2nd Step (Takedown) - Jpouch Surgery and What To Expect ...

well first off definitely check out these links.

mark & megan's UC to j-pouch story: ucstory.wordpress.com/surgery-3-jpouch-or-takedown-surgery/

and dennis' very informative j-pouch videos at ucvlog.com: ucvlog.com/past-videos/


the takedown surgery takes about an hour, which is a breeze compared to the first surgery which was 4 hours for me. they knocked me out good so i was groggy & slept most of all the first day. you'll probably have a catheter which will likely be removed 24 hours after surgery. i was hooked up to IV's until day 3. you won't eat solid foods until your intestines wake up and you start using the new plumbing. i began to go a little after a day following the operation.

expect to poop very frequently after your bowels wake up. you'll want to bring cream for "butt burn" if the hospital doesn't have any... calmoseptine is good (you can buy it through amazon.com). you'll be walking around on day 2. i was in the hospital for 4 days total, and was going to the bathroom maybe 13, 14 times daily when discharged. that number will decrease as the days and weeks pass. remember to still drink a lot when you're going so often (you can drink less eventually when your stools are more solid).

at the hospital they'll either staple your stoma "bullet hole wound" shut or let it heal on its down. it was the latter for me, and i just covered it up in the shower until it healed up.

my surgeon suggested a low residue diet for the first two weeks after surgery, and let me use imodium & metamucil a week after. i also use a daily probiotic to this day just for the hell of it. expect to have some pain & require pain meds for a little while, maybe a week following the op. the uncomfortable j-pouch spasm sensations will go away in time. expect some leakage, but it likely won't be an issue after a few weeks. anal sphincter exercises are recommended.

i was back at home after 4 days, driving after 7 days, could have sex in 10 days, and back to office work after 2 weeks. i was doing my routine field work (i have an environmental job) less than 3 weeks after surgery. everyone heals differently though. right now i'm 4 months post-op, use the bathroom maybe 8 times a day (and yes you can still pee standing up), experience no leakage or urgency, and can eat salads, corn on the cob, peanuts, buffalo wings, fast food, and have beer, wine, and plenty of coffee.

well, my stools are more diarrhea-like if i have a lot of spicy food and/or beer, but i'm going to enjoy myself anyway since i know there's no urgency in going or any disease to be wary of. and many foods are tolerated better the longer you have your j-pouch. if you can't tolerate something right after your surgery, try it again a few weeks later.

oh yea, baby wipes and soft TP are also recommended purchases.

both of you guys are younger like me, you'll be fine. the first two weeks are the worst, just get through those and it's likely smooth sailing after that.

Yea my bag doesn't fell up that often, so I'm hoping that will carry over when I have the jpouch. In the past 4 weeks I've only got up during the night maybe 4 times to empty and that was just once at night.

The problem I still have and its starting to diminish a little but I still worry about it is the leaking at night. During the day I'm being able to tell/hold in the mucus like stuff that tries to come out, and it has lessened a lot in the last few days, but at night there is always a lot, and I have to wear those pad things.
Some times during the day, though, it sometimes a little seeps through. This doesn't mean that I won't be able to hold stuff in after the j-pouch surgery will it?

Thanks, guys. My bag tends to fill (I use this term loosely because I empty it even when there is only a tiny bit in there) Just like having that empty feeling in it. I will def take and utilize these words of wisdom. I am just looking forward to all of this doctor stuff to be over with right now and just get moving on with things.