Hi guys, thanks for all the replys. Yes the gas is pretty painful. I won't say it's been a piece of cake so far, because it hasn't. You know what though, I wouldn't go back for anything at this point. That first time you wake up after surgery and realize that there is nothing hanging from your belly is undescribable. It's pretty great. I think thanks to this site and the great people that a part of it, we all know what it's like after takedown. It's another piece of the journey weve all been on for quite a while. Weve all been through alot to get here. This is just the last part of the process. Since my last post, I've had some issues with frequency of bms, and the gas can be a real pain. Literally! But that day I felt like I crested that hill was awesome. I like all of you just want to get my new normal and get on with life. I was diagnosed with UC in 2015. After a down hill battle that was like a feight train running down hill. One of six blood transfusions, many hospitalizations, many trial and error drug treatments, and finally large doses of steroids, because nothing ever worked to slow down my symptoms. In 2016 they removed my colon and I got my ostomy. It saved my life. And I finally felt better.In August of 2017 they created my j pouch and the dreaded loop ostomy. Man that thing was a treat.😖 I was suppose to have my takedown in Nov. of 2017. My first gastrograffin enemas showed a fistula. Wow was I freaked. After waiting a period of time "waiting for it to heal on its own" and another g. enema, it hadn't healed. In Feb. of this year, I had surgery to hopefully correct the fistula. Third and last, gees, gastrograffin x-ray said it was healed. Man was I happy. So this month on the 15th. I had my takedown. This has really been a long couple of years and I'm so happy it's finally coming to an end. I never though this part of the journey was going to be a piece of cake because of the straight up truths I've read on here and because nothing to this point really has been. But I'm in. I can do this, and so can you. Man, sorry this got so long. Anyway. It's early days, and I'm happy, even though it's really not been easy. Good luck to you all
Aimee