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I don’t know whether this is a j-pouch thing or not, but the past two weeks I’ve been having pretty constant “rice water” diarrhoea. Thought I was on the mend yesterday, but today it’s back.

I’m not on any new medication. Eating my normal diet. There is no pain, cramping, smell or weird colour. No particular urgency or increase in frequency. Definitely not pouchitis. I don’t feel unwell from it.

Sore bum and difficulty collecting 24-hr urine sample without awful mess are the only effects so far.

Does anyone have any ideas?

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I have had that before plenty of times.  Taking psyllium husk powder helped thicken things up and slow the guts down.  In addition to drinking water, make sure you replenish your electrolytes. Mine get low when I get the watery stools.  They were related to my spleen needing support.  I also make sure to cook my veggies & fruits (nothing raw) and avoid cold foods when the spleen needs help.  Sometimes taking vitamin C and zinc for a few days helps, too.

Last edited by Sara Marie
@Scott F posted:

Sometimes this is a GI infection, like C diff. If it persists you might need stool testing. Make sure to stay hydrated.

Thanks, Scott, I hadn’t thought infection because I don’t feel unwell, but obviously that could be the cause. I wonder where I got it because I haven’t left the house much recently except for doctor’s appointments. Hmm, maybe that was where!

I will ask my doctor to order a stool test. Collecting that is going to be interesting …

I just remembered that I took a 5-day course of prednisolone about three weeks ago. (It was a low dose only.) I don’t remember having the diarrhoea while I was taking it but to be honest I’m in such a state these days that I can’t be sure. It was for bad allergic itching and I was so darned relieved that the itching had stopped that I can’t remember anything else. I must start keeping a medical diary.

Will get tested for bugs anyway!

Last edited by Kushami

Update: It went away before I could see my doctor to arrange a stool sample.

Happy it’s gone, but I now have no excuse not to start the medication my new doctor prescribed me … which gives most people who take it diarrhoea as a side effect. In fact, it’s so well known for this side effect that some people with motility problems take it to get things moving.

(It’s Mestinon, if anyone is wondering. I’m trying it for orthostatic intolerance / autonomic dysfunction.)

Oh joy!

I’m glad you’re feeling better. It could easily have been something like a viral infection, which can clear up on its own.

Some medications that can cause diarrhea might not have that effect on J-pouchers. If the mechanism of action is an effect on the colon, we might be effectively “immune” to that side effect. It’s hard to tell, of course, since most side effects happen to just a fraction of users anyway. Good luck!

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