pammieskrh posted:since you have had a koch pouch and BCIR, can you tell me how they are different. is the BCIR preferred over the Koch?
Sorry I have not been on the site and obviously missed this by a few months. In the comparison I have to say that it is pretty hard to compare as in when i had the K pouch I had been suffering from the skin abrasions due to not being compatible with the convatec or the hollister type materials so I was simply elated in A: surviving such a huge life change and suddenly after 10 years wearing the appliance, being free to where clothes in a more easy fashion and of course not having the constant rashes. It was not till the end (after 15+ years) and I believe if my original surgeon had been alive he would have done the revision sooner and before I became in the shape I had become.. and at 18 years I needed that revision but had no qualified physician to tell me so. OK> so just skip to the "BCIR", I obviously did find support and though it seemed to be tough I was finally taken care of and received my BCIR. I will tell you today that cosmetically I like how this turned out in the placement ( over to the side instead of right below my belly button, and my K pouch opening you could see the skin was different and I was very careful around it... moreso than one might need to be. On the BCIR it is more of a straight line but it is nearly invisible. Now there is a difference that for me is kind of a toss up... and it is like this. for my K Pouch it would sometimes allow some air to pass thru it though was still considered to be sealed as there was no fluid leaking. (towards that last few years that became an issue) But as for the BCIR it will not allow anything to pass through the gate. It of course can produce a small amount of fluid but that is why we where a small bandage over that area. i actually use what I think others do> that is a maxi pad that is cut into a smaller piece. i think I can get 6 pieces or more from one pad. and I use a white silk tape to keep it in place. to be totally honest if I was in a situation like scuba diving I would either use a small waterproof tape or just none at all. it is that tight. So what is the other side of that??? Well, if you do have any gas or tend to eat foods that do that to you it can be quite uncomfortable and I really had no idea the other one (K Pouch) was actually making that not so much of an issue. So as you can see I would truly have to say that they both served and serve me very well and I am grateful. in my own experience i believe I would keep the BCIR now and I like the idea of how it is designed. Dr.Sullivan had his own twist on the K pouch as do other Surgeons so it is not surprising that others may not experience things quite the same. So if I had to pick I would say the BCIR.. But I would also be happy, like I was, when they converted what I had (standard Ileostomy) into the K pouch. I have a very strong belief that you understand completely what it will entail and it does take time to adjust in either of these choices as they are basically creating a new area that will need to stretch and allowed to heal while you are still living.... you know.. "real time". I would not have ever gone back to the ileostomy though again I have to say that it was the step ( even though I think it lasted too long) in saving my life. I would not have survived if they had not removed my large intestine. I was not aware I was NOT getting my K Pouch till the day of surgery. I was there and they were drawing on my abdomen with a marker and then placing ostomy bag by it and I said " why are you doing that?" , and they explained... I just started crying because I was in shock. But it was the decision that I would not be strong enough to get a K pouch (or BCIR) at that time.. I was just the last to find out. LOL. So I think in these situations it is all about how you communicate with your Surgeon and providers... How good you are at adjusting to and patient with yourself and the pains that you feel along the way. I want to just say that I wish that for all the people out there that are clearly strong candidates for a K Pouch or BCIR, that I wish so much that they realize that they have an option. I say this because believe it or not I might as well be an alien and there is so so many medical professionals that are not informed and even misinformed about what it is to have this opportunity in life. I have fought like hell to be alive and to be my own advocate. I am getting closer to being 60 (58) but all this started before I was barely 20. So this is in my blood and when I can I help others though this last 10 years that has been harder because I live so far away from anyone that might need that support or the Hospitals where these miracles are performed. I hope this long winded early morning reply helps somehow and maybe even shine some light or raise other important questions.