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Robotic J-pouch surgery

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 4/8/2015 4:25 PM (GMT 0)
Congrats, here's to continued good luck, in your final step to get rid of uc.
Posted 4/27/2015 7:46 PM (GMT 0)
I had the take down surgery this past Friday. Back home now and everything seems to be o.k. Saturday was pretty rugged.....I puked a couple of times and the resident Dr. started talking about an NG tube. I knew I didn't want that, so I just sipped Gatorade all day, then had a long anxious night. Sunday morning, though, I started feeling it, went to the toilet and sure enough, I started pooping. That was a HUGE relief (I think I actually cried a little bit). I haven't been counting, but I think I'm probably going 12x, and I have 100% control. Hopefully in a couple of weeks, I can cut the frequency in half.
Posted 4/27/2015 9:59 PM (GMT 0)
Sounds like you're doing great.....keep up the good work! It only gets better. Congrats on making it thru. It's a tough journey but it's so worth it! :-)
Posted 4/27/2015 11:47 PM (GMT 0)
I am so happy for you. It feels like everything happened really fast in your case. That's great. You're going to get so much better in the next few weeks too so 12x isn't terrible and knowing it only gets better it amazing :)
Posted 5/1/2015 2:16 PM (GMT 0)
Wow, this is turning out *much* better than I ever expected. Less than 1 week after take down and I'm down to 6x/day in the bathroom turn I can even pee standing up smilewinkgrin I think I'm going to go ahead and attribute the (so far) excellent outcome to:

a: Being very healthy (aside from the UC) with a good diet, and lots of exercise prior to the last and final flare.

b: Being somewhat preemptive with the surgery. I was sick, but not in terrible shape when I had the 1st surgery. It could have waited, and I could have tried Entyvio, but I opted for surgery.

c: The relatively non-invasive nature of the proctolectomy through the use of surgical robots.

If I continue to progress the way I have since getting home, this is going to work out very well for me.
Posted 5/1/2015 3:46 PM (GMT 0)
Keep the updates coming, as it's always great to hear good news :-)
Posted 5/1/2015 4:55 PM (GMT 0)
I totally agree with you Swollencolon about the robotic procedure. Seems like it has such high success. I have a j pouch Facebook friend who had a robot assist procedure too and she has had a stellar outcome. I have had a great outcome as well with the good old fashioned lapo procedure but I think there's definitely something to that robot assist procedure. Keep up the good work!
Posted 6/1/2015 7:42 PM (GMT 0)
I never imagined this would turn out so good. Having a BM about 4x/day now....no pain, no urgency, no big deal. It seems I can hold it indefinitely too. Went over 10 hrs. one day last week between poops, usually it's 6 hrs. between poops. Absolutely no hesitation about going out, and so far I've not had to poop while out since I can easily hold it till I get home. I can fart, and I can pee standing up (without pooping :-)) I consider myself to be disease free, unrestricted and untethered.....it's great smilewinkgrin
Posted 6/1/2015 7:55 PM (GMT 0)
turn smilewinkgrin turn smilewinkgrin turn smilewinkgrin
Posted 6/1/2015 8:05 PM (GMT 0)
wow, great news!! What a wonderful success. I wish I was guaranteed those results.
Posted 6/1/2015 8:34 PM (GMT 0)
This is great to hear. Goodness, I hope I get results like you have soon...
Posted 6/2/2015 10:08 AM (GMT 0)
Awesome yeah
Posted 6/5/2015 1:25 PM (GMT 0)
SC: so happy for you. I've been following your saga for a while now. My girl is doing well too. She has no urgency, and that was a huge problem with stubborn rectum ulcers. No meds, no pain, not a single accident post surgery. It was a robotically assisted surgery too, so her tummy looks pretty darn good. She just asked me to sent her her old belly piercing rings, so she must be feeling proud. Her Stoma site just closed up recently, at about 8 wks post takedown. She was quite sick going in after Entyvio failed, so she did a 3 step over 9 months. Feels like her life is just beginning. So glad yours is rebooted too. Slow and steady progress from now on!
Posted 6/23/2015 5:10 PM (GMT 0)
Glad to hear your girl is doing well!

I'm almost 9 weeks post take down, still doing great. Started lifting weights again last week and that took things to the next level. Nothing much to say other than I feel really good now.
Posted 6/23/2015 6:36 PM (GMT 0)
I'm glad you're doing so well SwollenCollen!!!! I'm sure your thread on your experience is comforting to others that are also facing surgery around the corner as well!!

Wishing you continued success and best wishes for continued improvement and getting your life back!
Posted 12/16/2015 10:08 PM (GMT 0)
Dang, nearly 6 months since I've looked in here :-) So, if anyone is interested, things have been pretty great. I've literally had zero issues or complications from my surgery. I'm still planning on giving it the full 12 months before I say it's completely over with, but at this point there's not a lot of room for improvement. I hope the rest of you are doing good......if anyone has any questions, ask away.
Posted 12/16/2015 10:10 PM (GMT 0)
Awesome news. How many times a day you going now?
Posted 12/16/2015 10:16 PM (GMT 0)
I don't really keep track anymore, but I average 5x/day I guess. I think yesterday was 4, and so far today I've been twice. It's infrequent enough that it doesn't impact my comings and goings at all, and I can hold it 2-3 hrs after the urge hits if needed, but it gets pretty uncomfortable beyond that.
Posted 12/17/2015 1:34 AM (GMT 0)
It sounds like you're doing great, congrats!!!

I never thought I would say this but # of times isn't really a huge thing with a pouch. Of course you don't want to go 20x a day or anything but it's not like having a BM where you sit and wait for something to happen. Even if you feel the urge, you don't have to go, you can wait. I tend to empty when it's convenient. if i am in the bathroom, I will empty because I am there. Kind of the same way I would with my ileostomy. If i am going somewhere, I might empty before I leave the house, especially if I go in to pee.
Posted 12/17/2015 3:28 AM (GMT 0)
Congrats on your outcome and thanks for sharing your update! I had robot assisted jpouch surgery as well and it has exceeded my expectations. When I first got out of the hospital after takedown, I think I was having to go around 6-8x a day and now it's more like 4-6. Although, I agree the number of BMs isn't really an issue - I just empty my jpouch whenever I go to the restroom to pee. There's no urgency and for the past several nights I have slept through the night without having to get up to go. And ever since I hit the two weeks post op mark, my energy level has been way up. I am looking forward to getting back into exercising but in the meantime I'm enjoying my daily walks (about 6 miles and no need for a bathroom break).
Posted 3/11/2016 5:14 PM (GMT 0)
1 year update.....wow, 1 year ago right now I was in the OR. Not really a lot to report. Life is completely normal. Nothing to complain about. The outcome has far exceeded my expectations. I've literally had zero complications.

Yesterday my kid was recognized by the Alabama BoE and the Alabama Senate. We were up early to make the 3 hr drive to Montgomery, spent the entire day walking from bldg to bldg and sitting through speeches. No poop issues at all. Pooped when we left at 6am, pooped when we got home at 5pm. No way that would have been possible with my UC battered colon.

I will be eternally grateful to Dr. Jamie Cannon and the GI surgery staff at UAB.
Posted 3/11/2016 6:38 PM (GMT 0)
Happy one year and thanks for the update! I'm going on 6 years already since my j pouch surgery and life is good. :) Time certainly flies by. Keep up the good work!
Posted 3/11/2016 9:37 PM (GMT 0)
Congrats! Glad to hear all is going well :)
Posted 3/11/2016 10:11 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the update. I am probably coming up on 6 months since my takedown, and I had a similar experience... I am doing great, able to hold it, no meds. Hope you continue to do so well :)
Posted 3/12/2016 12:01 AM (GMT 0)
Glad things are going well :-)
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