Hi All,

My takedown is scheduled for this coming Friday, May 25th.

I had my pre-op last week and have a few questions as a result:

1) They offered me an epidural for pain management after takedown. I declined due to a bad epidural experience from the first surgery in September (it didn't take and no one believed me for 3 days. Ouch). From everything I have read on here, it would seem that the self managed pain pump should be sufficient. Can anyone offer me their advice/experiences? (I ended up signing up for the pain pump with dialodid (sp). Had a bad reaction to the morphine in Sept as well).

2) The form letter I received for prep says to start the 45 ml PMS phosphate solution TWO days before the procedure- meaning Wed at 6 pm!! And then clear fluids Thursday and 6 pm on the Thursday take another 45 ml of the PMS phosphate solution and then obviously nothing till the surgery which is SOME time on Friday.
Doesn't this seem like overkill? It's the same prep I did for the first surgery. I don't do well with hunger these days-- I get faint..plus it is hubby's b-day and our ten year anni, tomorrow so I was hoping for something a little more fancy than phosphate as my last supper!

Thanks in advance for any input.
Andrea

Andrea,
Just wanted to wish you all the best with your takedown.
My BF had his takedown 8 weeks ago and things are going great. As far as pain management, you will surely find this procedure so much less painful than the first step you may be fine with just pain pump or shots moving quickly to oral pain meds as soon as your bowels wake up. And walk, walk walk! Staying ahead of the gas seems to be the magic secret with this recovery.
Anyway - all the very best wishes for a speedy recovery and hope all goes well. You will be feeling awesome in no time!

The pain pump ought to suffice. That's what most of us had. Takedown shouldn't be that painful anyway.

And my personal opinion is that your prep is overkill. People have had a wide variety of doctor's orders for prep prior to takedown. I had phospho-soda the afternoon before the surgery, then liquids, and nothing after midnight for a 7:30 surgery the next morning.

My real concern is they are making you take the double dose of phospho so close together. There have been documented kidney problems from the stuff when someone with other conditions takes phospho soda, or if people down more than one dose. It sounds like they are spreading the doses out, but still....

Andrea,

Best fo luck Friday!

You won't need an epidual for the takdown, the pain is much less than the first surgery (and second if you had a three-step).

I had the same sort of prep for my first takedown back in 1998, I thought that was a bit overdone too.

Andrea,
Your pain pump should be fine. I didn't use mine much and switched to oral pain meds pretty quickly.
For prep, I did clear liquids the day before and nothing else special.
Good luck!!!

-Kenadi

My prep was clear liq day before and nothing after midnight. I'm thinking they're going a little over-kill. PCA pump was enough.
LoriP

Talk to your surgeon. Thomas had no prep, only NPO after midnight the night before. He had no epidural for the TD, only a PCA.

I too just had the pump and I was fine. It's true that takedown is nothing compared to the first surgery. You'll be up and about in no time.

I ended up in the hospital for dehydration a couple of days before takedown and I didn't do anything special for prep, just liquids.

Good luck!
Erin

Epidural is a little to much after takedown. I had the pump(PCA)during my recovery at the hospital. Although my recovery was much painful and harder than the 1st (creation of Jpouch and illeo). You have to manage your pain right per Dr's orders. I didn't. I was in so much pain for 3 weeks that my pain killers were not doing much either.
By the way I had epidural on my 1st surgery and an IV connected to my neck for drawing blood,transfusion and flushing.

Hi Andrea,
I had the exact same experience with the epidural in my step 1, so I also declined for the takedown. No probs: takedown for me was a walk in the park. I'm sure after your pain in step 1 you'll be amazed how much easier TD is. I didn't have a pump or anything, just paracetamol and the odd dose of morphine into my drip. I had the TD on Tues morning and went home Thurs morning. No pain relief at home...'cos I wasn't in pain! The greatest discomfort came not from my belly/stoma incision, but from my butt!! Make sure you nurse yours well with a good cream, soft wipes etc. And get cream on before you start getting really sore - it'll help keep the soreness at bay.
As for prep, mine was the same as step 1, ie: a few cartons of a pre-op kind of sports drink. Nothing as bad as phosphate by the sounds of things, but just a bit sickening because it's so sweet. Congrats on your 10-year anniversary! Ours is in August - 10 years for us too
How about planning a really nice evening out together for after your TD? I'd give it about a month after. If you're like me, you'll be feeling great by then. (I felt amazing straight off, but I'm just trying not to paint everything too rosy in case you hit some troubles...!) Well, relax, trust that things will be fine...and good luck! Hope to hear it all went really well

Andrea, wishing you all the best on Friday.

My takedown experience was similar to Soph's - I didn't need any pain meds because I was not in any pain.

Also, Connie's right - please talk to your surgeon about that prep. That truly is overkill and you'll be way too dehydrated by Friday.

No advice to offer. Just want to wish you good luck Andrea! Let us know how it goes.

Hi Andrea,

Consult your surgeon about prep because the hospital will send a standard prep outline for gastro type procedures. Call your surgeon and do what he says.

As for pain.....everyones different but I was fortunate and didn't experience ANY abdominal pain after surgery. I could've got by with Vicodin but I took the diladuid only for my joint pain. Why not? Pain is pain. And the joint pain had nothing to do with the surgery. In fact I immediately felt better in the hospital than I had felt in months. I hope you have the same experience.

In fact, I was a little concerned about going through with the surgery because I had become so weak and tired in the last days before surgery. But like I said, I felt better immediately after than I had in months. I really think the colostomy was physically draining on me.

Well good luck and Godspeed to you.