Considering Surgery

I would honestly try Remicade first. Anything to keep my colon.

Are you at the max dose for Azoran (Azathioprine)?

I hope someone else can answer your questions in regards to surgery. I still have my colon and Azathioprine is keeping me symptom-free at the moment.

With surgery, you will be able to eat and drink normally, and will be able to regain weight. And you will not have urgency. As far as how often you go, it varies for everyone. But it's easier - no more hours spent in the bathroom or pain.

Are you considering a j pouch or a permanent ileostomy?

Most people will tell you they have no regrets - life after surgery is good :)

[quote="pranav5567][quote]People say they have to go to the loo approx 6 times a day even after the surgery. I already go about 10 times a day. Is it worth it? Can I have control over the urgencies over my bowel movments?

I have lost almost 20 kgs in the past 5 years. It is very important for to know that whether I will be able gain atleast a little bit of weight back. Does surgery help in increase of weight little bit?

Would I be able to drink after a some years after the surgery

Hi & Welcome!

To answer a few of your qustions: I have a j pouch and it's been a God send. Yes, the average j poucher will use the bathroom 4 to 6x a day. Sometimes more, sometimes less. I am around 4 to 6x but honestly I don't keep count anymore. There is no urgency, no pain or cramps. You just go. It's sort of a feeling of being full. Like when you have to empty your bladder. You just know you have to empty and you go. Quick and easy. This is the hardest thing for people considering a j pouch to grasp the sense of because they automatically think they are still going to be chained to the toilet. It's just not like that.

Yes, you will gain your weight back for sure. I was very underweight when I had UC. After my surgeries it took a while but I gained my weight back. For a little bit I gained an unwanted extra 10 pounds that I had to diet off. When your body is healed and healthy again and you can actually eat real food, it's all too easy to gain weight! I have to watch myself now.

I'm not a big drinker but I am able to still enjoy a couple of glasses of wine. It doesn't bother my new plumbing. I have had some mixed drinks they are fine too. Not sure about beer since I don't drink beer.

I did try Remicade before my surgery. Looking back now I wish I just skipped it. I just wasted more money and time and had more suffering. It does help a lot of people though initially but then tends to lose it's effectiveness over time.

Good luck to you in whatever you do.

I copy and pasted this from an artical to better explain the weight loss.

"Ulcerative colitis affects the colon and rectum, which aren't directly involved in the absorption of nutrients. However, weight loss can still be a symptom of the disease for a number of reasons. First, because nausea, abdominal cramping and loss of appetite are symptoms of ulcerative colitis, patients often find it difficult or painful to eat. Second, the colon is the major site of water reabsorption. When it is inflamed, as with ulcerative colitis, the result is moderate to severe diarrhea which causes water weight loss."

In addition, calories and nutrients are absorbed in the upper portion of the small intestine. A healthy small bowel will allow you to get your nutrients and vitamins and gain weight with no issues. Also, my GI doc once said that the body signals the small intestine to move food thru faster while in a UC flare up to that's why food literally goes right thru you in a flare.

Some surgeons do the procedure in one step. It would be really tough to find that though. Most do it in 2 steps and 3 steps. I had a two step so I only had my ileostomy for 3 months. Did I like it? Honestly, no, I hated it but it was necessary for me to get well again. And with that being said, if my j pouch fails me tomorrow, I would gladly take the ileostomy over the horrid case of UC I had any day. It is an absolute must that you have a VERY skilled surgeon that has done many j pouch procedures. It's a really complex surgery to perform.