Two Flare Ups 9 months Apart, J-Pouch Consideration?

Hi Chris, where are you in the UK? Are you sure that they have done enough to diagnose UC only? Have you read my posts about J pouch surgery for my son? He had an emergency ileostomy as he perforated in his colon with severe UC, so no choice. He waited a year and had a j pouch and is great now, no pain no meds at all, no disease. Big decision though. Ask me anything you like. Sheila.

Hi Chris,

I feel your pain. I had a couple of years of regular flare ups...spent most of 2014 on steroids ended up in hospital with a dvt as a result. Think carefully about surgery, its a drastic option and I would have thought that having only fairly recently been diagnosed there are more treatment options to try before that. For me, the biologic drugs (humira, vedolizumab) have helped me enormously and I haven't flared properly for about a year. There are also drugs like azathioprine. If I were you I would have a read of the chrons and colitis uk leaflets, they cover just about every treatment out there. You can also email or call them to get more info.

Good luck!

Thank you sheila91262...When I have time I will look at your posts and unfortunately I am not from the UK. I am in the USA, just wanted to know peoples opinions about j-pouch. 

Thank you saraht101983 for your suggestion of humira. I have not been put on Humira, but I guess that would be another option if the steriods mixed with my apriso does not work. It is now about 1 1/2 weeks and I am still seeing blood in my stools and they are loose still so I am going to mentioned this to my GI this week at the appt. 

Hi Chris, I would echo the advise saraht gives. surgery is a drastic option, & they only normally go down that line if many meds have been unsuccessful. they normally try aminosalicycilates  (5 asa's) first maybe with steroids added in - there are quite a few 5asa's they can try -& everyone is different. there are also biologics & immunosupressants after no success with 5asa's too, which many have success with in long term remission. the crohns & colitis uk saraht mentioned have their own website you can google - & it has alot of info about all the different meds they can try before surgery becomes necessary. hope this helps a bit. 

hi, I dont think you can just opt for a J pouch because you have to have your bowel removed 1st in my mind. I think the state of your bowel has to be in a pretty bad way before they will remove it. You have to go through the meds 1st like humeira or infliximab or similar. I may be wrong but these are my thoughts. I hope you reach remission soon.