J-Pouch: It Helps to Have an Ileostomy First
March 2, 2009When people consider surgery, by far the biggest stumbling block is the temporary ileostomy. Everybody is worried about it for some reason. They worry about their body image, they worry about pain, and they worry about managing the ileostomy correctly. These are all valid concerns.
But after living with an ileostomy, and now living with a j-pouch, I’ve learned that the temporary ileostomy stage is actually very important to the successful management of a j-pouch. When your colon is removed, your anatomy changes drastically forever. And managing your bowels thus changes drastically.
So instead of seeing the temporary ileostomy stage as a nuisance and frustration, see the positive benefits that come from it.
I know from experience that managing my j-pouch is a lot easier after managing my ileostomy.
Keep fighting,
~Dennis
Question: What have you learned from having an ileostomy? Answer below!
