Are you located in Southern California? I had my pouch created by Dr. Mathew Isho in San Diego and have had pretty good success (3 years post-pouch). Just mild pouchitis twice.
I did not have an option on researching surgeons or know anything about a J-Pouch. I had an emergency colectomy and did not have UC for very long... so it was all a mystery to me and I just relied on what my GI recommended.
Pre-pouch and Sharp Hospital is another horror story, but that is all behind me now. I had many complications (pulmonary embolisms, abcess, incicisional hernias, infections, etc.), but I was never refused pain meds. During steps 2 and 3 the nurses would come in and check my IV pain med drip to see if it was working, because I would never push the button to give me more. I have a high pain tolerance, so if I am SCREAMING (during step 1), they knew I meant business and they would come in and give me a shot of dilauded. After watching me curl up like a heroin addict, they deemed me "allergic" to dilauded and will only give me morphine.