Ileostomy reversal! Is it Possible?!

I recently suffered a plugged colon that infected and was removed. All due to malpractice, that almost killed me. To save me, I lost my colon. I am a very active 48 year old and am hating the bag BS.

Has anyone had a reversal, that is in better shape than having a bag? I get nothing but warnings about "having the runs the rest of your life ten times a day...". Is this true? It may still be better than having to empty the nasty bag fifteen times a day and the gluing of it all sucks no matter who you are.

I look forward to a transplanted colon if possible. I am born immune deficient with Common Variable hypo gamma globulin emia and am hoping my weak immune system may take the transplant. Does anyone have experience with this?

If not a new Colon, then what is the reversal life like with out a colon?

I have never heard of a colon transplant being done. I think the main reason is because a colon is not essential to life and, for people with IBD, the disease would just come back and attack the transplanted colon in all probability (I'd take that chance!). You would also have to be on strong anti-rejection meds for the rest of your life; we take some of those same meds for IBD (albeit at a lower dosage) and, believe me, they are not a walk in the park.

Personally, I would go for the j-pouch or ileorectal anastomosis. Probably the latter is the better choice, since you get to keep your original rectum rather than making a makeshift one out of the end of your small bowel - but this would be something to discuss with a competent colorectal surgeon.

I would have a reversal tomorrow if I could. I'm afraid I'm not one of those members who don't mind having a bag.

There is no good alternative for me.

I would have a colon transplant. If I was prepared to be on the immunesuppressants for Crohn's, I'd be prepared to be on them to have a bag-free life.

You are emptying your external pouch 15x a day? What is the output in ml? Is it largely liquid? Sounds like you have an extremely high output issue going on. With a jpouch you'd likely be going whatever frequency you are having now with an external pouch, so you need answers as to why you have such high, liquidy output. If you just recently had surgery, high output is normal for a few weeks but settles down rapidly.

Well, I never tried cyclosporin (wish I had now, because I have heard of it saving one or two people from sugery on these forums). Obviously, being on immunesuppressants for life is not the ideal, but I would have done the same thing for Crohn's and could end up back on those meds again anyway. I know an organ transplant is absolutely not a walk in the park, but I would be very strongly considering one if colon transplants were available. I'd probably take the chance, tbh.