Post Take-Down Questions

I had my reversal surgery late Tuesday afternoon. Since then I have been on a clear fluid diet. So far I have been able to pass a lot of gas, but things haven't started 'working' yet and my tummy is quite bloated. I was able to have a yogurt and a piece of toast last night, but this morning I am back to fluids only.

1. How long after the surgery does it normally take for things to start moving again?
2. When it does happen, will it come quickly or will I have some warning? At first I was afraid to pass gas, just in case it wasn't just gas

I'm worried if things don't start working soon they will have to insert an NG tube and I don't want that.

Can anyone share their experience and/or offer advice?

Thanks.

Congratulations on reversal! Like Sue said, it's different for everyone. I actually had reversal twice- had to go back to ileo. 2 weeks after first time because of complications, which shouldn't happen to you- so I have two experiences to compare. I think the first time it took 3-4 days to start pooping. I honestly had a terrible time the first reversal. It was very hard to control my bm's and I was miserable. Thankfully, the second time was much, much, much better for me. It took 6 days for me to begin passing gas and pooping. I was incredibly bloated until I started passing gas- my abdomen was so hard from all the air trapped inside I thought I would burst, lol. Once I started going to the bathroom, I had near perfect control. I remember the first time I went, I just felt like I needed to let something more than a fart out and so went to the bathroom. No urgency, no big deal. It did take at least a few weeks to begin to be able to pass gas without stool coming out as well, though.

It's good that you are passing gas, it means that your intestines are pushing things along! Are you vomiting? If you are not, there should be no reason for the NG tube. Just keep walking, and before you know it, you'll be pooping the old-fashioned way again. :)

Thanks! Makes me feel better. I'm not passing gas consistently yet and my belly is bloated so they won't advance my diet yet. I'm not getting enough calories because I can't handle anymore broth and jello. Everything I can eat is so sweet or salty - I'd do anything for some bland toast.

Amythyst - for my takedown they just cut around the stoma and reconnected everything so there is just an incision where the stoma was. From what I can see I have some stitches, but they also left the wound partially open so it can drain and doesn't get infected. This surgery only took about an hour. I felt better after, but still had some soreness. I don't have pain when I'm just sitting, mostly when I have to use my abdomen to get up. The worst part for me is the nausea and tiredness from the pain medication, which is sometimes worse than pain itself. For me the takedown surgery has been much easier.

Cool, how long do you have to be in the hospital for the take down? Assuming all goes well.

Let's see, I was told I'd be in the hospital for 7 to 10 days, for my resection (5 hour procedure, huge incision, the works). For the takedown, my surgeon said to expect a 7 day stay. Unless I was healing faster.

WELL, since by the time I was scheduled for a takedown procedure I had discovered health forums online (13 years ago, yes they did exist, lol, anyone remember Mediconsult?). Posters there touted the advice I gave and you'll often read here - walk, walk, walk, do the breathing exercises, etc. My husband came up with the advice not to remain lying down in my hospital bed, he said - get out of it, sit up, walk to the window, walk out into the hall, etc. Yes he did annoy me at time - lol. BUT, it turns out he was right too - they (nurses, doctors, online former patients) all were.

And so this is why I think I was only in for 5 days, not 7. I was eating solids, I was having bm's (now that's another story, if you've read my previous posts, I have ended up with multiple bm's, for life unless I opt for a permanent ostomy of sorts). The nurses said I was doing quite well, for my second surgery. I had pain but it wasn't like my resection surgery - the surgery from he**.

Woo hoo! Congrats! That gives me some hope for when hubby has his takedown... I'm wondering how long we'll have to wait to do it with all the complications he had. Next Monday it will have been a month since his 2 steps in 1 procedure.

I spoke too soon - the first movements I had were pretty solid, but last night I pooped my pants. Twice :(
Wasn't a lot of warning. I had a bad gas pain and then there was nothing I could do to stop it. Today I'm sporting Depends - just in case.

I'm hoping some of it had to do with the fact that I didn't go for 6 days and they gave me lots of stuff to get things moving while I was still at the hospital yesterday.

I'm a little gun shy on the eating front today. Had some toast this morning and a few crackers and a yogurt.

Does anyone have any advice on diet?

Yeah,

Ease into eating more volume. You want to be eating 2000 calories a day, but ramp up, don't try to get there all at once. I believe the immodium advice to be good. I am on lomotil myself, but I will be trying immodium too I think. I do the depends thing at night also. I go from gas to diahrrea without warning also. In fact, I have found pooping myself in bed moves more solids than when I am properly sitting on the toilet. I mean to grill the surgeon about that, but it remains a fact.

Avoid beans and anything with seeds. I am told those have more complicated fiber, and that plays havoc with the speed of your digestion, and allows for less water retention which can lead to dehydration. Believe me, you don't want to dehydrate.