Medicine vs. Surgery
January 29, 2010Everybody who has spent just a little bit of time on this site know that I went through surgery to have my colon removed and I have generally been pleased and satisfied with the results. However, I don’t believe that everybody with IBD needs or should have surgery. There is something to be said for controlling IBD with medicine as well.
So which is better, medicine vs. surgery? I get asked this sometimes and really, it depends on what kind of lifestyle you want to live. There are risks and benefits to both options. Hopefully through this vlog you will get the information you need to make a better decision.
Keep fighting,
~Dennis
Amen Dennis. My surgery was more of a necessity at first, but I too have come to feel it was the right decision for me personally. I’m at a time in my life where I’m focusing on having children (I was diagnosed in ’09, 3 months after the birth of my first) and was devasted to be told not to even think about more children while I was taking the myriad of drugs they tried at first. I was on a schedule of about 9 meds/supplements…keeping my eye on the clock for the next dose which was every couple of hours…it was extremely hard on my morale. Also, I felt like a ticking time bomb…not knowing what would cause the next flare, when it would strike, medical bills over time, increased chance of colon cancer and many other worries plagued me day and night. I’m go in for my 6 month recheck soon and I feel like a completely different person than 6-7 months ago. I feel like I have my life given back to me. Surgery may not be for everyone, but I’m so glad I did it and I can live with the risks that come the the j-pouch. Glad to hear you’ve had an overall good outcome with your surgery too! Great vlog!