So this post might be gross for some of you, and if you are uncomfortable discussing 'poop' then please disregard this post, as it's probably not for you; there you go, you've been warned.
I am 12 years out from my j-pouch surgery, doing fine and healthy, and most of all- happy.
However, I have some concerns regarding, well...poop. Which is basically a UC patients main focus when your dealing with the disease...its literally ALL about the poop! Or at least it was for me when I was a little kid. Let's face it, this is a common ground we can all empathize with and weigh in on, since we've all been there.
So to begin, I am not sure if this is something that is too graphic to discuss publicly in a forum or not, and if so, I apologize. But I know that I can rely on my fellow J-Pouchers to help give me some honest opinions on their experiences with the subject. Also I know that I can count on you guys to help share your advice on how to mitigate some of the issues we probably all experience.
Q1. Does anyone ever have poop envy? Yeah, it sounds weird. But I am now with my fiance and have been for about a year, and of course I'm up a couple times a night having to poop because I can just fill my j-pouch filling up and when its time to go- you gotta go. It frustrates me to NO END having to wake up and physically pull myself out of the nice warm bed with my hubby just to have to poop. Now again, there are 2 sides to the story: I could look at it as 'I am grateful that I am able to poop using my J-Pouch rather than an ostomy or have UC for that matter and still be sick'. Given the option of pooping 2-3 times per night versus being sick, I'll take the J-Pouch poop-fest ANY day (or night in this case). My question about Poop Envy stems from my fiance's exceptionally perfect digestive system. He's an Iowa boy- corn fed, good genes, healthy as a horse. He has about 3 regular solid poops a day. And I'm so envious of them I actually ask him to let me know 'how things are coming along' haha partially in jest, and partially because I have a severe case of Poop Envy! I yearn for those days (when I was a kid, before UC had completely ravaged my colon) when I could sit down on the potty for a nice relieving poop- I'm talking light a candle, newspaper, (well in this day and age it would be cell phone) and take your time passing a huge turd *(Again, sorry for the crassness and/or vulgarity). I missed the feeling of actually having my body work properly, and eliminating waste in the way my body originally intended. I can remember feeling almost 'Empty' afterwards, and would be able to go run, play, etc. and feel...well, for lack of better words, Normal. I may be the only one, but figured I would throw this out there and see if I have any one concur. So what are your thoughts?
Q2. Does anyone take any specific Pro-Biotics that help 'bind' you up and make your J-Pouch poops a little more firm? I have (being intimately immersed in the gay world) heard of 'Pure for Men' *(Link is here: https://www.pureformen.com/ ) which is designed for 'Bottoms' I believe, but curious if any nurses or Doctors or just people in general could weigh in to tell me how it would affect someone with a J-Pouch? If you have pro-biotic recommendations I would really appreciate it.
Q3. I have noticed the more physically active I am, the more solid my poops are. Anyone also have this situation happen to them? I love to have a week where I run everyday for a couple miles each day, and not only do I sleep better, but my poops are on Fleek like whoa! Let me rephrase: "my poops are more solid than normal'' but is still the consistency of thick oatmeal/coffee grinds.
Q4. Anyone miss the feeling of passing gas? I mean its gross and disgusting, but I freaking MISS that feeling of farting. I have not really been able to pass gas without sharting myself, since the j-Pouch surgery. Most of my gas is eliminated during my bowel movements. And I've only had a couple times that I've been able to pass ONLY gas rather than poop and gas, without having an accident. Anyone know what it takes to be able to fart normally again?
Q5. When you think of it, viewing your poop from a colostomy bag is pretty much the same as viewing poop in the toilet, right? If so, would it be too graphic to share with others pictures of our bowels somewhere? Maybe this is a privacy thing, or etiquette, or maybe I just don't know- but I am asking to find out if what my poop looks like is normal- considering. Now I know and fully understand how gross it is to even think of sharing a 'poop selfie' with someone, I get that. But if anyone understands the reasoning behind asking, its you guys here on the J-Pouch group. My healthy-colon hubby thinks it just so weird that I would even want to discuss what poop would look like because to him, it's never been something he discussed. However, I am not really grossed out by anything.
Again, if I have offended anyone, please forgive me- it is not my intention to do so. Just seeking some info from my fellow pouchers.