Stories - Page 2 of 11 - J Pouch support charity

Attend our regular monthly J-pouch forum on zoom

See report on most recent meeting below from RLG Chairman David Davies (Updated 7 December 2022)

Our regular monthly pouch forums take place on the first Monday of every month at 7:30 pm (London time) on Zoom. Meet online with other pouchees for friendly pouch related chat!

If you have a pouch or are considering pouch surgery, and have not attended one of our regular pouch forums, then you are missing a fantastic opportunity to “meet” with other like minded individuals, to discuss and compare pouch related experiences and challenges.

We welcome regular and new attendees, ranging from people with “new” pouches, “old” pouches and “yet-to-be” pouches. (Two of our regular attendees have pouches over 40 years old, and were number 9 and 10 of the first pouches ever created!). We have attendees from all over the UK and some from further afield, including Europe and North America.

Subjects discussed are varied, including diet, medication, leakage, butt-burn, frequency, travel, catheters, recommended blood tests, dehydration…the list is endless. All those delicate subjects that you may not wish to discuss elsewhere,

The reality is that we are still a rare breed, and a common reaction from first time attendees is that they have never previously met or had the opportunity to talk to someone else with a pouch. A quote from one attendee “Thank you – I did enjoy the session. I’d forgotten that in certain circles I am perfectly normal!“.

So don’t be shy! Go to pouchsupport.org/events or click below to register for the next scheduled pouch forum.

Updated 7 December 2022

The last RLG pouch forum of 2022 took place on Monday 5 December with approximately 20 pouchees dialling in for an enthralling zoom session. These informal chat events have become a regular in people’s diaries and it was good to see so many familiar faces and a few new faces too. The discussions were wide-ranging and focussed on real pouch problems and their resolution. The topics included:

Vitamin B12 deficiency and a GP letter to get testing and treatment for pouchees
Access to the St Marks pouch nurse specialists for pouch-related advice
Symptoms and treatment for blockage
When you should go to hospital with a blockage
Prevention / reduction of gas
Food supplements and whether they work or not?
Probiotics for treatment of pouchitis?
Use of catheters and/ or warm water flushing for complete pouch emptying
How to reduce or stop having to get up in the night for a pooh
Foods to avoid for Christmas dinner!

There were lots of solutions, including one pouchee who had turned around a problematic pouch with a strict regime of pouch care, including a warm water enema to (further) liquidise the pouch contents in the morning and at night, using a medina catheter to fully empty, 2 sachets of Vivomixx per day (other probiotics are available) and green tea supplements (for their apparent anti-inflammatory properties). Not only is his pouch now healthy, but his doctor complimented him on having the healthiest looking pouch he had ever seen!!

Time ran out for the last topic of the day, which was how to avoid night time leakage and seepage, so we will discuss this at the next RLG zoom forum, which will take place on Monday 9 January 2023. Attendance is free, but please remember to register beforehand at pouchsupport.org/events to receive the link to join.

Wishing you all a Happy Christmas and a healthy and prosperous New Year, looking forward to meeting again on the 9th January.

David Davies
RLG Chairman

News

Seasons Greeting from RLG (and a turkey recipe!)

On behalf of the Red Lion Group trustees, I would like to wish all of our members and followers a peaceful and joyful christmas, and most importantly – a healthy and happy 2023!

In the spirit of xmas, I would like to share with you below a turkey recipe provided by commitee member and trustee Theresa Parr.

Soused turkey recipe

Forget all the bother with brining, etc. Far too much fuss! I first started using a basic version of this recipe 40 years ago, since then been modified several times. Definitely tried and tested so you will have beautiful, moist, tender and tasty turkey every time.

Chestnut Stuffing

2 rashers of streaky bacon

1 onion

Liver from the turkey chopped small

Knob of butter

200g vacpacked chestnuts broken up

1 Bramley apple chopped small

4 tablespoons chopped parsley

1 dessert spoon chopped thyme

1/4 teaspoon ground mace or grated nutmeg

1 large sausage skinned (Sainsbury’s do really good high meat content sausages, the caramelised onion ones work well)

Salt and pepper

Fry bacon, onion and liver for 10 mins in the butter.

Tip into bowl and mix in all the other ingredients.

Soused Turkey

Loosen the neck end of the turkey and stuff with the chestnut stuffing mixture. Secure with a skewer.

Pop an apple or onion into the main cavity. This keeps it moist.

Slather the turkey with butter, about 500g. I soften the butter in the microwave and then brush it on for a good, even covering.

Cover the turkey in back bacon. (I use lots as it comes out soft and delicious; very good on Boxing Day). Worth using tooth picks to secure as they tend to slide off all the butter!

Place a few large carrots, large tomato, a stick of celery and a halved onion in the bottom of the roasting tin. ( I chuck the celery afterwards but roast the carrots with your potatoes and pop the onions out of their skin as an accompaniments)

Place turkey on top of the veg.

Then pour in half a bottle of wine into the pan, red or white, your choice but use good quality wine as it flavours the turkey and is the base for your gravy. ( If you don’t drink wine, then you can use a good stock)

Cover with a double layer of foil but wrapped loosely to allow it to steam.

It’s cooked when the juices from the thigh run pink.

Gravy

Remove everything from the roasting tin but leaving just a couple of tablespoons of liquid. Serve the excess liquid.

Whisk in 2 tablespoons of flour and warm through over a low heat until combined.

Gradually whisk the reserved liquid back in and whisk until slightly thickened.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

If you don’t have enough liquid then you can make it up with stock.

Many thanks to Good Housekeeping and Delia for the original recipe inspiration.

Theresa Parr
RLG Commitee member and trustee

Events

Attend IA Pouch Information Day featuring Richard Lovegrove

Attend IA Pouch Information Day on 21st January featuring Richard Lovegrove

The J Pouch subgroup of the UK Ileostomy Association (ia) is hosting an information Day on Saturday 21st January 2023 at Jury’s Inn, Birmingham

FREE for anyone living with, or considering, an internal pouch, this event has guest speaker, colorectal surgeon, Richard Lovegrove, along with other esteemed speakers.

Topics will include:

J Pouch surgery and who is suitable Pre and post op care
Diet and nutrition for J Pouch patients
J Pouch complications
J Pouch follow up
and much more…

Book your FREE place now!

Simply email: internal.pouch@iasupport.org

Includes interactive Q&A sessions and social chats with fellow ‘pouchies’.

You can download the official poster below:

IA Information day 2023 Poster

Download Now!

News

St. Mark’s stoma/pouch team nominated for Nursing Times awards…

St. Mark’s stoma/pouch team nominated for Nursing Times awards.

The St Mark’s Hospital stoma and pouchcare team has been shortlisted in four categories for the Nursing Times Awards.

Updated 28 November 2022

The awards ceremony has now taken place. Although St. Mark’s did not bring home the awards, it was a great honour for them to be nominated and we at Red lion Group and on behalf of our members are very proud of them.

St. Mark’s Hospital Trust had a total of four nominations for the Nursing Times Awards, split over two separate events.

The first two nominations for the Nursing Times awards on 26^th October 2022 were for the book “Stoma care – A Guide for Patients” Written by Rali Marinova, Petya Marinova and Zarah Perry-Woodford, which was nominated in the Patient Self Care Category, and for the Surgical and theatre nursing category.

The other two nominations were for the Nursing Times Workforce Summit & Awards, which was held on 22^nd November. These are more management, workforce and service development-oriented awards that the Nursing Times holds annually. St. Mark’s had a nomination for Nurse Manager of the Year for Zarah Perry-Woodford, and Best use of technology for the Pouch/Stoma care department for digitalisation of services.

And in October St. Mark’s Stoma/Pouch Nurse team won second place in the Association of Stoma Nurses UK Award, for successfully maintaining services during the covid pandemic, producing patient self-care stoma handbook and digitalisation of it’s service.

For information how to contact the St. Mark’s Stoma/Pouchcare team see https://pouchsupport.org/contacting-the-pouch-team-at-st-marks-hospital/

The St Mark’s Hospital stoma and pouchcare team has been shortlisted in four categories for the Nursing Times Awards.

These are an important source of recognition as the Nursing Times, like the British Medical Journal, is one of the leading magazines in the medical and health sectors.

The awards ceremony will be held at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel on two dates.

The first two nominations are for the Nursing Times awards on 26^th October 2022 when the St Mark’s team has been nominated for its book “Stoma care – a guide for patients” in the ‘Promoting Patient Self-management’ and also in the ‘Theatre and Surgical Nursing” category.

The second two nominations are for the Nursing Times Workforce Summit & Awards, which is on 22^nd November when the team has been nominated for Best Use of Workplace Technology – Digitalisation of Stoma and Pouch Care Services and finally, Zarah Perry-Woodford has been nominated in the category Nurse Manager of the Year !

So let’s send the team our very best wishes – they certainly deserve to win!

St. Mark’s Hospital Stoma and Pouch Care team

News

J Pouch Videos on YouTube Channel

For a number of years, the Red Lion Group has been building up an extensive J Pouch video channel on YouTube.( See YouTube.com/@PouchSupport )

These feature some of the most eminent experts in the field of pouch surgery and support on topics of particular interest to pouchees or those considering pouch surgery.

Many of these videos have been recorded at the Red Lion Group Information Days hosted at St. Mark’s Hospital and more recently over Zoom.

There are links to the various videos from relevant pages on the Red Lion Group web site (pouchsupport.org) in particular from the Resources Page. See pouchsupport.org/resources.

In addition, we have now added a direct link to the YouTube channel from the menu bar on the Pouch Support website. See below:-

PouchSupport.org Home Page showing new menu bar option

When you link to the YouTube Channel, you can browse all of the Videos sorted by Most Recent or Most Popular.

Please support the Red Lion Group by becoming a member at pouchsupport.org/join

News

Living with J-Pouch or Stoma and affect on mental…

Contents

Living with a J-Pouch or Stoma and affect on mental health

A recent mental health survey of J-pouch and ileostomists by the psychologist Zeina Bushnaq has found that most of those who took part showed higher anxiety levels, bouts of depression and greater body dissatisfaction than the average man- or woman-in-the-street. Despite this most participants reported a generally good quality of life.

**Report author: Psychologist Zeina Bushnaq**

The reasons are probably obvious. All the patients in the survey had been through bowel surgery which, as we all know, can be a significant period in our lives. Half of the 152 respondees, or 74, had pouches and an average age of 49 while the other 78 were ileostomists (average age 42).

All came from the RLG and Crohn’s & Colitis UK support groups, the GetYourBellyOut and Purple Wings charities and a number of Facebook and Twitter users.

The survey – which Zeina ran as part of her PhD in counselling psychology at Surrey-based Roehampton University – was particularly timely as the latest statistics show the number of people in the UK with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is continuing to rise.

“While the number of people with IBD, ileostomies and ileo pouches has increased over the past few years, research has mainly focused on the physical and medical aspects of these conditions instead of the emotional and psychological aspects. However as IBD diagnoses increase, so do the number of individuals experiencing psychological difficulties, specifically anxiety and depression (low mood),” said Zeina.

Her overview was that the survey’s participants showed high levels of anxiety, low mood (depression) – not mood swings, as that is quite different from low mood/depression – high levels of body image dissatisfaction and held negative attitudes towards mental health services.

However the survey’s aim, she said, was to “help researchers and clinicians better understand people’s emotional and psychological experiences after surgery. This is important because it provides critical information that clinicians need to inform their clinic practices.

“It also means clinicians can make sure people receive the appropriate psychological interventions and that their treatment is tailored to meet people’s emotional needs,” she said.

So what then were the survey’s key findings and what were the main differences between patients with pouches and ileostomists?

“When it came to coping strategies, the only difference that was found was that the pouch group appeared to use problem-focused coping strategies more than the ileostomists,” said Zeina.

“These strategies are used when people try to change the source of their stress and usually take the form of planning or else seeking professional help from doctors or nurses.” She said older participants tended to use these problem-focused strategies more often than younger ones.

Another key factor was the length of time that has passed since the patient has had their surgery. “The further in time from surgery, the more likely participants have time to adjust and cope – and therefore to use problem-focused strategies,” said Zeina.

And what were the recommended types of treatment? “Psychological interventions between the two groups may be different because each group experiences different difficulties, ie individuals with ileostomies may experience short-term complications with their stomas and individuals with ileal pouches may experience long-term complications of the pouch such as pouchitis,” she said.

“Tailoring psychological interventions may help address people’s specific emotional needs, thus improving their mental wellbeing, whilst also improving access to mental health services,” said Zeina.

The survey is believed to be the first of its kind to examine the differences between a wide range of psychological factors including low mood, anxiety, body image, attention, people’s beliefs, coping, help-seeking and attitudes towards therapy in individuals with ileostomies and ileoanal pouches, said Zeina.

“The results highlighted the importance of understanding people’s attitudes towards mental health services and the need to improve psychological training, healthcare pathways and access to mental health services,” she said.

Patient panel

St Mark’s Hospital has its own Psychological Medicine Unit (PMU) which provides consultation and training to its staff and some specialist input that is mainly for in-patients. Dr Sonya Frearson, consultant clinical psychologist and head of St Mark’s PMU, is currently conducting a needs assessment for St Mark’s Hospital with a view to seeking funding to expand services.

If the findings of Zeina’s research have prompted you to seek support with ways to improve living with your condition a good first step is to use the following link to refer yourself to your local NHS talking therapies service: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/talking-therapies-medicine-treatments/talking-therapies-and-counselling/nhs-talking-therapies/

Or if you are interested in joining a patient panel to help with this treatment then please contact Sonya (using “patient panel” in the subject line) by email to lnwh-tr.psychology.pmu@nhs.net

Zeina Bushnaq: Biography

Zeina Bushnaq is a psychologist and recently completed a doctorate in counselling psychology at the Surrey-based University of Roehampton.

Born and raised in the Middle East, Zeina aims to continue her recent work and research in the IBD community and to help those who face problems or who may be struggling.

She has an MSc degree is social and applied psychology from the University of Kent and a BA in psychology from Canada’s Dalhousie University.

Michelle’s magic formula

RLG communications officer Michelle Martin has her own unique way of dealing with anxiety and stress. We’ll call it PMA – the positive mental approach

I work for a hospice, so when the UK went into lockdown I was one of the first members of staff to be sent home due to concerns over my health. We entered the lockdown just as I was celebrating one year of living with a pouch and by this point I was really enjoying life without my temporary stoma bag.

Then I found that after a year of lockdowns I had to regain my confidence in my pouch. I had become so used to being at home near a toilet that I had become nervous of big trips out.

This situation made me realise two key points:

There was nothing wrong with my pouch, it was my own anxiety that was holding me back. It was very easy for me to blame my condition but sometimes I needed to look beyond that.
How important it was to keep active and not retreat to the safety of my own home. It is very easy to stay at home and feel safe but that is not living.

I concluded very quickly that if I stayed at home I would lose touch with my friends, family and the world around me. I also had a spell of Covid and it set me thinking about my mental health. I decided that after being so ill I wasn’t prepared just to sit back. I wanted to live life.

Living with an autoimmune disease is always challenging but combining that with the worst pandemic in over 100 years just makes things that much more difficult. It is OK to find it stressful but the most important thing is to seek help and support if it is preventing you from living the life you want. You have been through so much you deserve to be happy and to live well.

What a refreshing response, Michelle. It’s an approach that all pouchees – with or without Covid – would do well to follow.

Christopher Browne
ROAR! Editor

A version of this article first appeared in ROAR! Issue 39: Christmas 2008. If you would like to read other articles like this, why not become a member of the Red Lion Pouch Support group? You will receive printed Copy of ROAR! twice a year and have online access to archive ROAR! editions going back to 1994.

See pouchsupport.org/join for further information.

News

Dietary advice for J-Pouch

Contents

Dietary advice for J-Pouch
Eating your way to rude, good health

Rest and relaxation are vital aids to recovery after major surgery – but then there’s diet, says Christopher Browne

Glance through any tabloid newspaper or popular weekly magazine and one of the hottest topics you’ll find is dieting. Most of these diets aim to make you feel good about yourself, slimmer and more svelte-looking (both men and women).

And why not indeed! But dieting is not just a way to lose weight. Your diet and what you choose to eat and drink is a major priority when you are recovering from an operation. Your body needs sustenance, essential minerals, salts and vitamins to help you grow stronger and recover your former health.

Some of us were lucky enough to see a recent webcast about healthy eating by Gabriela Poufou, lead IBD dietitian at St Mark’s Hospital – See below for recording.

Gabriela Poufou – Healthy Eating for patients with an internal pouch

It was the best guide to diet and recovery I have ever seen – far more thorough than any newspaper guide. And I’ve got to admit that until recently – apart from taking care to avoid certain foods – I haven’t taken diet as seriously as I should. Neither, I might add, has it seemed to be a top priority in hospitals – apart from St Mark’s and Central Middlesex Hospitals perhaps – GPs’ surgeries and health clinics.

Until now. Pleasingly, this trend is changing. Surgeons, GPs, clinicians, nursing staff, patients and support groups are recognising the importance of diet and healthy eating and as an enthusiastic layman I make no apologies for drawing on the outstanding knowledge and advice Gabriela Poufou gave us in her webcast.

Let’s start with dehydration. If you have a pouch, do you remember how tired and thirsty you felt as the effects of the final closure of your pouch began to wear off. This is because you were dehydrated. The removal of your large bowel meant it could no longer act as a reservoir to reabsorb water and salts.

This major change in your bodily functions needs time to settle. So one of the best go-to remedies is St Mark’s Hospital’s electrolyte solution – six teaspoonfuls of glucose powder, a teaspoonful of salt and a dessertspoonful of bicarbonate of soda dissolved in a litre of water. Pouchees are advised to drink this solution at regular intervals during the day (There are other variations too which you can find on Google).

Gabriela Poufou encourages pouchees to continue this rehydration regime for at least two months as your body starts to heal after your final pouch closure.

Here are some of the other keys to post-surgical diet and recovery. [Please watch Gabriela’s video for a much fuller and more detailed version].

For the first few weeks dietitians recommend a soft, low-fibre diet, and, as you start to recover, move on to high protein and energy foods to encourage the wounds from the surgery to heal more quickly, reduce the risk of blockages and help prevent weight loss.

The diet Gabriela Pouchou and specialist dietitians recommend for pouchees after four to six weeks has many of the features of the NHS’s excellent Eatwell guide – Click HERE for NHS Eatwell Guide.

The foods recommended for pouchees after four to six weeks are: proteins – meat, fish, cheese, eggs, milk yogurt and pulses; carbohydrates including cereals, bread, rice, pasta and potato; healthy fats and calcium-rich dairy products – or lactose-free alternatives – including olive oil, milk puddings, yogurts and petit filou (small yogurts), custard and blancmanges.

After two months you’ll also be able to drink fluids such as water, tea and coffee (in moderation), unsweetened fruit juices and sugar-free squashes. If your loo output is up you may need to continue with an electrolyte mix 30-60 minutes before meals.

During the first few weeks post-surgery (and, in some cases, permanently) pouchees should avoid nuts, seeds, peas, raw vegetables, mushrooms, sweetcorn, celery, dried fruit and coconut. In time you may be able to reintroduce some of these foods in small amounts.

Dietitians advise pouchees to adopt a “little and often” approach to food and to eat slowly and chew your food well. They also recommend you experiment with the size and timing of your meals and you may find some foods suit you better than others. So a bit of trial and error won’t do you any harm!

In the NHS’s Eatwell Guide is a dietary caveat which applies to all of us whether pouchees or otherwise: “Most people in the UK eat and drink too many calories, too much saturated fat, sugar and salt, and not enough fruit, vegetables, oily fish or fibres.”

Whatever approach you take to your post-surgery diet, if you are in any doubt whatsoever about anything please seek advice from your hospital dietitian. He or she will be only too happy to pass on dietary advice and eating tips.

The Michelle Martin formula

Pouchee and RLG committee member Michelle Martin who had her pouch fitted in 2019 says: “I religiously followed what I refer to as the ‘beige diet’ – avoiding anything with too much fibre including too many vegetables and fruit. After that, I gradually reintroduced fruit and veg and very quickly I was able to enjoy a very healthy and varied diet.

“I have made some adaptations to my diet as I find certain foods do not agree with the pouch. I have therefore limited the amount of red meat I eat, I avoid ice cream and despite my love of sugar and chocolate I have to limit these to a treat. However, I frequently give in to my sugar cravings and regularly regret that decision! I also find I have to limit my alcohol intake to one drink per sitting!

Adds Michelle: “I start my day with porridge and fruit. I have a varied lunch menu including sandwiches, salad, homemade soup, and whenever possible I make my own bread or sourdough. I really enjoy cooking. I make the majority of my dinners from scratch and most of them are based around vegetables, salad and fish. I am still able to enjoy spicy foods and I love curry or chilli dishes.

“I find the policy of eating a little and often works very well, so I have a reputation for always eating! But I normally only eat small amounts at any one time, and I can’t eat a three-course meal as I get full up very quickly. Eating out can be more challenging as I need to ensure the food is of good quality and that minimal oils and fats are used during the cooking process. I also find that to save wastage I generally order starters for my main course.

Probiotics are another of Michelle’s dietary favourites. “A while ago I had my first bout of pouchitis. It was caught early and is now under control, however I have now introduced probiotics to my diet and take them every morning with homemade natural yoghurt,” she said.

“To keep my pouch healthy, I find I must look after my general health. I know my pouch is at its best when I take care of myself ie eat the right foods, exercise, and get enough sleep. When I start to rush around, get stressed, and do not take the time to think about what I am eating, my pouch and my overall health deteriorates.”

The vegan approach

**Picture of health: Andrew Millis with fellow vegan and running partner Kate Dunbar**

The recent rise in the number of people seeking meat-free alternatives has led to the growth of vegetarianism and in some cases veganism in the UK.

The vegan diet is based on plants such as vegetables, grains and fruit and foods made from plants. It also excludes meat, fish, dairy products and eggs.

Veganism is not for everyone but Andrew Millis, our very own marathon man who was RLG vice-chair and is a very active member of the committee, is a passionate advocate. Andrew, who has run many marathons for various causes, says: “Two years into a vegan lifestyle I can report my pouch and I are doing very well indeed.

“I can still run half marathons, the odd marathon and park runs and my pouch is working brilliantly. No pouchitis, no medication whatsoever, and a good plate of veg with rice or potatoes leaves me wondering if I have had any surgery at all.

“I have so much energy for activities and to help focus on my work as well as stamina for the cycling and running I enjoy. I do take a vitamin supplement called Veg 1 which is a chewable tablet and tastes like the Haliborange we used to take as kids. It is available from the Vegan Society.

“I don’t have any colds or such similar elements and if I was missing out on any nutrition, I think I would have known about it after two years. I had a blood test at my local practice, and my vitamin B12 was well up (> 300ug, compared to minimum 200ug).”

Trendy diets that entreat you to slim, impress your colleagues or attract a new partner are one thing. Carefully planned ones that aid recovery and help you regain strength after an operation are another – and a timely aid for anyone with bowel problems or conditions.

Christopher Browne
RLG Commitee member and ROAR! editor.

See pouchsupport.org/join for further information.

News

RLG T-Shirts now available

High quality Red Lion Group T-shirts with the new logo are now available for purchase at a cost of £10 each plus £2.50 post and package. White and with the red and grey logo displayed prominently on the chest, they are a striking addition to any summer wardrobe. These are very good quality T-shirts and you won’t be disappointed!

A guide to sizes is provided below:

Size	S	M	L	XL	XXL
Chest (inches)	34/36	38/40	42/44	46/48	50/52

Please contact David at info@pouchsupport.com with your size(s) and delivery instructions and see below for payment instructions .

Please send your payment by scanning QR code below or click here. Cost is £10.00 each plus £2.50 for post and packing. All proceeds will help to bolster the RLG finances for 2022.

When you go to the payment website you will see the following page.

Enter the applicable amount as advised in the AMOUNT box to make a one off donation.

Please do NOT tick the Gift Aid box.

News

You can now Search all Pouch Support Content

You can now search all Pouch Support Content

The Red Lion Group website (pouchsupport.org) is one of the foremost repositories of J-pouch related information, an invaluable resource for people considering or living with a J-pouch (or any configuration of ileo-anal pouch).

The content includes video recordings from the leading experts in the field of pouch surgery from St. Mark’s Hospital, spanning many years, and every edition of ROAR! the bi-annual magazine produced by the Red Lion Group since its foundation in 1994. The vast amount of information has made the need for a search facility a necessity, and we are delighted to announce that this is now available. See Video below for a demonstration.

Watch Video for Quick Demo

Tips on Using the Search Facility:-

The Search Options appears on the top menu and also on the Whats New and Resources pages. In all cases, the Search function will search ALL available resources.
As you enter your Search Criteria, the built in Live Search feature will show top matches in a drop down list as you type. You can select any item from the drop down list, however this is not the complete list of matches
Once the Live Search Information is displayed, if you click on the magnifying glass, this will take you to the complete list of matches which may extend over many pages.
If you enter more than one word in the search box, eg. John Nicholls, the search will find all occurences of John and all occurences of Nicholls. To specifically find a combination of words, they should be enclosed in double quotes eg. “John Nicholls”, will only find matches where John and Nicholls appear together.

Please support the Red Lion Group

Remember the Red Lion Group is a charity run entirely by volunteers. If you are not already a member, please join at pouchsupport.org/join or to just donate click here.

News

“Can’t wait” and “medic alert” card for J Pouch

We are delighted to report that Red Lion Group has produced a “Can’t Wait” / “Medic alert” card specifically designed for “pouchees”!

Updated 13 July 2022

This is the first such card designed exclusively for people with an ileal-anal pouch (IPAA) or J pouch. One side of the card is useful if you are caught short and need urgent access to a toilet. The other side is a Medic Alert which displays the universal “Medic alert” symbol and a QR code which links directly to a page on the Red Lion Group website containing a simple pictorial description of the IPAA surgical procedure and other important information for pouchees and medical practitioners regarding the management of patients with an internal / J pouch.

All Red Lion Group members will receive the card free of charge, distributed with the summer 2021 edition of our ROAR! magazine. If you haven’t received yours, or you are a non-member and would like one, contact our membership secretary Gary Bronziet at membership@pouchsupport.org.

New members will receive the card with the latest edition of ROAR! upon joining.

For non-members, we suggest a small donation to cover cost and postage – but why not become a member (for just £10.00) and receive the other benefits of joining the Red Lion Group?

You can become a member at pouchsupport.org/join

Attend our regular monthly J-pouch forum on zoom

Attend our regular monthly J-pouch forum on zoom

Seasons Greeting from RLG (and a turkey recipe!)

Seasons Greeting from RLG (and a turkey recipe!)

Soused turkey recipe

Attend IA Pouch Information Day featuring Richard Lovegrove

Attend IA Pouch Information Day on 21st January featuring Richard Lovegrove

St. Mark’s stoma/pouch team nominated for Nursing Times awards…

St. Mark’s stoma/pouch team nominated for Nursing Times awards.

J Pouch Videos on YouTube Channel

J Pouch Videos on YouTube Channel

Living with J-Pouch or Stoma and affect on mental…

Living with a J-Pouch or Stoma and affect on mental health

Patient panel

Zeina Bushnaq: Biography

Michelle’s magic formula

Dietary advice for J-Pouch

Dietary advice for J-Pouch
Eating your way to rude, good health

The Michelle Martin formula

The vegan approach

RLG T-Shirts now available

RLG T-Shirts now available

You can now Search all Pouch Support Content

You can now search all Pouch Support Content

“Can’t wait” and “medic alert” card for J Pouch

“Can’t wait” and “medic alert” card for J Pouch

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The Red Lion Group is a UK registered charity number 1068124

Attend our regular monthly J-pouch forum on zoom

Seasons Greeting from RLG (and a turkey recipe!)

Soused turkey recipe

Attend IA Pouch Information Day on 21st January featuring Richard Lovegrove

St. Mark’s stoma/pouch team nominated for Nursing Times awards.

J Pouch Videos on YouTube Channel

Living with a J-Pouch or Stoma and affect on mental health

Patient panel

Zeina Bushnaq: Biography

Michelle’s magic formula

Dietary advice for J-PouchEating your way to rude, good health

The Michelle Martin formula

The vegan approach

RLG T-Shirts now available

You can now search all Pouch Support Content

“Can’t wait” and “medic alert” card for J Pouch

Dietary advice for J-Pouch
Eating your way to rude, good health