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Low quality of life with pouch... not sure what to do

2 months out. I know it's not 1 year and it's not 6 months, but I spoke with people who went through this and they seemed to be running around and having fun at this point, if still having BM's at a higher than the expected 5-6x frequency.

 

All of my underwear are soiled due to incontinence. I am almost constantly in a state of rectal discomfort and sometimes the pain gets really bad. To avoid significant pain, I need to go to the bathroom about every hour. Once I reach the three hour mark, I am really suffering, such that I generally have 10-15BM's during the day and 2-4 at night. I'm taking lomotil, an antispasmodic, and sometimes percocet to keep the symptoms under control. Since takedown my sleep is greatly disrupted and I have not been able to return to fitness activities (if I try to run I will start losing stool and feel like there is a stick up my butt).

 

Currently taking suppositories for any remaining cuffitis (it seems to have cleared up after takedown though) and VSL. My surgeon offered me the option of trying antibiotics to exclude pouchitis. He said that if I want pouch excision, that is my choice. My quality of life was so great with the ileostomy that I would do it if it weren't for the fact that it's a big surgery.

 

I am currently studying abroad, as my surgeon told me that I should move on with my life and that everything should go smoothly with normal results. I don't care whether I have a stoma or not, I just want a normal life like I was promised, not a rerun of UC life. What should I do?

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