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This afternoon, I am getting a second opinion. My CRS decided that my J-pouch, although he feels that it is in perfect shape and condition, simply is not functioning as intended. He feels that there is a problem in a section high in the small intestine that simply is not working, causing blockage-like symptoms. I developed an anal fissure and I had trouble with it for months before the diagnosis.
In January, he performed an LIS and I have had leakage from the beginning. The leakage does not seem to be stool, it is clear to white opaque and it burns something terrible. I am not sleeping and I am getting totally worn out from lack of cleaning and trying to keep ahead of the leakage.
I went for a follow-up appointment and the doctor told me that the best that he could do is to give me an end ileostomy and close up my anus. He then said that he should never have done the J-pouch in the first place because I was over 65 years of age.
Is there anyone out there who has a success story for getting a J-pouch past the age of 65? Confused

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Barb, sorry to hear this. But, realistically, if your surgeon felt that you should not have had j-pouch surgery at your age, why did he do it? Certainly, it is not all age related, but each of us age differently and have different things going on at the time of surgery. So, while age is a consideration, it is not black and white.

Gloria for one such success:
http://j-pouch.org/eve/persona...profile&u=6111050921

She had her surgery in her late 60s and is doing well and is quite active more than a decade later.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, there is a deterioration of some pouch function after about 15 years, regardless of age at the time of surgery. Still, even then, the quality of life measurements are high. So, I don't think that the evidence is there that being over 65 is a contraindication.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19906054

Good luck with your decisions! There is no one right answer, except for the one that will restore your quality of life.

Jan Smiler
Jan Dollar
Barb, I presume your surgeon told you that incontinence was a possible complication of sphincterotomy? Sometimes it is permanent. That is why Botox injections should be preferred before surgical sphincterotomy. At least with Botox, the effects wear off after about 3 months. Hopefully, you are still in the period where this symptom can turn around for you. Nerve trauma can take 6-12 months to repair itself (if it is going to). In the meantime, you have to wait and see. Maybe at least a temp ileostomy would help you get some rest while you decide what to do in the long run.

Water under the bridge (regarding surgical vs chemical sphincterotomy), I know...

Jan Smiler
Jan Dollar

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