T minus 2 weeks till surgery...

It's normal to be freaked! We ALL were. You will be fine.

Sue

My 18 yr old son had his colon removed last September. It was the best possible thing that he could have done. It completely gave him his health back and he is doing GREAT...we have almost forgot what those UC days were like!

Try not to worry! After the first surgery you will not be allowed any food until your bowels really get going. They start you on ice chips first, then clear fluids, then creamy fluids and then soft food. For about 6-8 weeks you only are allowed things like white bread, pasta, meat, potatoes, ...things that digest really easily. And you need to CHEW, CHEW, CHEW and then CHEW some more! After 6-8 weeks you slowly start into all foods a little at a time and soon will be eating everything.

If you have any other questions do not hesitate to ask.

Cathy (and Dillon)

Ive been thinking about doing this myself. I understand you are on a pouch, then about 3 months later they attach your rectum? I was wondering on how your bowel movements are like after words?

Oh you will like not having UC anymore. At first right after the surgery, I was asking myself if I did the right thing. Now I'm 8 weeks post step one and I'm able to do everything a normal person would. I also can eat whatever I want (Let me tell you, it was awesome the first time I was able to eat Mexican and Chinese, something that if I ate during a flare up would have pretty much killed me).
I only have 4 weeks until my takedown, but I may see if I can have it moved up if my job situation changes.

Just remember to take it slow at first and don't rush anything. You'll be back to normal in no time.

anyone answer my question please? I would like to know about the surgery without asking my doctor.

Ryan,

Immediately after the last surgery,when you start using the pouch, most people have very frequent watery BMs. VERY QUICKLY though the number decreases. At the start the pouch will hold about 50 mls....you can imagine how quickly that would fill up. By the time six months have passed most pouches have stretched and will hold 500mls. As well, by then you are pretty much eating normally and that really thickens up the output. Most people are also on some combination of imodium and metamucil. My son has been using his pouch now for about 5 months. Some days he has about 4-5 BMs and other days more. It very much depends on what and when he eats and how much imodium and metamucil he takes. Most nights he sleeps a good 6 hours, gets up once to do a very quick, painless BM and goes immediately back to sleep for hours (if it is the weekend and he actually allowed to sleep that much! lol) Most amazing to me is that most of the time the stool is actually formed, although thinner than if you have a colon....the pouch starts to learn to absorb water just like the colon used to.

Try not to get hung up on the "number" of BMs. The main thing is that they are quick, painless and have no urgency....absolutely nothing like UC days! As has been said so many times, "Do you know how many times you pee a day?" It is the same idea. For girls especially, when they sit down to pee, they have a BM as well....quick and easy.

Any other questions....I am happy to answer.

Cathy

the ostomy pouch goes outside your body and if you are going to get a jpouch is not permanent. The jpouch goes inside and stays there forever.

However, unless your ostomy is up pretty high, it may not even show with your shirt off, mine doesnt show if i dont have on a shirt. Sometimes the very top will show, but all the shows is the tape i have on it, so it looks like i have a bandage there.

I can't agree more with everyone's posts. I have the "bag" now, will use my newly constructed "j-pouch" after my final procedure next month (the last of three). I almost don't remember what the flares of UC were like! I was petrified before my first surgery, never had surgery before, but was at peace with the decision. When you know that this is the best thing for you, you just go for it. You'll get good advice in the hospital, they know what they're doing in terms of recovery, what to eat, etc. I was so fatigued after my surgery because I was so sick going into it (the pain was surprisingly OK with good meds!) and that freaked me out a little, but the doc assured me that this is a major procedure and everything I was feeling was normal. You may also be set up with a visiting nurse when you get home for some extra bag assistance, and you can always call the ostomy nurses at your hospital if you run into anything puzzling. You will definitely start feeling better with time. I learned how to be patient these last few months - the whole experience from the throes of UC to the intensity of surgery is very humbling! You'll be fine and you get great advice on this board from people who know....