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I was 17...  Senior in high school. 1990.  Even with the issues many of us have had since the surgery, I feel so very lucky.  Abscessed fistulas and two more  runs with  temp ilieostomies after the fistula repairs.   Blockage surgery, strictures, dilatations...  These complications were nothing compared to what life was like prior to getting my J-Pouch.  I was 5' 9" and weighed 88 pounds,   blood transfusions and spent a month at the hospital before I was healthy enough to have the surgery. I am hoping and praying my J-Pouch holds out many more years.   I gained my weight back quickly (lol) and can eat most foods.  I do have "accidents" and wear pads all day/every day.  But, life is good.  So many have gone through much, much more.  

@3Cutedogs posted:

I was 17...  Senior in high school. 1990.  Even with the issues many of us have had since the surgery, I feel so very lucky.  Abscessed fistulas and two more  runs with  temp ilieostomies after the fistula repairs.   Blockage surgery, strictures, dilatations...  These complications were nothing compared to what life was like prior to getting my J-Pouch.  I was 5' 9" and weighed 88 pounds,   blood transfusions and spent a month at the hospital before I was healthy enough to have the surgery. I am hoping and praying my J-Pouch holds out many more years.   I gained my weight back quickly (lol) and can eat most foods.  I do have "accidents" and wear pads all day/every day.  But, life is good.  So many have gone through much, much more.  

I am sorry to hear hon!!! I hope things get better!! Have you tried loperamide to help with the accidents???

@Lu31 posted:

Thank you.  Yes wasn't easy as we all know.  I had the 2nd and 3rd surgeries in the summer but last one done right before returning to school. Ended up missing a bit anyways as my system took time to get used to it. Still, happy to get rid of the bag.

You are welcome! And wow that is amazing!! Soo cool how you overcame that and still graduated Graduated not letting stuff defeat you

I had anal atresia at birth, part of a group of birth defects that appear together called VATERS syndrome. I also have Ehlers Danlos syndrome which is a connective tissue disease that impacts the creation of collagen (the glue that holds things together in your body). The result was that every time that they tried to surgically fix the anal atresia they made it worse until I no longer had a functioning sphincter. I also had IBD (or IBS, I can never remember) but I had bloody stools and horrific cramping for years.

Add that to no sphincter and you have the picture. Life was hell. 2 failed Gracillis muscle transplant surgeries to try to create a functional sphincter and I was done. I had already had a colostomy that wrought havoc on my skin (collagen again) and I had to find an alternate solution.

The Kpouch was the miracle that saved my life and gave me a life.

It has been 41 yrs and I am still thrilled.

Sharon

@skn69 posted:

I had anal atresia at birth, part of a group of birth defects that appear together called VATERS syndrome. I also have Ehlers Danlos syndrome which is a connective tissue disease that impacts the creation of collagen (the glue that holds things together in your body). The result was that every time that they tried to surgically fix the anal atresia they made it worse until I no longer had a functioning sphincter. I also had IBD (or IBS, I can never remember) but I had bloody stools and horrific cramping for years.

Add that to no sphincter and you have the picture. Life was hell. 2 failed Gracillis muscle transplant surgeries to try to create a functional sphincter and I was done. I had already had a colostomy that wrought havoc on my skin (collagen again) and I had to find an alternate solution.

The Kpouch was the miracle that saved my life and gave me a life.

It has been 41 yrs and I am still thrilled.

Sharon

AMAZING!!!! Glad your better

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