Tomorrow I go in for my ileostomy reversal

[Rockovage]

I`m a little scared but I think I`m pretty well prepared . I found some very good old threads searching the forum . I have the calmosepetine , depends , for the hospital and immodium and metamucil when I get out . I`m going to keep a food journal when I get out of the hospital to see what works and doesn`t work . I`ve been doing kegel`s and exercising everyday so I think I`m ready to go !

Please send me some positve vibes and any tips for an easy recuperation are appreciated .

Thanks, Mark

[mysweetgrace]

I can't comment personally on tips for recuperation, but I can surely send some good vibes your way.

Hope all goes well and you recover quickly.

[BrownBagger]

Here's some positive vibes, Mark.

If you're like me, you should be fine for a few days post-reversal, as your colon slowly fills up. Then, look out! Best to park yourself near a bathroom for a few days when that happens, so you can get there in a hurry when your guts start to rumble. That usually means you have about 20 seconds to get on the can.

Good luck! It's tough for some, but I think most people get through it OK. Just being free of the bag is sufficient reward, at least early on.

Don't be afraid to ask your surgeon for a script for Lomotil if the Imodium can't cut it.

[concernedrelative]

Wishing you the best and a speedy recovery!

[ab123]

As I mentioned elsewhere, ileostomy reversal wasn't too hard for me - so you might be just fine. Also if you have your anal sphincter in-tact and are in decent shape you very well may not have incontinence - most people don't according to my surgeon.

You will wipe frequently, though, so you may want to invest in some flushable wipes for comfort. I like the fragrance-free, hypoallergenic ones they make for kids - Kandoo brand. I also bought the softest Charmin toilet paper. The other thing I recommend after a couple weeks of healing is Metamucil to thicken things up. It really made a difference for me in terms of consolidating the clusters of BMs - sticks the poop together. You'll have to experiment with food, of course, but probably stay away from fibrous fruits and veggies in any quantity for a while. Meats, white bread, pasta, cheese, yogurt, ice cream work for me. Doesn't sound like the healthiest diet ever but I tend to eat mostly veggies, beans, and whole grains unless I try not to.

The thing that I was really focused on in the first couple of days was getting out of the hospital, and they would only let me leave after I had a BM or gas. So make sure you walk a lot. It will help wake up your colon and get things moving. There's no better way. Walk as much as you can and eat at least something on a regular schedule. Eggs with cheese or yogurt, maybe some white toast, were good things for me to start with.

Good luck!

[jean60]

Mark,
I've been thinking of you, knowing this was coming up soon. I think some of the best advice I got was to keep a sense of humor for more than one reason. Everyone's experience is so different and it sounds to me as though you are prepared in terms of good things to take with you.
I guess I am about a month and a half out now and while there are improvements I would like to see, overall I have come nowhere near some of the horror stories I read about this. Right now some forethought is good if I am going to be out for the day. So is lomotil. I certainly do not miss "Ramone."
Let us know how you are doing when you can!

Jean

[Rockovage]

Thanks for all the positve vibes ! I hoping my journey is fairly easy I didn`t have any chemo or radiation so that might help . On the other hand I was in the hospital for 11 days after my LAR because my intestines wouldn`t wake up so who knows . I`m a vegeterian so finding things to eat is going to be fun . I`ll do eggs rarely and cheese but no meat . I try some how soy meat products and see how I react. I`ve got the MD anderson bowel management program saved on my computer too . Lots of exercise , fragnance free wipes ,soft toilet paper , maybe lomotil .... check !

Thanks for checking in jean , I`m feeling positive and I have my wife to help me with the humor . Glad your reversal is coming along good .


Thanks again for all the good vibes

Mark

[skypup]

Chewing gum at least three times a day for ten minutes or more gets the guts moving faster after surgery. Average release from the big house is one day earlier. Good luck!

[Rockovage]

Chewing gum at least three times a day for ten minutes or more gets the guts moving faster after surgery. Average release from the big house is one day earlier. Good luck!

Good tip , I read about this awhile back but had forgotten it .I`ll try ANYTHING to avoid the NG tube .

Thanks skypup

[cecioboe]

Wishing you a quick recovery! After surgery, walk, walk, and walk some more. I cooked a low residue diet for Jim for the first few weeks and very slowly reintroduced the fiber. He is over a year out now and doing well.

[chemo sabe]

If your hospital is not going to let you go home until your insides are working - remember that the pain meds that they make available will slow up your intestines. Try to avoid - sometimes you cannot - but the stuff will slow you up.

[Bev G]

Hello Mark,

Wishing you all good luck tomorrow, and smart docs and nurses, with great skill, a decent sense of humor, and great vibes to get you home ASAP.

We'll leave the lights on for you!

Bev

[Rockovage]

I`ve got the low residue diet info saved on my favorites and I love to walk . thanks cecioboe

Good point about the opiate pain killers ,i`ll try wean my self off of them as quick as possible , thanks chemo sabe

Thanks for the well wishes Bev . I`m praying for your husband .

Mark

[teachpdx]

Hey Mark,

Best of luck. Hopefully you're now in the hospital waiting for the gut to move. Too bad you don't eat meat. I ate some nasty turkey and it moved my gut just fine - out in two days. My new best friends are potatoes and bread. Veggies not such a good idea in the beginning and Immodium is good too. I'll be thinking of you. Kristi

[justin case]

Hey Mark,
May your reversal go as well as mine did, so you will be happy you said goodbye to your constant companion
Regards,
Michael