Will I be able to?

Hi Breann,
I was a year older than you when I had mine done...-and that was just about my first question to the surgeon once he finally agreed to the surgery...will I be able to have kids?
It was 33+ yrs ago and they really couldn't give me a strait answer back then but now, with so much experience...they can say, Probably..yes....but...(this is the biggie)...any abdominal surgery can gum things up inside of you (scar tissue, inflamation, organs being pushed around a bit)...so, although so many of us get pregnant and have kids with little or no thought to the process, some have to take it slowly, ask for help (artificial or medically assisted methods) or take it easy towards the end of the pregnancy...(bedrest, smaller meals...)
I am the unlucky one who never succeeded in having them...and it was a very sad thing for me but I never regretted having my pouch...It gave me a quality of life that I never would have been able to have otherwise and I really have loved my life...
So please do not allow that one question to stop you from having a very important and essential surgery...those questions kind of resolve themselves in the long run...
Good luck
Sharon

Unless the dr is seeing something unusual in your case, I wouldn't think your chances are "slim" There are many of us here with j-pouches who have had children. Some have needed fertility treatments, some haven't. I have three friends with pouches who do not visit this site who had children without fertility treatments. I had four surgeries - two for j-pouch, one to disconnect and one to remove. I did need IVF but I have two kids ages 7 and 4 1/2.

If I were you I would ask the dr for more information. What makes him think the chances are "slim?" A j-pouch alone should not cause this statement.

All that said, Sharon is right. If you need the surgery, you need the surgery, regardless of what might come from it. However, you have options. J-pouch, ostomy, k-pouch, etc...so do your research and question the drs a LOT so that you can make an informed decision. This is a big deal and you are old enough to make choices that will affect your future. Just be sure you have all the information and can make the decision with your eyes wide open.

Agree completely with JillM. I can't think he means your uterus will be compromised in such a way that you won't be able to have kids, but that he's speaking to the sometimes dramatically decreased ability to actually GET pregnant that comes with this surgery as a result of scar tissue that makes it difficult, which can block fallopian tubes, reposition/move ovaries away from the tubes, etc. This is why so many pouchers have resulted to IVF to get pregnant, but the vast majority that I'm aware of who have done so and were able to conceive had pretty normal/fine pregnancies, if perhaps a little more GI problems during than non-pouchers. Definitely don't check it off as impossible. There are always other options out there for children as well adn you are young enough to start educating yourself about them and saving money for them - if you need them, you'll have the money and if not, you'll have the money to spend on your child. Those methods include surrogacy, adoption, etc.