I had my J pouch in 1990 having been quite close to death with a perforated bowel caused by chronic onset ulcerative colitis ... I remember going into hospital in extreme pain and having the Specialist deliver the message that I needed to have all of my bowel removed, urgently, immediately ... In desperation, I mentioned that as I had private health that I could get a second opinion back from a Harley Street doctor if I waited until the next morning ..." That is indeed your prerogative" came back the reply .." but if you wait until the morning you will be dead" ..."Where do I sign?" I then replied ... Since the pain of the operation; the subsequent ileostomy, followed by the J Pouch, I've tried not to let anything affect me ... My wife has given me 4 wonderful children since then who have all now grown up... I drink far more than I should, eat hot curries and generally avoid thinking that there's anything (mushroom's aside) that I can't eat ...Yes, sometimes I get incredible pain and yes I sometimes use the toilet more that a dozen or so agonising times a day and yes, I often feel drained by the lack of sleep and the frequent night-time trips to the loo ... But the default position for me is just to be bloody-minded and accept the condition ... Accept the pain and try to always look at what else might have been ... As somebody once said "Life isn't too bad, considering the alternative" ... So I will continue not to be a slave to medical fads, new wonder drugs, self-help gurus and the advice from the ubiquitous "worried-well" as I intend continue to take risks; have the occasional glass of wine; the odd cigarette and blow-out on unhealthy food ... For me the best way of living with a J pouch is to try to pretend (as far as possible) that you don't have one, with all that that entails, as I tend to find that the solution is mental rather than medical.