Hello.
You don't have decide an ending now.
I had a j pouch but in short it made things worse over two years and had it removed. I have an end ileo (permanent ) now. But. It's not permanent if I don't want it to be. I still have my rectum intact and could try another pouch in the future. I'm not gonna do it because the end ileo is fine.
Your getting good advice here. And you are taking that advice and using it. That's smart. And the thing to do.
It is a big decision. But it's yours. That's the hard part. How it will be where you end up. Scarey.
I just threw my two cents in. Age is a factor. If I were younger(I'm 62) I would consider doing it again. But this works well and I'm not sick anymore. And that is where I want to be. Well. Not sick. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought I'd be where I am and ok with it boggles my mind sometimes.
Like I said I'm not sick. I like to say it was my cure. It ended all the misery. And it is that. Miserable to live with uc.
Richard