RATS! Ok so I had the surgery over 15 years ago and each year I go to my GI who does a scope and biopsy so they can check for cancer. Every year it has been normal, usually with "mild inflammation" which seems to be just part of living with a pouch as it's always come back that way. Well, they just called with my most recent test results and it said it showed a higher grade of inflammation than the usual mild, plus "some" dysplasia was seen. They couldn't tell me what area the cell changes were seen since biopsies were taken from multiple areas and those areas weren't really noted. They said there's nothing we will do right now except the doctor may put me on some kind of medication (PLEASE GOD NOT PREDNISONE AGAIN I AM FAT ENOUGH) and he will want to re-check in 6 months instead of waiting a year.
This SUCKS. The only time I've ever gotten a result like this was (TMI warning) from a pap and the following year the changes had resolved themselves and every pap since was normal. But I don't think my pouch has the ability to fix itself. My mind is now filled with the horror stories I've heard about people who had their pouches for years with no problems and then blam, pouch failure, or worse, the C-word, and then it's going in a bag the rest of your life. This when we are less than 2 months away from trying in-vitro fertilization, which is our last, desperate attempt to get PG after over 2.5 years of unsuccessful trying (I am 39, so if this doesn't work we are done trying).
Before you get your panties in a bunch, understand there is a certain amount of dysplasia that is associated with inflammation, so do no assume that this is the type of dysplasia that is considered precancerous.
That said, unless you are already on this medication, it is likely you will be treated for cuffitis with mesalamine or hydrocortisone suppositories or antibiotics for pouchitis.
Jan
Take a deep breath and relax; this too will pass.
Posts: 14736 | Location: Fremont, CA, USA | Registered: April 07, 2000