I had my surgery at 43 for FAP. My preference was to get it taken care of and done, before I developed cancer. I didn't trust that any doctor could reliably monitor the number of polyps I had. In my mind, the only option was which surgeon, hospital and pouch method (stapled or hand sewn). I was scheduled to be discharged from the hospital after six days but they discovered a blood clot and nutrient malabsorption which extended my hospitalization to 16 days. I think I took approx 2.5 months off work. I kept my ostomy four months before having the takedown performed. I only took two weeks off work for that surgery. I had issues with my ostomy leaking, the ostomy nurse said women have more curves which contributes to difficulty getting a good seal. Yes, my fatigue lasted almost a year. But I didn't stay home for that year. And my bathroom needs didn't prevent me from working in home healthcare which entails driving from location to location all day long.
I currently take 6 mg imodium, twice a day to firm things up (it's still not firm, but that's ok). It is an adjustment to different bowel habits. When I go to an event with port-a-potties and crowds, such as a street fair or festival, I bring a secret stash of toilet paper in case they run out (take a partial roll from home before the roll runs out, flatten the roll and put in a small ziploc bag). I eat whatever I want without issues. I get scoped yearly, which is an added expense. But I try to remind myself it's the cost of staying alive, a small cost when viewed in that light. Oct 10 will be thirteen years since my surgery.