Coping

The "what ifs" are always a toughie. In the end you made a sound judgement. Your UC wouldn't have gone away on its own, kind of wishful thinking that your UC would've burned itself out, gone away with another herb/supplement etc. Very possible you would have wasted away, got less healthy, and lost a lot of weight had you continued trying everything that is possible for a series of additional years, all while your life drifts by you and you limp on with a bad quality of life. You cannot regain your 20's when they are gone by, better to move on post-UC, regain a good quality of life and enjoy them!

Seems like a long time to your take down, I thought it was a process of 6-months or less from start to finish. Any reason why yours is longer?

If you're really unhappy, I would push to get the surgery behind you sooner than later. Life for me with the ostomy bag wasn't too difficult, especially the end ileo, but everyone has a different experience. I wouldn't worry about the longevity of the pouch, that's all way far in the future. Are you doing 3 steps? Usually people keep the end ileo for 12 weeks and then the loop for 8 weeks. You've already gone 8 weeks or so it sounds like? 4 more weeks wouldn't be too long, then 8 weeks to takedown. You could be done with surgery in the fall possibly... There were times after surgery I worried if I had made a mistake. Sometimes I see new treatments and drugs in testing and I think "what if" it was the one that would have worked for me. Then I look at the documentation and it's really only effective for a certain %. People like me, who responded to nothing, are probably unlilely to be in the % of responders. I hate to sound negative, but at thhis point, I am convinced that getting the remaining years of my 30s back was well worth the loss of my colon. I've done more in the few short years since I had surgery than I did for the prior 10 I lived with UC. I am also able to spend all that money I was wasting on drugs, tests, and appointments, on other things. Not to mention all the lost time on the toilet. Severe unrelenting UC would have made a nursing career very difficult. I lost so much career potential. I am so mad. The years went by and I sat there waiting for something to save my colon. I wish I had just done the surgery when I was diagnosed at 26.

The 2nd step is similar to the first so far as post-surgical pain and recovery time, but the 3rd step is an easier one. You do need to take some time to heal and adjust after the 3rd step, but you could potentially get back to your normal life rather quickly. I believe I went to a holiday party a week after my 3rd step. Was I perfect? No. I still had the closure wound from the stoma, I went to the bathroom while I was there, but I actually enjoyed the party much more than I had enjoyed any party I had attended in the recent past simply because I didn't have to worry about pooping myself, and I could eat whatever I wanted. No more blaming food for the symptoms. The biggest issue immediately following takedown, for me, was low capacity. Low capacity causes frequency, but it's not like with UC because you can hold it. You can also time it out. You can go before you get the urge and "empty", then you should be in the clear for quite a while. Over time, the capacity increases and you go less and you can hold it longer. You will be okay. Think positive. Things can only get better from here. You've removed a diseased colon and you've started the process to take control of your life. You're on path to a great career, one that you can really focus on and excel at because you will be going into it without a chronic illness. You're young, you have your whole life ahead of you!