Hello All,
I am new here so excuse me if I am writing in the wrong place.
I am considering a J-pouch surgery. I am a college student and have had an ileostomy since I was 13 ( I am now 19). My doctor never thought I was up for a surgery because he diagnosed as Crohn's, but many are saying they think I have UC and should go for a surgery. I am very comfortable w my ostomy, can eat whatever I want, and don't really miss the 20 times a day bathroom run, but on the other hand I would love to be a normal teen who can go to the beach and be sexually active, etc.
So I am obviously very nervous at the idea of a surgery but very eager as well. I am wondering a few things:
How long was it for you guys to recover to the point where you were semi-comfortable and confident that you would not have an accident and back to your somewhat normal self? I am considering taking a spring semester off so i can have a full 9 months to make sure everything is under control. Is that too much time or not enough?
Is odor and flatulence a problem? For those of you that have had an ostomy you know that it can smell and produce a lot of gas. How do you combat this?
Finally, I just want to hear if you all generally recommend it. Essentially, do you think I should risk my very stable ostomy life for a j pouch? Overall, once it is under control in the end, is it worth it?
Thanks!
Willie