Stool Consistency

Mine fluctuates like that at times. I did have narrowing at the outlet that made things worse... You could double check with your doc and have them make sure that's not an added issue.

But in the meantime, if you're too thick, you could try a 1/2 dose of Milk of Magnesia. It's a nonstimulant laxative, and it thins out my output when I occasionally need it. I say 1/2 dose, because without my colon, that's all I needed. Also a glass of grape juice or apple juice helps keep it thinner for me, too.

I told my surgeon that its almost like my pouch is *too* efficient, at times, these days, and the MOM was what he recommended, and it worked. Any other laxative sends me into major gut crampings, but MOM does not.

I noticed on your profile that you take iron. What type/form of Iron are you taking? Iron will cause constipation.

I was recently diagnosed as anemic. I dreaded having to take iron since it caused me a lot of problems when I was pregnant with my 2nd child back in the 1980's.

So, yesterday while I was shopping for anything that contained a lot of iron in some form of food, I picked up a box of Corn Chex cereal. Corn Chex cereal apparently adds vitamins and minerals to the ingredients. Just one cup of Chex contains 45% of the daily recommendation and is now gluten free. Wheat Chex contains 80% of the daily recommendation.

I love Corn Chex cereal, so I am going to try eating 2 cups per day (dry and with milk). Yesterday, I ate 3 cups and I swear my light-headedness improved.

If you are taking iron pills, you need to add vitamin C for absorption. You are young and probably still menstruating, so you probably need a lot more iron than I do (I am post-menopause)

Some people on certain diets shouldn't take it, but black strap molasses has a super iron content, and I take it from time to time to increase my iron level.

Two ideas: make sure you're drinking lots and lots of water, and you might try Metamucil/psyllium. Remember that non-pouchers use psyllium to combat constipation, even though we more often use it to turn liquid stool into something easier to manage. Use it carefully and monitor the results, of course.