Re: Laproscopic Proctocolectomy/ Ileal anal anastomosis/ loop ileost

[Guest guest]

I actually had my colon removed in 1982. I have an S-pouch (different version of J-pouch-ileal anal anastomosis) that was the one they were doing when I had my surgery done, I was like the 95th person that my surgeon had done the surgery on. I had my temp ileostomy for 6 months, then had take down surgery.

In all of those years since, I have never had pouchitis, or any of the other issues. I have been very lucky (knock on everything around me). Never taken any meds for my pouch. I am having my 1st flex-sigmoidoscopy since I had my colon removed in 2 weeks (I will be sedated, just don't want to go there wide awake).

That said, I was diagnosised with PSC in March of 2008, when I had an attack of pancreatitis. I had 3 attacks of cholangitis last year, but once I got my Urso to the right level, and I take questran once a day, twice if I start itching. I have been cholangitis attack free (knock on everything again).

From the research that I have done and my family history, I feel that my PSC is autoimmune, and connected with my UC that caused the removal of my colon. I have a very strong familial history of UC--Mom, Sister, 2 uncles on Mom's side. I tease my Mom every time I am diagnosised with something, because my medical history follows hers, only I get it at a younger age. Mom has not been diagnosised with PSC but they watch her liver functions and she does take 600mg of urso per day, I take 1500mg per day. The joke between Mom and I is that she has to live to 115 yrs old, with out any health problems.

I know that the familial may not be a direct cause, but from my studies in pathophysiology in nursing school, I have learned that the genetic link may not specifically but it can cause a person to be more susceptible to the environmental triggers.

Hope that this helps you put the UC and PSC in a bit of a different picture.

Beth B

(UC-1974, S-pouch created 1982/1983, PSC 2008)