Hello Dear Friend,

How are you doing?

I had my reversal in June and have constant problems with my bowels...the only way I deal with it is to eat small meals and I do colonic irrigation at about 8am and 8pm every day.....if I miss my routine suffer the consequences.

I also know that diet sometimes has a part to play and I cannot eat spicy foods although that might be the chemo reaction also. I would go back to the doctor about the dosage as the maximum dose on the box is about 6 per day....when I had my problems with my stoma producing so much liquid straight after the op (when they couldn't control it and I spent 7 weeks in hospital) I was taking 40 loperamide a day and I was fine...therefore in these circumstances it may be better to request your GP talk to the hospital stoma team or for you to get a meeting with the consultant or stoma nurses. Dizzie will tell you also that the stoma nurses usually are the people to talk to and have clinics to talk about such problems.

Hope you get it sorted...let me know how it goes and also how you are getting on.

Much Love

T xxxxx

Hello Dear Friend,

How are you doing?

I had my reversal in June and have constant problems with my bowels...the only way I deal with it is to eat small meals and I do colonic irrigation at about 8am and 8pm every day.....if I miss my routine suffer the consequences.

I also know that diet sometimes has a part to play and I cannot eat spicy foods although that might be the chemo reaction also. I would go back to the doctor about the dosage as the maximum dose on the box is about 6 per day....when I had my problems with my stoma producing so much liquid straight after the op (when they couldn't control it and I spent 7 weeks in hospital) I was taking 40 loperamide a day and I was fine...therefore in these circumstances it may be better to request your GP talk to the hospital stoma team or for you to get a meeting with the consultant or stoma nurses. Dizzie will tell you also that the stoma nurses usually are the people to talk to and have clinics to talk about such problems.

Hope you get it sorted...let me know how it goes and also how you are getting on.

Much Love

T xxxxx

I had my illeostomy reversed in July 2010 after 5 years.   I've had all of the usual problems of frequent BM's, diarrhea and burning.   Like most others I've been taking Loperamide (Immodium) with some limited success, but seem to lurch between constipation and loose BMs.   I can go to the loo 6 times a day, or not go for 2 days.   All of this is an improvement on when I first started when I was practically living on the loo.

My diet has been severely restricted.   When I had my illeostomy, I ate pretty much what I wanted, but of course this was not possible after the reversal, as most others have experienced.   Even relatively benign foods such as cornflakes could have the effect of frequent loo visits.   Some websites recommended trying marshmallows or peanut butter or drinking fybrogel to bulk up the stools, but I didn't notice any significant difference.   The worst part was having to eat a bland diet.   Our colorectal nurse advised me apart from the obvious foods such as curries and spicy dishes to stay away from anything containing stalks, seeds, pips or skins, which pretty much ruled out most fruit, veg and nuts.   Tomatoes, even tomato sauce, was a big no-no which would result in dramatic burning BMs.   Things have improved slightly in that after 6 months I can eat vegatables if they are well cooked and can tolerate tomato in Passata form, as this is sieved.

Because I've had an illeostomy for the past 5 years and therefore have not been using my pelvic floor muscles, I have also been using a Pelvitone muscle stimulation machine to strengthen the pelvic floor and sphincter muscles under the direction of the colorectal pelvic floor nurse with some small improvement.

Now to my point.   A friend of mine who had bowel cancer some 10 years ago, although she did not have an illiostomy, suggested that I try Zantac (Ranitidine), which she has been using for some time.   She takes this twice a day and especially if she thinks that she may be eating anything that could set her off.   If she goes out for a meal and forgets to take a Zantac, then even after 10 years she will suffer badly the next day.   I have experimented with this myself with some success and having decided to really put it to the test, have even eaten a Roghan Josh curry and a raw apple with no ill effects.   McDonalds would previously result in some painful hours sat on the loo, but once again no burning was experienced.

I'm a little bemused as to why there is no information on the internet regarding using Ranitidine for reversal patients and why this has never been suggested by either my consultant or the colorectal nurse.    Ranitidine (Zantac) is primarily used for reducing stomach acid and this may destroy the 'good bacteria', hence the warnings that you may only take a maximum of two per day.   Maybe that's the reason.   I'm seeing the colorectal nurse next week and my consultant after my next scan in March and will ask them then.

Has anyone else ever used this drug?