A man who opened up about having his entire large intestine removed has been praised online for opening up about his experiences and helping reduce misinformation.
Taking to Reddit to take part in a 'Ask Me Anything' session, the unnamed man opened up about his experiences to curious users online.
"In 1991, I had my entire large intestine removed and I've worn an ostomy pouch ever since," he wrote in the opening of the thread.
"I haven't sat on a toilet to poop in 32 years. Ask me anything."
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The user went on to reveal that he'd been diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in 1990, which caused so much bleeding that the removal of his large intestine was the only solution.
Now in his 40s, he has declared himself an 'open book' about his condition, which has resulted in him relying on a ostomy pouch which is placed over the stoma - a surgical opening of the intestine on the surface of the abdomen - to collect faeces.
When asked how he empties his colostomy bag, he explained: "I have met some ostomates who are comfortable wearing an elongated pouch which is ideal for draining between your legs as you sit on the toilet but those pouches are a little tough for an active lifestyle.
"I like a shorter pouch. So my 'technique' is to face the toilet, crouch a bit to avoid any splash and aim for exactly where the water meets the bowl. No splash, no fuss, no muss."
He also revealed that he has been 'butthole free' since 1991, with there being 'just a puckered scar' to remind him there once was one there.
A big question that arose was if the man misses the familiarity of sitting on a toilet, to which he does - especially after thirty years.
He wrote: "I really do miss pooping, especially when I'm at someone else's house and I see that little magazine rack or book shelf that reminds me that people use this time well."
On the flip side, he won't be sat endlessly scrolling on his phone like most of us tend to do.
But when asked about how he finds the time to read without that precious toilet time, he explained: "I have had a few jobs over the years where I have indeed gone into a public stall just to sit and read for a few private moments haha.
"But man, every day reading time for non-ostomates sounds amazing hahah."
When asked whether or not having a pouch has affected his sex life, he was candid: "I was still a few years away from puberty when I had the surgery so I've never known sex without it.
"No surprise, I was suuuuper awkward as a teen. I know most teens are pretty awkward but I turned down my first few opportunities at sex out of sheer nervousness.
"But by my late teens I had the first few terrible sex experiences that every teen has behind me and in my early twenties I met some really amazing, wonderful groups of people. I joined some local kink communities with my girlfriend and the next 20 years were....amazing."
One person even reached out to ask for advice as they themselves had just been told they had ulcerative colitis.
In response, the poster said: "It's going to be okay. You have a diagnosis now and while it might not sound great, I'll bet anything that whatever led you to that colonoscopy has been f**king terrible.
"I'm sorry you had to go through what you've gone through. But now it's going to get better. Breathe. Relax. Start imagining a better life because it's coming."
Many in the thread praised the man for his honesty, particularly when it came to answering questions about intimate details of his life.
One person wrote: "That’s some next level bravery", as another admirer said: "Just wanted to tell you that, from your answers, you seem an amazing person."
Ben Thompson