New member :)

Welcome! I actually have a jpouch and had a temp ileostomy due to rectal cancer and FAP. But I've had my jpouch now for 6 months and you are very smart in thinking about going to a pouch bgc you are right when they say you will be going so much more frequently. I'm not trying to scare you but share my story with you. I'm actually contemplating going back to the bag. I had radiation before my surgeries and now that I go constantly there are these cuts that won't heal, on my anal area, bc doctors and I think it's due to not enough oxygen getting to the tissue to heal it. But what I've read on here there are a lot of successful jpouchers. Hope to hear from you!

Welcome, Putterfish! I think you've got the right attitude. But I have a question - once every two/three weeks? Holy cow. You must have been miserable!

Hi there Krys777 - I am so very sorry for what you are going through I have heard that some do give the j-pouch a try and revert back to an ileostomy. At least you tried and to be fair, if your cuts aren't healing and you are in constant pain, then reverting back is the right decision. I really wish you well *hugs*

Hi Californication (love the name lol)!! ...and yes - you read that right :S Things started really slowing down a while back and despite numerous trips to the doctors and hospital, I was only given enemas, supposotries etc. If only they gave me a CT scan and MRI, there may have been an outside chance that I wouldn't be sitting here without a bowel. Incidentally, my consultant believes I have had this problem since birth (I have always had problems); just no one picked up on it :S You have to bear in mind that my colon was three times the size and width of a 'normal' colon, so there was a lot of *ahem* baggage to carry around. The pain was pretty bad (okay - it was awful but I had to suffer in silence as I am sure the doctors I saw thought I was a hypochondriac).
xxx