Have you had your takedown yet? I had three surgeries and the second one where they created the jpouch and the third where they re-connected. I had a HORRIBLE time after the second with the loop illeo. The takedown probably takes the most patience because you have to train the jpouch to function like a colon and it can take up to a year or more to recover 100% from what I have read. But usually after around three months or sooner you will notice big improvements

I would say its normal to still feel icky. The surgery where they create the j pouch is the toughest one. I had my colectomy and my j pouch done in the same surgery. I did not feel human again until it was time to go for my takedown so about 3 months. My takedown surgery was very easy and after that it was smooth sailing. Hope you feel better soon.

thanks guys. just feel overall yuck not gaining weight easily slower to stand up than first surgery. takedown is oct 12th. cannot wait to be done with this loop ileo and bag. i know im dehydrated but cant seem to drink enough and its still liquidy here n there. oh yeah the anxiety is kicking my butt this time...

Of course it's normal, on a scale of 1 to 10 when it comes to feeling good with a J Pouch, you have to get use to living in the 2 to 5 zone. Unfortunately all many of us can do now is regret going under the knife to begin with, especially with all the new alternatives out there now that I only wish existed before I made the grave mistake of choosing surgery

Yes, it's a very tough surgery. I was still run down after a month. It probably took 3 until I felt great.

dog day, ive heard so many positive things from so many and 2 of my childhood friends back home are so happy with theirs. im very hopeful and wish you well...

Best of luck to you chasingtime, I've heard all kinds of stories myself. They do turn out good sometimes. On the other hand you can see all the problems that come with them too on this site. I speak from over 24 years experience, so I've had more time than I ever cared for to think about it.

After 11 years, my J-pouch is wonderful and was from Day #1. Best wishes for continued improvement. I waited a long time (1 year) between the first step surgery and my takedown. It worked for me.

Dog Day - please stop! You are absolutely wrong about living at a 2-5 on a 10-point scale. You have just been banned - yet again - from another site.

To new people on this site - please don't listen to what Dog Day says. His sole purpose is to try to discourage people from having j-pouch. He is asked over and over again what his symptoms and problems are and he never answers.

There are others on this site who are dissatisfied with the j-pouch and those people have valid reasons. Dog Day does not. The overall satisfaction rate for j-pouch surgery is over 90% - those are excellent odds. Most of the posts you see here are written by people who need help or support. Most j-pouchers never visit this site because they're out enjoying life.

Chasingtime, don't listen to Kathy, she comes here all the time wearing her rose colored glasses, and has to keep telling me "you're wrong." Yet I've been living 24 years with a J Pouch and know what it's like. I've run into plenty of others who are miserable with it too. And even you yourself right now aren't enjoying the results now either. Sorry Kathy but this is America and we're entitled to our opinions here, thus I truly believe J Pouch surgery sucks! And I'm sorry that other alternatives didn't exist the day I chose surgery

im confident ill be pleased. peace my friends...

I felt like a complete wreck up until roughly 2 months after my takedown. Now at 5 months out, I feel better than I have in 5 years.

thank you guys for taking the time you do to reply. its greatly appreciated...

Dgo Day please explain why you are here -- again? You have stated, ad nauseum, all over the internet how this place is 'worse than hell' and that the veterans here are 'worse than the devil himself', and that all we do is "lie". You're right, this is America and a great deal of us feel beyond blessed to have had access to this surgery because it saved our lives! You are certainly not the only person who doesn't like their j-pouch, however -- you are the ONLY one who has been banned over and over again from every site on the internet because you are hell bent on attacking, giving false information, and complaining about NOTHING over and over. Read your posts on here. You might as well just cut and paste. They all say basically the exact same thing. Moaning, groaning, whining about absolutely nothing. There is no substance to what you say.

Share with the newbies here how you have encouraged teens on this site to die rather than have this surgery -- how you have stalked and followed many of them to the point of them going to the administrators and threatening to go to the authorities. Explain how mentally ill you are and how you refuse to have a private conversation with anyone of us because all you care about is getting attention. Share how many gazillion names you've used here and on every other j-pouch discussion board. Share that this is a sick, sick game for you and that you have nothing better to do with your life. Again, there are many who have not been happy with their j-pouches BUT THEY DO SOMETHING OTHER THAN BITCH, MOAN AND MAKE OTHERS LIVES MISERABLE! You've had yours for TWENTY FOUR YEARS -- sounds to all of us who have been forced to 'hear' you for the past 11 years like you're extremely happy being so unhappy.

Just go away, before we have to witness another mental breakdown and you threatening us "Hitler loving Nazi's".

Chasingtime -- you are so new to this process. Although I know it feels like forever...you have a way to go in terms of healing and feeling better. Your body has been through hell. Again, you may be adjusting to a new normal, but it will be a better one that what you suffered with before. I've had my pouch since 1996 and it took quite a bit of time to adjust -- but, it's all been worth it. On a scale of 1 to 10, I am at a definite 10,99% of the time. Good luck and keep coming here with questions. There really is no better place to get information from those who truly know. Hugs to you!

Oh yea - I remember how terribly lousy I felt after my 2nd (out of 3) surgeries as well. And I remember being unable to stand up straight for weeks. However, you will start having better days before too long. In the meanwhile, keep hydrating. Keep resting. And when it's possible, take short walks, even if it's just to the mailbox and back.

Hang in there, keep posting and let us know how you're doing --