Successful Reversal

[Super Amjo]

Hey everyone - I just wanted to post a quick note about my experience because prior to my reversal - I looked for some good news and could only find depressing stories of reversal failure. I used this forum a lot during my two surgeries and and want to thank everyone for all of the great info.

I had UC for 11 years did every therapy imaginable - Remicade for the last 4 years and 40mg of Prednisone for the last 1 1/2 (plus 26 other pills). Finally was told surgery was the only option so had my colectomy, etc on Nov 3 had bilateral pulmonary emboli on Nov 23 - then finally had my reversal on March 11 - plus some minor surgeries here and there in between the big two. I was super scared of getting my reversal, not the surgery itself - after the first one, I wasn't really afraid of pain anymore - but of the reversal failing. There's really not much you can do but leave it in gods hands -

Thankfully, it's almost 2 months post reversal and I'm almost back to a normal life - back to work full time, eating things I couldn't before (still working foods in one at a time) - and having a lot of Metamucil, I like the taste so no biggie, lol. There are still minor annoyances here and there but I'm 100% satisfied with the results, no more meds, UC pain - and I'm really going to the restroom the same amount as before with UC so aside from all the pain of surgery, an even trade.

Good luck to everyone still going through the process - and stay positive because people do have positive results, most just never come back to talk about it.

BTW - those with permanent ostomies are my heroes. The B-Life as me and my sis call it is super hard, and you all are super strong to live through it.

[LindaAukett UOAA Advocacy]

Hi Super - and thanks for sharing your thoughts. Are you now living with a continent system like a J-pouch? If so, we could copy your comments in the Continent Diversion Forum - they'd be interested as well.

[Super Amjo]

I have a J Pouch now so that would be great - I'll check this post often for a while so if anyone has questions I'm happy to try and help where I can...Super

[nicola smith]

Add me to the j-pouch success stories. My reversal was mid-March and I go along with everything Amjo says, including metamucil. One thing though is that with a long history of UC (again like Amjo), I am taking one pouch of VSL#3 daily because UC'ers do have more likelihood of getting pouchitis (essentially UC) of the j-pouch. VSL#3 is a strong probiotic with some decent research indicating its use as a UC preventive according to my GI. When I had UC, it was the only thing that kept it under control as I was allergic to most of the other medications and hated pred.

[Super Amjo]

Thanks for the info Nicola - I'll have to run this past my doc as I've never heard or VSL#3 - should be interesting!!

[nicola smith]

Here's a link to a website http://www.vsl3.ca/ and some of the research.

http://health.dir.groups.yahoo.com/grou ... essage/308

I prefer the unflavoured variety of VSL#3 as I hate artificial flavours.