im waiting til oct 12th for my takedown which will be 3 months. ive heard so many say they waited 2 months. id like to ask my surgeon to bump me up closer to 2 months because i cant take this loop ileo plus i need to travel soon and would like more healing time after takedown. any advice or thoughts?
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It was exactly eight weeks to the day between my first surgery
and takedown and that is my doctor's standard procedure. I went
into these surgeries in good physical condition and so far
everything has gone very smoothly.
and takedown and that is my doctor's standard procedure. I went
into these surgeries in good physical condition and so far
everything has gone very smoothly.
The only person who can answer this question is your surgeon. Many are tried and true to the three month mark before allowing takedown as they want to make sure the pouch and anastomosis have healed and you have no leaks.
I did have my takedown at 2.5 months as I passed my pouchogram and I was also having a very tough time with my ileo and having appliances adhere, burning skin etc. In addition, I had diversional pouchitis and my surgeon felt as long as I was healed that it would be in my best interest to have takedown earlier due to the pouchitis. Unfortunately that really made no difference as I still have chronic pouchitis 15 months out since my takedown.
I did have my takedown at 2.5 months as I passed my pouchogram and I was also having a very tough time with my ileo and having appliances adhere, burning skin etc. In addition, I had diversional pouchitis and my surgeon felt as long as I was healed that it would be in my best interest to have takedown earlier due to the pouchitis. Unfortunately that really made no difference as I still have chronic pouchitis 15 months out since my takedown.
As much as I pleaded, my surgeon was adamant about waiting the full 3 months. The loop ileo was horrendous, but he really wanted to ensure that I had the best outcome possible so 3 months it was for me. Good luck!
Waiting the additional time helps ensure that the J-Pouch is fully sealed. Only 3 months isn't that bad. I had to wait six months because my pouch had a pinhole.
I had my J-Pouch surgery in August 2011 (Cleveland Clinic Florida) then my original pouchogram in October 2011 where I learned there was a pinhole. They assumed that by November 2011 that it would be closed. I had a pouchogram done at a different hospital (University of Pennsylvania) to save on travel costs and they said it was closed. So my takedown was scheduled for early December 2011. The day before my surgery, my surgeon had an odd feeling and requested that I have a pouchogram performed "just to be sure" and the pinhole was still there. This meant no takedown...I was devastated.
The next day, instead of a takedown surgery, he put in some "fix a flat" glue to seal the J-Pouch and enhance the healing process.
He saved my life and my J-Pouch. If the takedown would have occured, the pinhole leak would have infected my system and most likely "poisoned" my J-Pouch.
So I had to wait the additional three months, pay a ton more in insurance (because a new year) and travel costs, but the takedown went great and I have been living with my J-pouch for 7 months and things have been fantastic.
So while I know that have an ileostomy is not fun, sometimes sooner is not always better. But good luck to you.
Take Care,
John
I had my J-Pouch surgery in August 2011 (Cleveland Clinic Florida) then my original pouchogram in October 2011 where I learned there was a pinhole. They assumed that by November 2011 that it would be closed. I had a pouchogram done at a different hospital (University of Pennsylvania) to save on travel costs and they said it was closed. So my takedown was scheduled for early December 2011. The day before my surgery, my surgeon had an odd feeling and requested that I have a pouchogram performed "just to be sure" and the pinhole was still there. This meant no takedown...I was devastated.
The next day, instead of a takedown surgery, he put in some "fix a flat" glue to seal the J-Pouch and enhance the healing process.
He saved my life and my J-Pouch. If the takedown would have occured, the pinhole leak would have infected my system and most likely "poisoned" my J-Pouch.
So I had to wait the additional three months, pay a ton more in insurance (because a new year) and travel costs, but the takedown went great and I have been living with my J-pouch for 7 months and things have been fantastic.
So while I know that have an ileostomy is not fun, sometimes sooner is not always better. But good luck to you.
Take Care,
John
My story is the same as JW's. Also went to the CC in Weston FL. I had a pinhole and have waited almost 7 months for it to heal. I went in for surgery to have it glued shut. They couldn't find the hole. Takedown is now scheduled! I am ellated!!!! I hate this bag! It's a leach that you can't burn off! T minus 20 days!
whats your date? ill be there oct 12th and maybe even sooner...
My surgeon bumped up my takedown due to my body's difficulty with the loop. It was of course dependent on my pouch test for leakage. My surgeon said ordinarily she held hard and fast to the three month schedule but my poor health and nutrition caused by the loop was not doing me any favors.
thank you for replying 