I asked this question to my surgeon and he told me its good for the long haul. My sister has had her j pouch for 21 years and she is doing great with it. There are a few members here that have had theirs for longer than that I believe. I think pouch cancer would be extremely rare.

The pouch "expiring" for some lack of bloodflow is baloney. Cancer in the pouch is rare but has occurred.

I would love for it to work well for life, we can hope, right? I think it all depends on how we care for it too. Limits on raw vegies, check ups when told, and hydration.

Unless you specifically have issues with poor blood flow to your pouch (not a given just because you had the surgery), your pouch should last as long as any other part of you. So yes, it will "expire," when YOU expire.

Pouch failure is pretty rare, like 10-20%, and even those who wind up with it do not have a predetermined time for that.

Jan

My concern isn't that my J-pouch will "expire" after time but that when I get "really" old and have caregivers, they would have an easier time managing an ileostomy than my J-pouch and its environs (butt, for instance)! I have thought of having a "reversal in reverse" prior to reaching that stage of life. It (my ileostomy) certainly was much more predictable and "self contained" than a J-pouch while acting up is!

Oh, I don't think so! You may think that caregivers would be better skilled at ileostomy care than say, incontinent care, but not true. Most custodial caregivers are not particularly well versed in ostomies.

Jan

Thanks, Jan! Wrong presumption on my part. Guess it was/is wishful thinking because I would think it would be easier for a caregiver to manage an ileostomy than it would be to manage a J-pouch if I could no longer get myself to a bathroom independently and whenever needed. I'm going to do my best not to worry about it....for now!

That's my plan too.

The idea of an ileostomy seems simpler than incontinent care, if only it was just emptying the bag. But, thenthey also have to be concerned with leaks and bag changes. Stoma retraction, etc., causing an ill fitting appliance if your weight changes is another concern only an expert can deal with.

However, anyone ca change diapers....

Jan

I heard a prominent SoCal surgeon speak on the issue of incontinence with age and the j-pouch. He said j-pouchers should have less incontinence issues because our sphincters get more exercise and are better toned. The elderly that suffer incontinence is usually due to poor muscle tone.

Sue

That's a nice thought, if true. Time will tell....

Jan

Interesting discussion as I've pondered the same l-t care
alternatives (jpouch vs ileostomy) as I age. Pkitty, if it's
any comfort to you, me & my jpouch have been plugging
along for 23 yrs now this month. Here's to the next 23 years!
Prayers & Best Wishes, Steve

I'm glad "we've" had this discussion before I make a rash decision to revert to an ileostomy simply because of age! Then again, I'd do so in a heartbeat if my J-pouch gave me unresolveable trouble. I learned to be quite a pro at managing my ileostomy during the year I had it.

Oh my goodness. I have been thinking those same thoughts- so glad it's not just me!! I even told my husband and my son-in-law about it as he is a general surgeon. I told my daughter if I could not get up to go to the bathroom that I probably needed an ileostomy. I agree with Jan that it can be challenging taking care of an ileostomy, but if you do have caretakers and they don't change your diapers or whatever fast enough or often enough, your skin down there can get eaten up real fast by the acids in our output. I guess it just depends (ha ha) on if you can still get up by yourself or if you still have good control as we get older. I am 64 so I hope I have many good years left, but I am glad I made my feelings known to my family! I had an awful time with my loop ileostomy but I have been told by many that a end ileostomy is much easier to handle.

My husband just asked my surgeon last week at my annual check-up- what is the shelf life of the pouch. He said until we die unless something unexpected happens.

We have to hope for the best!

Thanks for sharing, Linda! It helps to know we are not alone in our "crazy" thoughts!