Hey team,

    So I am just rover two weeks out from my surgery and have some questions.  I know that I will by no means feel 100% this soon, but I'm hoping for some reassurance that a few things will get better....

1) The mild stinging/itching sensation around my stoma, will that go away? I'm assuming its the sutures healing since the stoma has no feeling, but I'm not sure.

2) I still have a mild and annoying ache in my anal area (assuming anal canal since I have no rectum) which makes sitting and what not uncomfortable and frustrating. How long for that to go away? Also there's a mucous discharge back there that seems to happen frequently at random, does that continue? Become less? Should I put something back there to catch it?

3) My main suture still hurts like hell when I stand up from sitting (burning stabbing pain), but goes away as I move around. How long until I don't have to fear standing up?

4) I walk every day and try to push myself (within reason) to go out and do errands (someone drives and comes with me). I also eat a lot (not all at once) and really pack on the protein (including a chewable multi vitamin every day), to try and gain back some of the 50lbs I lost in the last 4 months, but what else should I be doing?

5) Those of you who have fully recovered and have permanent ileostomies, are there things you cannot do? Can you exercise? Lift weights? Run?

6) I live in California and it gets very hot, which means I sweat. Since summer just kicked off I just had my first issue with sweat causing my bag to fail early (no big deal I was prepared and handled it). Any tips on how to protect your bag from sweat? I thought about running a dry deodorant stick around the seal part, but I don't know if that would help..

I'm 25 and had the flare from hell in February. I lost 50lbs, was in constant pain, 60mg of prednisone (for 3-4 months), could barely eat or move and spent most of my time in bed/bathroom. I chose this surgery because I was tired of fighting this disease, however the original plan was to get a j pouch. Do to complications that is not possible. I'm at peace with the permanent ileostomy (sort of), but looking for guidance and assurance that these issues either aren't permanent or are at least manageable...