watery mucous.

Giving your surgeon this information will help him figure out what's going on. Don't give up on the SSRIs until you REALLY know what's going on for sure.

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