Guest guest Posted January 7, 2006 Report Share Posted January 7, 2006 I had the same proctocolectomy with a permanent episiotomy Oct. '04, 2 years after a liver transplant. I was taking prednisone and azathiopine for immunosuppression. These are also used for UC. Symptoms were minimal but dysplagia was found with colonoscopy and I took the advice of my transplant doc and had it all removed, -no colon, no colon cancer. There are some good things about having this surgery. > I don't have to read the articles about UC, IBD or Chrohns, they no longer apply. I have great empathy for the folks still dealing with the disease, but it makes me appresiate the advantages of having the episiotomy. >Also, not having to desperately search for a bathroom or carry extra clothes (just in case) is good. >There are no flare-ups, I used to get sick for 2-3 days every six weeks or so. In the right company, the jokes come easy and often. >The best is knowing I don't have to worry about what will happen. The decision was made, surgery done, and life goes on. I didn't have any reconstruction done for an internal pouch, the transplant docs said it often leads to pouchitus, and additional surgery which is risky for transplanted folks, due to risk of infection. All-in-all, life is better now then before the surgery. I was also lucky. The stoma nurse made a wish for me to have a silent stoma and I do. (Was that more info then you needed to know?) MizKit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 7, 2006 Report Share Posted January 7, 2006 Mitkit I learned from my Gastro after the PSC Dx. that Pouch problems were much more commonly seen in PSC-UC patients than just UC patients. That has certainly been my experience. I understand colon cancer risk increases with both too. At the time of my pouch surgery, the liver looked great, and they had not got predictive tests of pouchitis off of the drawing boards yet, so I got the pouch, and the pouchitis! Some day, we may have to have a parting of company. I have the thing "surveyed" just like it were the original bad boy for cancer! You got terrific advice I would say. Best jd, 45 UC 1973, Jpouch 2000, Chronic Pouchitis 2001, PSC 2004, Stage 3 Southern, IL krmpotich@... ----- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.