my journey.....almost over.

Hi guys,
havnt posted here much but you have all been a very valuable source for me over the last 6months so i thought id tell my story.

i had been battling with UC for just over a year and had gone through all the possible meds here in Australia with no success. As a result i decided to take the plunge into getting a j-pouch, my life as far as i was concerned had become unlivable, being paranoid just to go out and have fun in case something happened. which i think is probably the greatest hurdle i had to overcome given my age ( only 18 at diagnosis, and 19 at first op ).

anyway, i was planned to have a 3 step j-pouch op due to the ridiculous amount of steroids and immuno-suppressants i was on. the first op was in June and i was out of hospital after 5 days with a temp ilo, and if it wasn't for the sheer amount of info and comfort i found reading this site I'm not sure what i would have done.

well i went into hospital for what was meant to be step 2 on the 24th November ( meaning i should have left with a loop ilo for atleast a month ) however, due to the fact i had put on too much weight after the first surgery (happens when you finally feel well enough to eat after a year ) they had to combine the 2nd and 3rd step so when i woke that night after the op i had no stoma and no ostomy ( was pretty happy about that ).

i was perfectly fine for a day, then started bleeding and ended up in intensive care, and they had to go into theater again to stop the bleeding, however when i came back from theater they left me lying on my side and from what i was told my left lung had half filled with fluid, and my heart was showing signs on the ecg that only happens to people who have had a heart attack.

but nine days latter and numerous more tests i am finally home and on the path to recovery ( i have to go back in a couple of weeks to keep getting my heart checked )

i dont have any urgency and am already fairly in control of my BM's and its only my 3rd day after being taken off fluids. so i still have a fair way to go but just wanted to post a positive thread out there to show that the surgery can work.

feel free to ask any questions, hopefully ill be able to help :)

I am glad that you are over the hump. It must have been very scary. The J pouch sounds like it is working just as it should.....congrats