Here is a thought since you are concerned about J pouch removal. The surgeon who removed my J pouch was Dr. Ernest Rehnke in St. Petersburg, FL. A number of people like me had him remove our J pouches and create a BCIR. His office has a package of information about the BCIR surgery and includes a list of over 300 people who you can contact about their experience. Their current list includes 35 who had their J pouches removed. While there is no obligation to have this surgery, the information you gain from contacting some of these people may be helpful to making your decision. The BCIR program website is: www.bcir.com.