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Posted 4/22/2013 5:56 PM (GMT 0)

Hello everyone! 

I am super pleased to finally report that the hole that was in my husband's J-pouch has finally closed up completely and he is now scheduled for his takedown on May 2nd. 

We are nervous and excited at the same time.  I haven't posted in a long time but he has been doing really well... only had that one ER visit last year when he was dehydrated.  But, ever since then I've been able to keep him hydrated with the electrolyte pills and cutting as much sugar from his diet as I could.  He finally stopped loosing weight as well... but his output has never stopped being mostly liquid and he still has to empty it quite a bit more than usual but he's in good health.  All totalling, he has lost 65 pounds since his original surgery in October of last year.

Sooooo.... he asked me to make a post about what to expect after the takedown?  He wanted to know if he will be able to handle things like sugar (sodas) and other types of food that he has been staying away from.  Like, what have others experiences been with diet and how it affects their output?  How long after the sugergy did you guys start eating more "normally".  We know it will be gradual and he has to adjust to his pouch and stuff.

We actually had an interesting thing the happen the other night... usually in the night, he gets woken up automatically if his bag gets full and he goes and empties it.  But, for some reason he didn't wake up and the bag didn't leak or anything but I guess his intestines got backed up and stuff started actually flowing down into his jpouch?  So, for a few hours after he woke up he was actually using his pouch and he was farting and stuff out of his butt... I read that it was normal for some things to pass into the lower section of his bowels being that he has a loop ostomy but we were wondering if this was a good sign that after the actual take down his bowels won't have a problem "waking up" since they kinda already seemed to work?  Or is it just totally not the same thing?

Also, is there anything I should to prepare (IE: stuff I need to buy and have on hand for him?)

Posted 4/22/2013 6:47 PM (GMT 0)
Well congratulations on making it to this point!

First, yes it's normal to have a bowel movment with a temp ostomy, but no that has nothing to do with bowels waking up post surgery. Post surgery awakening means no longer being affected by anesthesia.

As for diet post sugery; everyone is different, but yes, in time your husband should be able to enjoy everything. There is not one food or drink that I cannot have due to my jpouch. There are foods and drinks that I avoid but it's either because I don't like them (Brussels sprouts, blech!) or they make me fat (copious amounts of chocolate). It did take me a full six months before I was able to eat raw fruits and vegetables comfortably, but many eat them from the get-go with no problem.

The best advice I can give you is to have him try a varied diet. Keep a food log, measure transit time, and how he feels. If a food makes him uncomfortable, eliminate it and try it again in a few weeks.

Patience will be his friend.

Sue
Posted 4/23/2013 11:10 PM (GMT 0)
Do they give you another catheter for the take down? He is very adament about them not doing it again.
Posted 4/24/2013 12:21 AM (GMT 0)
I didn't wake up with a catheter but several hours after my takedown surgery I still couldn't pee (my bladder is notorious for not waking up!) and they had to put a catheter in. I think I had it in for a day and then I was able to go on my own. I was in the hospital a total of 4 days only.

Best wishes to your hubby with his takedown! Mine was very easy and uneventful so I wish the same for him. :)
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