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Diarrhea after Ileostomy takedown surgery

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Posted 4/1/2010 3:06 AM (GMT 0)
Hi,
I'm new to this site and just had my ileostomy take down surgery 5 days ago. I was wondering if anyone knows how long the frequent trips to the bathroom with diarrhea will last? Haven't gone for my post op check up yet. I'm very happy to have had the reversal but just wondering when things will start being normal. I had my ileostomy for 8 months. Irritable bowel..5 surgeries later. I'm feeling pretty good, it's just the bathroom issues I'm wondering about. Any information will be greatly appreciated. Thanks:)
Posted 4/1/2010 11:02 AM (GMT 0)
Five days is still pretty early...and I think in another one of your posts you mentioned that you had taken something to help you go? That is probably what is making things so bad at the moment:( You can stick to the BRAT diet, which should help, and did you doc give you any Imodium directions? I'd be careful about going from one extreme to the other...hang in there things will settle down!
Posted 4/1/2010 1:06 PM (GMT 0)
Definitely start using imodium to slow things down and metamucil as a thickener. You will see improvement in weeks not days. My first milestone was at 6 weeks post takedown. Be patient, it will improve. Keep a food diary. Some foods move more quickly than others in the early days. Stay away from anything that has sugar as that will make output looser.

Sue
Posted 4/1/2010 3:20 PM (GMT 0)
It has recently slowed for me from like 10 times a day to about 6. My doctor said expect to be going frequently for about a year! I'm at about 5 months now.

To slow it down, think of things that slowed down the ileo. Bananas, peanut butter, oat meal, potatoes... I try to eat all the fun stuff early in the day so I can slow down at night. I don't have a job so I am always close to the bathroom. I hate also seen that sugar makes it worse. I tried yogurt for the probiotics but it didn't help. I've been taking probiotics in pill form and that seems to have made an improvement.

Good luck!! And congratulations! :)
Posted 4/1/2010 8:33 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you all so much!!! Today I ate peanut butter on an english muffin, Turkey sandwich plain for lunch ...and so far so good. Thank God. I didn't get any instructions when I left the hospital...so I'm kinda winging it until my checkup next week. I wish I had known this site was here when I had my ileostomy:) You are all the best! Thanks Again. Eileen
Posted 4/2/2010 12:14 AM (GMT 0)
I didn't receive any instructions after my colostomy reversal either. All my discharging surgeon said was - eat anything I wanted, possibly go easy on spicy foods, eat smaller meals, not 3 large ones, take Imodium and "enjoy life".

Ha!

I was raw from going so much. 3 bm's during 1 meal. The minute I began chewing and forming saliva, I had a bm. They just kept coming and coming. I was a raw mess. At the time I resumed my former diet - high fiber, fresh springtime produce (pineapple, kiwi, berries, etc.).

Then I read about low residue diets. I went on one and within 48 hours I was a brand new person. I could actually leave my home, get behind the wheel of a car and drive my kids to the mall, park or pool. I was on top of the world!

I'm still on a LRD about 75% of the time. My husband jokingly refers to it as my white diet. The foods that seem to work the best for me are plain, white bread (I prefer my local bakery bread or Sara Lee, regular, not the one like Wonder bread), plain english muffins (Bay's, found in the chilled section of your grocery), applesauce, bananas, cottage cheese, white rice, mashed potatoes (instant over from scratch bulk up my stool, if you can believe it), turkey, chicken, etc. I avoided all candy and chocolate like the plague for a long, long time. Probably 2 years or more. Also, avoided nuts and seeds.

You are so new at this so I would make sure a diet such as mine is safe for you to go on. I had been suffering for quite a while, trying to digest and process whole wheat products, the raw, fresh produce, probably 2 to 3 weeks before I read about the LRD. Perform a google search and you'll find lots of links.

I hope you find relief soon. I know what this is like. I felt literally chained to my toilet. It got to be so bad I didn't consume solids after dinner. Just so I could catch some sleep. If I kept eating back then, I just kept pooping and pooping. Like a newborn baby I joked too.

*Edit* Forgot one important daily food I eat - Brown Cow organic yogurt (found in the health food section of large grocers or your local health food store). Organic yogurt had the highest concentrations of good bacteria, important to the gut. I feel my best when I consume 2 cups a day, one when I wake up before I eat or drink. And one an hour or two after I've eaten dinner. I like the vanilla flavored variety and add honey. I like to think I'm starting and ending my solid intake for a 24 hour period, with yogurt. To soothe and coat the GI tract before I eat other foods. I do know yogurt is good for leveling out the bad/good bacteria. Others may suggest probiotics to you but I've looked at the ingredients of Brown Cow compared to probiotics and they're pretty much the same thing. Feel free to correct me anyone, if I'm wrong about that assumption. But for me, the Brown Cow brand seems to really agree with my touchy gut and really helps in maintaining as normal bm's as I'll ever have again (multiple in amount but mostly normal output each time, not D).
Posted 4/5/2010 12:18 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Marsky, Connie and all,
Well it has been only a little over a week after my ileostomy and I'm feeling pretty good, Thank God! I've read everyones hints and really started following the low residue diet. I am not tied to the bathroom like I was!!!! I had a few days of not going at all...and that was even painful. I didn't know what was worse, running to the bathroom every few minutes or not going at all and having bad bad stomach pains. I did what I believe Connie said to do....I started from scratch with my eating and woohooo....so far so good!!!
Thank you all so much for your help. I'm feeling like a new person today.....close to the 'old' me from 8 months ago. I might even chance a short trip out tomorrow with my husband!! Maybe just a walk in the park to enjoy the nice weather. I hope everyone had a great Easter!! Eileen
Posted 4/5/2010 12:39 PM (GMT 0)
Our surgeon did not want my son to use anything like imodium or metamucil for at least 3 weeks. They wanted to see what his body was going to do first on it's own. You will find that over those three weeks that things will settle down a lot. Be careful to stay away from sugars which will cause the stools to be very loose. Our dietician said to drink G2 which is a type of gaterade but very low in sugar...I think only 7g where most Gaterade or Powerade drinks are about 35g (so are fruit juices). Another good thing to drink is tomato juice or V8 juice. ....and of course lots of water. You need to make sure to stay hydrated....it can be a full time job.

Food wise you really need to stick to a low residue diet for the next month or so. We were told potato chips should become a staple in our home for the first couple of months. They are great for slowing things down, and getting potassium and salt into you. We were also told not to drink very much for 30 minutes before a meal and for 30 minutes after since the fluid will push the food bolus through quickly.

Hope some of this helps. I would really check with your doctors before starting something like imodium. A lot of docs really do not want you to do this until things settle down.

Cathy
Posted 4/5/2010 12:51 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Eileen - that's why I wanted you to be careful before going on a LRD full force. I was like an open sewer - sorry for that lovely detail - so any solidifying of my stool was welcome. I had to do something, I was literally a real mess back then. But for you, you don't want to go from D to constipation. That would not be good. At all. I've never really struggled with constipation, occasionally I will experience the rectal spasms (there's a medical term for these, they're quite painful), it's as if my surgeon didn't leave a large enough rectal opening and I'm constricted. But the stool isn't constipation type either. I usually can get myself out of that stage by sipping numerous hot cups of tea, eating canned fruit (pears, peaches, or apricots, I prefer the smaller flip top open cans now, the serving size is perfect for 1 person but not as small as what you'd pack in a child's school lunch bag).

Getting off track, perhaps you need to be on some low residue foods but can still enjoy a higher fiber type diet. Something in the middle might be what you need.

I do recall seeing my GYN doctor after my reversal and he reminded me that I have scar tissue by my left ovary, where my temp colostomy was located. He said - I don't ever want you to have a blockage, go on a stool softener. I laughed - blockage? Are you serious? LOL Then I did get serious and listen to him but also reminded him I have over 12, sometimes 15 to 20 bm's a day. No chance of a blockage doc. But he is the one who eventually convinced me that a mild dose of Colace is perfect for my situation. I had been freaked out by the "laxative" label on the box and always avoided it. But over time he and also my new colon surgeon both said how mild it is, not in the bowel prep category. So that's also why at the bottom of my Healing Well sig I have Colace mentioned. I take the pediatric dose, still OTC but has to be ordered by the Pharmacy.

I would also suggest you keep a food journal. Any ordinary notebook will suffice. You want a page for each day, record every single thing you eat, drink, if you took meds that day, if you were sick with a cold, if you were under stress, etc. All important details that will later paint a picture for you, so you can duplicate the foods that agree with you the most. I kept a journal faithfully for 2 years, I would rate each day in the bottom right hand corner - great, good, bad. I could then look back and find my great or good days. Mimicking them so I'd have future good days (for vacations, important functions as a wedding to attend). Over time I quickly figured out what my pat foods are. I could live on bananas, white rice and plain or vanilla yogurt. Sometimes when things begin to get out of whack for me, I skip what I've prepared for my family for dinner and have my white dinner - cottage cheese, white rice, applesauce, a banana perhaps. Over time I realized no one is twisting my arm to eat foods I shouldn't. And I feel SO MUCH BETTER if I eat plain foods.

You'll figure this all out in time too.

Finally, I've avoided wearing depends like you wouldn't believe. Obviously, this is why I eat the way I do. But I do often wear Stayfree Ultra Thin Long or Overnight with wings pads. They go way up in the back of your underwear and are comfortable to wear. I no longer need pads (lovely menopause stage) but I always have one or two of these pads in my purse. It's just enough protection that if you had a minor accident of drips, you don't need to change your underwear if you're away from home. I am never without these pads. I'll probably always wear them!

Mary
Posted 4/6/2010 12:17 AM (GMT 0)
Hi All,
11 days post op from my ileostomy reversal & THINGS ARE GOING REALLY WELL....Thank God!!! I'm not tied to the bathroom and thanks to all the great hints...the low residue diet is working. I only took pain meds for 2 days after returning home from the hospital. The only thing I take is one stool softener in the morning before my breakfast.
Today was gorgeous and 80 degrees and my husband wanted to take me to the park to walk a little bit. I have to say I was a little apprehensive since I have not left the confines of my house and backyard. I put on some gym shorts, tshirt and didn't even wear my depends. I have to admit that I was very nervous, but i had to prove or disprove to myself that a little bit away from home would bolster my self confidence (if all went well). It was great. We walked 2 miles and on the last 1/2 mile I felt like I could 'go'...but was able to finish the round. I think also I'm a little more nervous than others because my first surgery was a sphincteroplasty along with a hole in my bowel that was repaired but came undone a week later..i.e. ileostomy surgery. Three months later, another hole in bowel..i.e. another surgery. 50% chance of working. Needless to say it didn't work...and my pelvic wall collapsed from all the surgeries. In december had the gracilis muscle removed from my thigh and used to rebuild the pelvic wall...*ouch*. On my back for 2 months...'no sitting'. and 11 days ago...all was well enough to do the ileostomy reversal. Needless to say EVERYDAY ANYMORE IS A GOOD DAY!! AND when I'm feeling 'great' it's even better:)
Just wanted to say thank you all again for your helpful hints and support.
I know that other people going for an ileostomy or a reversal will definitely find this site so helpful...I did! Thanks Eileen:)
Posted 4/6/2010 12:18 AM (GMT 0)
Welcome Eileen!

I'm so glad to hear that things are improving and glad you got to enjoy the beautiful spring weather with a walk in the park!

Take care,
Cecilia
Posted 4/6/2010 12:19 AM (GMT 0)
what I meant was I'm more nervous because of the sphincteroplasty surgery...and didn't know if I could hold a bm until after this reversal surgery....I am very relieved:)
Posted 4/6/2010 12:21 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks Cecelia!!!!!:)
Posted 4/6/2010 12:25 AM (GMT 0)
I'm so impressed that you walked 2 miles!! :-)
Posted 4/10/2010 2:36 AM (GMT 0)
Hi All,
It has been 2 weeks since my Ileostomy reversal surgery & I'm feeling great!!!! Almost back to normal!! I just wanted to share this with anyone who is going to have a reversal. I was very nervous about this recovery and so far it has been much better than I thought it would be. I am watching what i'm eating...but I seem to be able to 'add' more things to my diet every few days. So far so good. I am tolerating foods very well.

I couldn't be happier! My husband actually planned a vacation and is taking me away to celebrate our 30 year anniversary. I am not even nervous about getting on a plane at the end of the month!! Thanks again for all your helpful advice. Eileen
Posted 4/10/2010 2:04 PM (GMT 0)
Eileen, wonderful, wonderful news!!!! So happy to read that you're doing much better.

Enjoy your trip! I haven't been on a plane since 1994! Which was 5 years before my colon surgeries. It's just a good thing we have a tight budget (usually car travel), LOL! I would be worried about using the plane's bathroom. But if you're not even nervous about this, then I KNOW you're doing great.....

I like to read good news like this! Yay!!!

Take care.......
Mary
Posted 4/15/2010 12:05 PM (GMT 0)
Hiya Ileostomyfree

Been reading yoru posts and i am happy you are doing really well - i hope i do.

Did you have your bowel removed because of slow transit constipation??

Are your bm loose or somewhere in the middle and how often do you go now??

jsut wondered as i am having reversal later in the year , thanks.

Posted 4/15/2010 4:19 PM (GMT 0)
Wow! I look forward to having a somewhat normal life after take down of ilestomy on 04-19-10. It has been approx. 3 weeks after surgery. I am concerned about going back to work, I am thinking around the 5th week, but am not to sure of that. I am a retail jewelry store manager and requires many hours on the sales floor as well as stress from all that comes along with being a manager. Can anyone tell me what to expect? So far I go to the bathroom about 5-8 times a day and sometimes have close calls. Have been on low residue diet. I am hoping to be able to return back to work and be in complete contol. I am not taking anyting to slow down the bowel movements and have a dr. visit planned for 26th of April. If anyone can give me advise about how to handle bm at work....thanks Jan
Posted 4/15/2010 8:08 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Karen,
No I didn't have my bowel removed. I had 4 previous surgeries related to a hole in my bowel. It took a long time and surgeries to finally fix it. I was very happy to have the ileostomy reversal but also had trepidation because of all that I had read about 'loose' stools and uncontrollable diahhrea. I only had about 2 days (right after surgery) where I couldn't control my bowels whatsoever. I read the blogs here and decided to try the low residue diet. I was on stool softeners for the first week but then the dr. had me go off everything. I felt soooooooo much better when I stopped all the stool softeners, laxatives, etc. I was told to take immodium when I had the first few bouts of diarrhea. After stopping everything and watching what I ate, I started to have 'normal' bowel movements. AT first they were like 'little fingers' (sorry so graphic)...but after a few days or so they started to look 'more normal'. I am so thankful that I do get a warning before I have to go. (I was worried since I had had a sphincteroplasty surgery and wasn't sure that I'd ever be able to hold stool).
The doctor told me that when I feel like I'm getting constipated to take just 1 stool softener at bedtime and then let nature take its course. Also, the reverse..if I get diahhrea (which luckily I haven't)...then take just 1 dose of immodium. I think it's all a trial and error period until the bowel gets on a schedule.
It is 3 weeks today and I'm feeling sooooooooo great!!! Thank God!!! I no longer worry about going out and not wearing a depends(which I did the first week home from the hospital).

Jan-ask your dr. about taking the immodium. I would start with the lowest dose though, since you don't want to get backed up. A friend of my sister in laws had the reversal 3 days before me...and he was also having close calls 2 weeks after surgery. His dr. put him on a regimen of metamucil AND immodium. I know that sounds redundant but I have been corresponding with his wife and she said thank God finally he can leave the house and is in control. He was not leaving the house in fear of having an accident. Maybe you can ask your dr. about that regimen since it seems to work. The metamucil bulks the stool and immodium slows it down. That's why I think you would end up with fewer bms and they would have bulk to them where you could control it. I know I'm rambling...I apologize:).

I just want all of you to feel as good as I do. I know in due time it will happen. I also was told that a cup of rice every evening will bulk up your stool.

Please keep me posted as to your progress. You'll be in my prayers. Eileen
Posted 4/15/2010 9:13 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks, I will definetly ask my doctor. I was just trying to see if my body would figure it out on its own. I had diveticililus for many years and suffered prior to having the 1st surgery, which went bad after taking 22" out and bursting where attached back after a few days. That is when I got the ilestomy and then had two bouts ot peritentis...not a good thing....

That is all behind me now and know that I will be okay. I never knew how many people were in worst or same condition I am in. I am going to begin the food journal and go forward....I look forward to working and playing tennis again...Many Blessings..Jan 

 

Posted 4/16/2010 9:32 AM (GMT 0)
Gosh I am somewhat amazed that you have your whole colon but had problems with diarrahoe afterwards -glad you are doing fine now though. x
Posted 4/16/2010 12:15 PM (GMT 0)
Jan - at least you've had prior experience with bowel/intestinal issues, that has to be beneficial. I was brand new to all of this before my troubles started. I went from 1 bm a day to almost 20, on a bad day. I had to try so many things! But 11 years later, I think I have it figured out as best I can.

Keep us posted.
Posted 4/20/2010 2:07 AM (GMT 0)
hello all. my name is wendy, i have had an Ileostomy for almost 8 years now & i have been very blessed. i have had no trouble at all. How ever my daughter had to have an Ileostomy when she was 15 last year. she had the take down & then they had to put it back on ,just last month they were able to take it down again. she was in the hospital for her sweet 16, bless her heart. but she has had it off for a month now & it seems she lives in the bathroom. She is like a baby all over again ,she has to waer pullups. she has tried bannanas ,peanut butter , pears , things like that but most make her go worse. if any1 can help pealse do. my surgery & hers were alot alike in some ways but very different in this way. thank you cry
Posted 4/20/2010 9:31 AM (GMT 0)
I have heard lots of carbs do the trick - does for me. lots of bread pasta and much much less meat and veg. She might want to stay off all the fruit and veg for a while - like the pears which are a laxative actually. and no fruit juice.
Posted 4/23/2010 7:48 PM (GMT 0)
Hi,

I do not have a colon, (if you wre talking to me) it was taken out after second bout of pertinitis..Anyway, I have been eating the same diet each day and I never know if I will have the big dhearrea or how many times I will go.  It seems the more food I eat the bowl moments gets better...but  the dherrea comes back...and my behind burns so bad I cry. I know that the bms are like what came out of the ilistomy. I know how my skin would get so irriated around the ostomy...I guess I need advise on product that might help with the burn and irratition.  Also, is it ture that it takes about a year to get normal again?  I feel like I live my life around my bms....I appreciate having you guys to talk to...

Many Blessings,

Jan

 

 

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