hello all, I was wondering for those with ulcerative colitis and have had a successful j pouch surgery done laparoscopically from an experienced surgeon, did their daily physical activity increase or decrease or stay the same? I have heard of many stories of people with j pouches traveling the world on a few days notice and hiking thousands of miles and exercising everyday with no problems, no meds, no pain. Is this true? If so, why would people risk taking 6mp, steroids and biologics instead of opting for surgery?
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Yes, *successful* J-pouch surgery is much better physically than poorly-controlled (and uncontrollable) UC. That's not really the right question, though, IMO. In order to have successful J-pouch surgery, you had to *risk* unsuccessful J-pouch surgery, and that's no fun at all. Furthermore, if meds could control your UC, the right question, I think, is if J-pouch surgery is better than well-controlled UC. Most of us, I suspect, would prefer to have skipped the surgery if things could have been well-controlled with reasonable medication. Surgery becomes a better option if the control isn't so good, or if the meds aren't reasonable (e.g. actual bad side effects or long-term steroids). If you're going to imagine the worst possible result from medications, it would be fairest to imagine the worst possible result from surgery when comparing them.
I didn't have a choice. I has acute bout of UC that was severe and was on deaths door. After 16 years with my pouch I was just as or more so active. I work out 4 times a week and walk daily up to 10km.