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Reply to "Think I have chronic pouchitis; please help"

Getting a new "disease" is indeed disturbing. It looks like you've edited your original post, so my previous response doesn't make much sense now. Nevertheless, here are some thoughts for your consideration. 

1) It mostly doesn't matter what our stool looks like. If it turns out to be blood then that ought to be addressed, but try to focus on symptoms that affect quality of life, like urgency, frequency, and difficulty emptying. 

2) Check the diagnosis. Bleeding alone is more often cuffitis than pouchitis, though either is possible. 

3) You might not have been adequately treated. Flagyl alone doesn't work for everyone. It did nothing for me. Cipro often has a quick, dramatic effect, for example.

4) The VSL may help prevent recurrences. I've needed a higher dose to get a clear benefit, though.

5) If it turns out to be antibiotic dependent pouchitis, it's important to take the time to find as many effective antibiotics as you can, so you can rotate between them, if possible. It's even more important to find the lowest effective dose for each.

Good luck!

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