J-Pouch Surgery and Getting Pregnant

When I was told I would only have an 80-85% chance of conceiving on my own after the J-pouch surgeries, I was devastated. I cried for three days. My husband and I had only been married for six months and we both wanted children. I couldn’t believe this was happening to me and questioned what I had done to deserve this.

It took me the three days of crying to come to terms with the fact that I didn’t have any other choice. I was so sick that it was either I had these surgeries or I died. I had to realize that whatever was in store for me I could handle. Whether or not I could conceive on my own or through in vitro fertilization, I was going to have a child. The most important thing was to get healthy first.

I think that for most women facing this surgery, the idea that they may not be able to have children without help is one of the most difficult parts. Also, the decision of whether or not to try to get pregnant with the ostomy before the final take down surgery is a big one as well.

It is important to go into this situation as informed as you can. Know your options. Talk to other women who have tried getting pregnant after the surgeries and find out what their experience was. Talk to your partner about what you will do if you are not able to get pregnant on your own so you are prepared. As scary as the statistics are, it doesn’t mean it’s not possible. Our bodies are made to bounce back. It is important to remain positive and remain hopeful.

Just to prove that it is possible, here is a picture of my beautiful 16 week old baby boy.

Relaxation Techniques and IBD

We all know that stress does not cause IBD, but that stress, along with anxiety and depression, can make symptoms worse. It is really important to find a way to cope with the psychological aspects associated with IBD. One way is to use relaxation techniques to calm your mind and body. So, next time you are feeling stressed, anxious or depressed try one of these...they really can help:

1. Slow breathing: This is probably the simplest thing you can do, but it really does work and the best part…you can do it anywhere. If you are by yourself, close your eyes. Then, relax your body. Take a deep inhale in, slowly counting to four or five. Hold the breath for a second, and then slowly exhale over four or five seconds. Rest for a second, and then repeat. While you are breathing, concentrate either on counting the seconds while you are inhaling and exhaling, or think of something peaceful, like the ocean. This works great if you are by yourself and can lay down and close your eyes, but it also works if you are out in public and start feeling some anxiety because it will make you concentrate on something other than what you are anxious about.
2. Progressive Relaxation: This is a great technique that works best if when you are alone. Start by either lying down or sitting in a comfortable chair and closing your eyes. Take a couple deep breaths. Then, tense the muscles in your feet. Hold the tension for a few seconds and then let it out. Move to your calf muscles. Tense the muscles and hold for a few seconds. Then release. Move to your quadriceps muscles. Tense your quadriceps muscles and hold for a few seconds before you release. You are going to repeat this procedure, moving all the way up your body including your buttocks, hands, lower arms, upper arms, whole arms, abdomen, chest, and facial muscles. After you have finished, tense your whole body, hold for a few seconds and release. Then take a few deep breaths.
3. Guided Imagery: Start by either laying down or sitting in a comfortable chair. Close your eyes and picture yourself in a peaceful, relaxing place. This could be either at the beach, lying in a hammock…anywhere you like. Look at your surroundings. Notice the colors and textures around you. Hear the sounds, smell the ocean or the flowers, feel the sun. Notice any other sensations. Relax and enjoy. The more you do this, the easier it becomes.

There are many other relaxation techniques, but these are the three I like the best. Remember, the less stressed, anxious and depressed you are, the better you will feel. Enjoy and remember they all take practice. I hope these help!

8 Things to Avoid When You Have IBD

There are so many things to do and not to do when you have IBD (inflammatory bowel disease). In my experience, these are the top 8 things to avoid when you have IBD:

1. Stress - While there is no known cause of IBD stress can definitely be a trigger. Now you are probably thinking "How in the heck am I supposed to avoid stress? That's impossible!" While I know it's hard to avoid stress completely, reducing stress can be a great benefit to you. Everyone has different ways of reducing stress. For some, including myself, it's by exercise. Others reduce stress by reading or watching TV. Find something that works for you.

2. NSAIDS (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) - This is a big one. Many gastro's advise their patients to avoid long-term NSAID use because they can cause serious adverse affects in people with IBD. They can cause ulcers in the stomach and first part of the small intestine, and they can worsen bleeding and inflammation. I have firsthand experienc with this, and let me tell you, it's not fun.

3. Certain Foods - Now this varies from person to person. While certain foods don't cause IBD they can trigger a flare or cause discomfort and worsen diarhea. It's important to find what foods work for you and what don't. While you are trying to figure this out, keep a food journal to help you out.

4. Dehydration - It is so important to be aware of dehydration when you have IBD. Because of all the lovely bathroom trips that come along with flares, it's essential to make sure you are getting enough liquid every day.

5. A sedentary lifestyle - This is going to vary from person to person, and it's also going to depend on whether you're having a flare or not. For me, before I had surgery, I was very active. I went to the gym 3-4 times a week and also did yoga. When I had a flare though, I couldn't do as much and cut back on most of my exercise until I felt better. Find what works for you. Some sort of exercise is important though, not only because it's good for your body, but because it's good for your mind too. When you exercise, your body releases endorphins which not only put you in a better mood, but help with stress as well.

6. Malnutrition - When you have IBD and are having a flare, it is really easy to become malnourished. You don't have an appetite. You are in pain. You are constantly running to the bathroom. Because it is so easy to become malnourished it is essential to get the nutrients you need in some way. It helps to eat small meals throughout the day. Find nutritional food you can tolerate. Drink protein drinks. Take supplements in pill form.

7. Isolation - Having a disease like Crohn's Disease or Ulcerative Colitis can be very isolating. People who haven't experienced these diseases just simply don't understand what it's like. Not only that, quite frankly, it can be embarrassing! However, isolating yourself will only make things worse. Find an IBD, J-pouch, or Chronic Illness support group. I go to one, and let me tell you, it is so helpful to talk to other people who understand what you are going through!

8. Smoking - Especially if you have Crohn's. People who smoke, or who have smoked in the past, have a higher risk of developing Crohn's than those who don't smoke. Crohn's disease patients have a higher risk of relapses and repeat surgeries. Interestingly enough, in patients with ulcerative colitis, nicotine has been shown to have a positive short-term effect on those having a flare. I AM NOT TELLING YOU TO SMOKE PEOPLE! I'm just saying, there is research going on now on the effectiveness of nicotine patches in controlling flares in patients with UC.

Well, that's all I've got for now...stay tuned for more.