Oh, and I do take the VSL#3 capsules (3) every day.
I don’t know if it helps or has any benefits but It supposed to prevent pouchtis, which I have not had. So it’s a mind/body thing for me. I feel good taking it.
grateful posted:I don’t know if it helps or has any benefits but It supposed to prevent pouchtis, which I have not had. So it’s a mind/body thing for me. I feel good taking it.
Interesting. I know I don't have pouchitis and did try VSL3 in the early days when it was cash only, no insurance coverage. It didn't help with BMs per day so I stopped taking it. I might be lucky in the sense of no pouchitis but I think I had a poor j-pouch result insofar as gut transit time issues.
My body just spews bile. With my last obstruction high up in the gut I was still cranking out liters of fluid via an NG tube pumping me out, long after my stomach was empty. It was just maybe a few feet of upper small intestine pumping out all of that juice.
I'm curious what the average imodium dose is for most J-pouchers. I read some case studies in Europe where ileostomy patients were given well over 200mg via compounding pharmacies with incredible results. These people had severe short-bowel syndrome, though.
I've got good length but my gut speed is unreal fast.
So maybe I am a one-off situation where everyone else needs a minuscule dose of imodium.
I only use a bowel slower at bedtime, when I need to *delay* everything for a few extra hours. Bowel slowers don’t decrease what’s passing through the gut (eating less does that), nor do they increase pouch capacity. Since I’m going to produce the same volume of stool in any case, I have modest expectations for what slowing things down can accomplish.
Awe, I know that constant BM’s and short transit time can be very trying and depressing. It took time with me to slow things down and I still have days that are not so good.
I am curious as well how many Imodium jpouchers should safely take. Going to Germany in July and will check things out and get info. Jpouch surgery is very common in Germany. Will tell you all about it when I get back.
Scott F posted:I only use a bowel slower at bedtime, when I need to *delay* everything for a few extra hours. Bowel slowers don’t decrease what’s passing through the gut (eating less does that), nor do they increase pouch capacity. Since I’m going to produce the same volume of stool in any case, I have modest expectations for what slowing things down can accomplish.
Scott, that just shows how much variation there is within our disease community. During my early years I took so little imodium in the morning that the doctor thought my liver was going to fail (unknowing it was related to the diarrhea). I couldn't eat much or leave the house.
I'd die without the imodium. Even during my two step procedure I had to have one of those battery powered IV fluid packs on full-time. I couldn't drink my way into hydration. It just wasn't possible.
Fluid intake is very tricky with me. I have to be very careful what time I eat and drink during the day. If I pound water with certain food it just causes me to shit it all out.
I'm trying out different intermittent fasting cycles. I think eating within a 4 hour window daily (entire calorie load) would be ideal for myself and probably a lot of j-pouchers. Getting past the adaptation phase of a severe diet change is the most difficult thing I've ever done. There's a lot of misinformation out there on diet, none of which is founded on evidence. Even going by feel is useless as it can take months to adapt to a change that feels terrible. Human beings were lucky to eat one meal a day in our distant past. We are very adaptable.
grateful posted:Awe, I know that constant BM’s and short transit time can be very trying and depressing. It took time with me to slow things down and I still have days that are not so good.
I am curious as well how many Imodium jpouchers should safely take. Going to Germany in July and will check things out and get info. Jpouch surgery is very common in Germany. Will tell you all about it when I get back.
I want to go too.
Here's what I'm looking at for imodium:
https://mkbio.en.alibaba.com/p...413.8.708c1b73s1lDBq
Even at my higher than usual dose this will last me around 3 years. 280 dollars. If that doesn't fly I'll just take a trip into Mexico once a year and pick up my life essential medications. In my old age I'm getting tired of being ripped off by US Pharma and insurance companies. There are too many people getting paid that add no value in our medical system.
Thanks for the discussion all and I'm sorry if I ruffled feathers. It's at least in part my torrette syndrome and slew of personality disorders. LOL. I've found a couple workarounds which solves my immediate need. I'd still like to be able to affect making it accessible to all of us again. It doesn't make a ton of sense to limit the supply of an essential medicine. WHO said it was the 256th most prescribed medicine. Very important for us and cute little old ladies with incontinence.
Nobody talks about that part. Women give birth to children and in their golden years, those sphincter tears catch up to them. It's embarrassing for anyone to have to beg for imodium.
Life is hard and simultaneously wonderful, eh?
Amen!
Haha, you’re funny and you DID NOT ruffle anyone’s feathers. We jpouchers don’t ruffle ones feathers....we’re just in a terrible mood sometimes... for obvious reasons..😜
Maybe not ruffling feathers but I cause stress-induced peristalsis with my award winning bad attitude 
You should have seen me as a youth. I'm a glass half-full nowadays, at least after each episode of narcissistic rage. Gotta have a sense of humor to keep from killing myself. LOL
The cheapest option for Immodium that I have found is the Ship & Save subscription for the 200 ct bottles through CVS. I'm paying on average $15/bottle, so still quadruple the price of what I paid for it from CVS, but since Wal-Mart stopped carrying the 200ct bottles, this is the most economical option I've found. It is also nice that it is shipped right to my door on a pre-set frequency to make sure I don't run out.
brmcguire posted:The cheapest option for Immodium that I have found is the Ship & Save subscription for the 200 ct bottles through CVS. I'm paying on average $15/bottle, so still quadruple the price of what I paid for it from CVS, but since Wal-Mart stopped carrying the 200ct bottles, this is the most economical option I've found. It is also nice that it is shipped right to my door on a pre-set frequency to make sure I don't run out.
Hey BR, it might be a good idea to buy extra in advance and stock up. It stands to reason that some vendors have ignored the DEA only temporarily until existing surplus stock runs out. That kind of pressure is serious business IMO. Adding to the issue is huge profit increases to CVS or anyone who goes with the DEA recommendation. It makes sense that they'll eventually clamp down like Costco did.
I'm just being careful. I ordered that kilo from China so will post more about it after it shows up.