Polish Dan

I always forgot to ask you this..but, I know you had the same operation as I...the surgeon left the anus intact, but, did you have disease in your rectum before the operation or was it just in the colon?

Tom, my disease WAS in my rectum to start with....in all the twelve years I suffered with Ulcerative Proctitis, the disease never traveled further into the colon. When I went to the surgeon, he told me I was not a candidate for J-pouch, which was fine with me because I was so sick of being sick, however, I was shocked that he left the anus. Long story short....the disease is now in the anus. My surgeon retired in 2013..the disease reappeared in the anus and the rectal cuff and I think (and so do the two surgeons I have seen) that I have a fistula which they cannot find because all the mucus comes out my vagina...TMI? I have had extensive biopsies which show no dysplasia or cancer and the surgeons tell me just to keep having the biopsies done every year or two...they do not recommend surgery to close the anus. Anyway, I have some discomfort, not overwhelming, but annoying and am using Proctofoam, which doesn't seem to do squats. Are you using any meds?

Christine
I do still have my anus. My colectomy was November 2007. It has not given me any trouble. I had surgery to correct prolapse and retracted stoma. That was in the first 1 1/2. years after my colectomy. I have not seen the surgeon or a gastro since. No periodic visits were ever mentioned. I have no problem with my ileostomy or anus. Removal was never mentioned or discussed. I didn't know it was an option.

Entire colon. Not rectum.