Meet Kyle:
My name is Kyle Thomas, I just turned 21 years old, had UC for 3 years. I love baseball and football, food and many other things. I lifeguard in the Summer and go to school year round for medical imaging (maybe i’ll be giving pouchograms in the future, like I just had myself recently). Anyway, I have posted on here a couple times about before surgery, after and now before the second surgery.
Some more about me:
I’m from Rhode Island so I love clam chowder, coffee milk and hot wieners. I can do the robot. I also really enjoy the beach and going out with my friends. I’d love to begin dating again once I’m fully recovered. Even with an ostomy currently I have more confidence than I did after dealing with UC every day. I’ve also used ample amount of my recovery time to learn how to play the guitar and I’m starting to make some serious progress!
Symptoms:
No more symptoms thanks to my surgery! I feel 99.9% normal again! (the .1% will be added once I lose my bag)
J Pouch Take Down in 2 weeks, Need some Advice!
Well, I had UC for 3 years and it was terrible. However my doctor and surgeon were very shocked at how well I masked my disease given the condition they found my colon to be in once they operated. My first surgery was on December 14th 2012 and I just recently had my pouchogram, which showed my pouch to be fully healed! So I am having my take down operation in roughly 2 weeks. Can anyone give me some input on the comparisons of this surgery and the initial colectomy and j pouch construction? What’s the pain level post surgery and how long? Hospital stay length? is the diet gradual (clears, soft foods then solids)? I am also very active so I am itching to get back into lifting weights and going running, but easing into it obviously. If someone can maybe give me a gauge of how long their doctor, or most doctors give you before lifting is allowed, that’d be great. I’m sure mine will tell me eventually when I see him and ask but I’m just anxious.
I’m also curious about the prep. When you go in, is your ostomy bag on? I would think so, I’m sure they take it off prior to their operating but after you’re knocked out. And, is there any other kind of bowel prep or just no eating and drinking the night before?
That’s basically i for my questions. Any and ALL responses are greatly appreciated. I am so incredibly excited to be able to take this final step in leading a normal life once again and I highly encourage anyone who is having no luck with medication and in constant pain to go through with a j pouch operation. UC is horrible and nobody should have to deal with it, my best wishes to all other UC’ers out there battling every day!
Medications:
No medication other than prednisone worked for me over the course of 3 years, which is why I opted for surgery.
written by Kyle
People should know that I’m tough as nails, I just won’t eat a bowl of them for breakfast.
