Is anyone happy with their choice?

I get on here and read the posts quite often and find them very informative. But a lot of them are from those who are so unhappy with their ileostomy and the emotional turmoil it causes them. When I read those posts, I wonder if I am the only person who is at the happiest, healthiest, most exciting time of their lives because of having a permanent ileostomy. Other than my four children and great husband, this surgery is the best thing that has ever happened to me!

Of course I went thru the same challenges as everyone else...extended hospital stay, trouble with wafers that don't fit, bags that weren't right, leaks (YUCKY!!!), blockages...but I wouldn't go back for anything!!! The first 2 months were horrible and I had never been in so much pain, but I was determined to make it work. Full recovery took about 9 months...and now Stella (my stoma) is just a part of me...along with all the supplies she requires.

Making the decision to have surgery was hard, but once I made up my mind, I felt like recovery had already started. Almost a year later and I am doing things I haven't been able to do in 18 years. This stoma isn't holding me back from anything!!! My family has noticed how many more activities I am willing to participate in...and I am pretty sure I am the quickest "bag changer" ever...and can accomplish the task nearly anywhere I have a little bit of shelter.

I feel bad for those who feel like their stoma's are horrible and are just ruining their lives, but I am so happy with mine, I could shout for joy!!! Am I the only one who embraces my stoma and praises it everyday for giving me a new life?

I hope that a year from now I can shout with joy too. The j-pouch recovery has been a strange experience. At first it was so easy and wonderful that I just could not believe it. Now it is keeping me from working and fully participating in activities. Every day I fight to ignore the problems and try to live a normal physical life. My life with uc was actually better than my life with a j-pouch. I was rarely sick and only ended up with a j-pouch because my severe flare was misdiagnosed and I ended up with a perforated colon. I am glad that there are so many successful stories! It gives me great hope for the future.

11 years here with a jpouch and I love it!
I cannot imagine ever going back to having UC.
My life is very full and very active, bless my surgeon.

Sue

My ileostomy gave me my health back. It feels like a miracle sometimes. I had mostly come to terms with being sick all the time, tried to enjoy what I could, etc.... and then I got much better than I ever anticipated being again. No regrets here, very happy with my choice (and I've had at least my share of complications too).

Bluegrass, that is exactly how I feel!

oh no...I specifically said that it CAN get better...I never made any guarantee. And until you are ready to make that decision for yourself you shouldn't do it, unless, obviously it is an emergency situation.

And you are right, it is a gamble. But if you are sick enough, you become ready to take that gamble. For some people, that decision comes earlier than others. Some never make that decision. But until you do, you really have no way of knowing how it will affect YOU. It is an extremely difficult decision!

I was anemic from constant bleeding, never left home and was deathly ill before I made the decision. My point is that having an ileostomy isn't bad for everyone and it is a life saver and life improvement for many.

Im very happy with my decision! I've had a few random problems along the way, but I will take it for all the good I've had.
It's important to remember that most people on boards are here for questions. There are thousands and thousands of people with ostomies, they just aren't posting because they don't have problems. I post because I want to help people realize things aren't bad with a bag, and give advice when needed. I can get to the site from my phone so its easy for me to check in randomly through out the day, if I have a break in school stuff! Stuff I couldn't have done with uc, BTW.
Anyway, like anything, it takes time to get used to this. It's not like a new haircut, or a tattoo. It's a huge huge change! Some of the unhappy people are also people who didn't have a choice, maybe they got cancer and didn't suffer for years with uc and had a bag forced on them quickly. Maybe they had a car wreck, maybe they waited too long with uc or crohns and had to have emergency surgery. That's usually when there are problems. Partly with accepting it, because it wasn't planned, and partly because with an emergency like that the surgeon may not place the stoma well, or there may not be the possibility of a jpouch.
Try to take all those things into consideration when you read about people who are unhappy.

I <3 my stoma! It gave me my life back, and I thank God everyday for restoring my health.

I'm facing surgery in TWO DAYS (colectomy in less than 48 hours!!). It's been a tough decision - but I do not want to live my life the way I have lived with my one year of UC. The only drug that seems to work on me is steroids anyway. I'm hoping for a jpouch eventually, but I think that an normally functioning ostomy would still be better than the UC (can't say for sure, I've only ever lived with a somewhat "normal" colon and UC).

I have a friend that had a Jpouch procedure 14 years ago and I did not even realize it until I started talking about my UC. Then she told me about her ordeal. She is very very active ("Insanity" workouts active) and very happy. My parents know a truck driver with a very successful jpouch. He is happy as well. I know the jpouch is different than an ostomy, but I know there generally are success stories out there. It gives me lots of hope.

I also wonder if it's more difficult to accept the changes if 1) the change is sprung upon you via an emergency or 2) you were seemingly normal before but then something serious was found (FAP or any other condition that requires surgery) and then all of a sudden your life is definitely impacted. This is barring any long-term complications.

I know I would have trouble adjusting if I was pooping somewhat normally one week than all of a sudden had an appliance to deal with. As it is, I based my decision on expected quality of life improvements over Prednisone and UC.

I am very happy with my choice for a permanent ileostomy for my Crohn's Colitis.   I elected surgery over trying Remicade or Humira with all the dangerous side effects and no guarantees, not to mention the expense which only part would have been covered by my insurance.   I know many who tried everything to avoid this surgery, but I knew in my heart what the outcome would be, either now or later.

The last 2 years with my colon were pretty dismal with the common symptoms of 15+ daily bathroom runs, low grade fever & night sweats, anemia, joint issues, pain and the worst--incontinence. My life had been stolen by my disease yet I was the one on house arrest.   When my colonoscopy revealed the possibility of "indefinite for dysplasia", it was the last straw and I was ready to re-claim MY life.  I was missing out on the simple pleasures with my family and my grandchildren.

I was fortunate that I had time to prepare and educate myself prior to surgery and I know that makes a huge difference in acceptance.   I scoured the internet and the archives on this board for anything that would help me.  I kept a file on my desktop with everything from tips, application techniques, products to try, pouch recommendations, etc.   I ordered samples, before my surgery,  from the major companies and had time to familiarize myself with the process and products.   I actually knew more than the nurses in the hospital and the home health nurses when it came appliances and how to apply them.

I am a little over a year into my new life, and I have no regrets whatsoever.  There is nothing that I cannot do, other than p@@p the "old" way, which is way over-rated IMHO.   I actually prefer my "new" way, to be perfectly honest.  I went the "old" way enough for more than a lifetime and I don't miss it one bit.  

I am so very thankful to be healthy once again and sometimes [not always] I believe one can choose to be happy and accept the set of circumstances in life that they are given. 

I love my ileo! It's been by my side for 35 years and never failed me.

I was 10 years old when I had my surgery due to UC. My parents' biggest worry was that one day I would turn around and say to them 'why did you let them do this to me?' I never have - it gave me my life back!

That old colon never caused me anything but grief!

I am very happy with my choice to have a permanent ileostomy. I had my surgery in November 2010, and though the first four months of recovery were tough, after that things got so much better. My life feels normal. I travel, hang out with friends and family, work full-time as a park naturalist, and do every single activity I did before surgery including snowboarding, running, backpacking and rock climbing. I chose the permanent route because I didn't want to go through multiple surgeries but also because one of my huge passions is going on long rock climbs where I am up on a cliff face all day. I knew without a colon my frequency of going to the bathroom would be more than it used to be. I thought swapping out ostomy pouches on ledges and packing them out would be really manageable. I didn't want to feel like I had to go to the bathroom up there. Now that I am back to climbing, I am seeing how great my choice was for me. The my permanent ileostomy has been perfect in these situations and for all aspects of my lifestyle. It is one of the best decisions I have ever made. I still say a silent thank you in my head to my surgeon every single day.

It is interesting because when I was in my final severe flare-up in the hospital, I felt that keeping my colon was the gamble. Though Remicade had gotten the flare under control, it gave me excruciating joint pain that made it hard to even walk. I knew there might be other things I could try, but I had no desire. It felt like it was a huge gamble to keep riding the UC roller coaster. Would the next flare be worse? Would my colon perforate? Would I end up needing emergency surgery next time which I had just narrowly escaped? What about any future drug side effects? How much work would I miss next time? Would my ability to work at the job I loved and earn a living be jeopardized? Would I get cancer eventually since I already had UC for ten years? No thanks. Getting my colon out felt like the most sure way to get my life back. Sure, other things could go wrong in the future, but the amazing life I have been living in the year and a half since surgery would be totally worth those possibilities.

I wouldn't be here without my buddy Bubbles. Running a marathon is more challenging to stay hydrated but at least I can be active again.

I just pasted the 3 year mark and lovin' life. I fought the surgery route for a few years but like others have said everyone has there breaking point. I think we tend to limit ourselves in life. Certainly an ostomy can make things different and inconvient at times but eating is way more appreciated than before when deathly ill with the Crohn's.

I am thakful every day for the different perspective I've been given and the chance at more life to live with family and all the experiences that come with it!!!

Hope you feel the same soon!!