Hey everyone my name is Karla and I am new to all this.. I was diagnosed w/UC 10 yrs ago. My doctors and I tried every medication,IV,injections an so on to avoid surgery.. Deep down inside I knew that meds were not always going to work all the time..
On July 28,2009 I had a total cloectomy,loop ileostomy and a J-pouch was created. My first surgery was more emotional ache than physical.
Maybe bc I was too sick to realize how sick I was.. I got use to my bag, named it to make me feel better.It was a way of accepting it and taking ownership of my new adjustment. On Oct.27,2009 I had the second part of my surgery (the reversal) and feel confused,depress and in a lot pain..
Can any one please shed some light?

The takedown is a much easier surgery but a much harder, longer recovery.

It's only been a few days if I read you post correctly. Try to just follow along with what you need to do right now.

I think part of the confusion and depression comes from going from relative comfort with the ileostomy to a major alteration in your lifestyle. It's hard to appreciate that how you feel right now is temporary.

I was uncomfortable emotionally and physically in the days after my takedown and so I just sort of put myself on 'auto-pilot', sort of detached and just went along and did what I had to do to get well.

The pain and the pain meds also contribute to these feelings.

Please give yourself a break and a little time to come out of this funk. Your feelings will be easier to sort out in a few more days or a week or so.

Take care and come back to this site as often as you need to- the support is great.

Cheryl

Oh, and I think you'll get more response/help if you post under general discussion- more people seem to 'visit' there regularly.

Karla

I was 10 years with UC when the meds stopped working and I took a reaction to Remicade.

I had my surgeries in 3 steps leaving a year between each. (This was probably helpful for me as it not only allowed for healing but gave me the chance to get more comfortable psychologically with the full process and result).

My final surgery was August 31/09 and I was up and walking for the next day and a half but then I got dehydrated somehow and spent the next 5 days in bed totally depressed. Once I got past this I have made steady progress and generally have few issues other than the usual (butt burn, some itch, loose stools).

You have to give it some time and I suspect you will be fine.

As you experience any new symptoms or issues take advantage of the support here, people here have experienced most of them an can give you help or advice.

(I also agree that you will likely get more responses under the General Section).

Best of luck!

Lew