Hi, these posts were mostly a number of years ago, so not sure about the usefulness of replying here. I'm new here so not yet clued up on how the message boards work, I trust you will excuse me if I've got it wrong. I had a emergency total colectomy with an internal ileorectal anastomosis on 4 September 2026. I'd had two flare ups of what I now know were ischemic coliltis in the months prior, but it was missed and a gastroscopy and colonoscopy were clear except for ulcers on the gastroscopy (by the time of the colonoscopy of course the flare up was over so it wasn't picked up), but that third one was dire and the blood flow to my colon was completely compromised and my colon was dying with the inner walls sloughing off by the time the surgeon got in there. Nevertheless I was admitted via the emergency room as a psych patient. I do have mental health issues which are recorded at that hospital and I am well aware of how digestive issues can relate to mental health and I guess coming in less than 2 months after a completely clear colonoscopy also obscured things (well this is what I think when I'm in a kind mood!) but as a result I waited 6 extra hours to be referred to the consultant surgeon when he came on at 8am. But what someone else said about having the right surgeon was also my experience. What a fantastic chap. He also tried everything he could to avoid a stoma and was successful (the surgeon I'd seen for my colonoscopy said she would never have tried that and gone straight for a stoma if it had been her). Anyway, I'm 8.5 weeks post and doing really well by all accounts, already coping with my toilet habits etc, so I can certainly say it is possible for life to return to 'normal' after a total colectomy. I am hoping to connect with others to chat about recovery though. I know I'm doing really really well and my surgeon kept saying how amazed she was, and I feel very grateful, but tbh this came out of nowhere for me and I'm reeling a little without much post op access to medical folks. (oh yes, and I'm a 50+ female)