After first stage I felt good after 2 weeks. Second stage I had a few complications, mainly a lot of anal discomfort, problems with a flush ileostomy and urinary retention for no apparent reason. It took about 6 weeks for me to feel relatively normal and even then a tiny leak showed up on MRI pouchogram so will have to wait a while for 3 rd stage

I had stage one in Feb, and it was Emergency surgery. I went in weak, malnourished, with a perforated bowel leaking stool and after having been on high doses of steroids for a few weeks. The recovery was brutal. There were some complications, and I was in the hospital for 27 days, and out of work getting strength back for almost another month.

I had Stage 2 right days ago, and this feels like a cake walk compared to last time. Some incisional pain, fatigue, but going in well nourished and healthy made a huge difference.

For me the second surgery was much harder compared to the first one, I had completely lost my appetite for about a week I didn't eat anything because whatever I ate I just kept vomiting, I was also in constant pain and lost over 10kg. I think the second operation is much more complex due to the creation of the pouch. However, some find the second op a walk in the park which just shows we all react differently.
Wish you all the best.

Stage 2 was a harder recovery in the hospital for me (more pain, felt a lot weaker) but I recovered overall much faster -- about ~3 weeks vs. 6 weeks for the first surgery. I'm sure it has a lot to do with your condition going into the surgeries as reflected in this thread. Like most I was pretty sick when I had step 1 but had gained back weight and felt much healthier going into step 2.

My 2nd surgery (creation of the loop ileo) was MUCH harder than the first. My surgeon described it as a unique irony: I was very weak and sick when I went for the original colectomy -- it wasn't emergent but it was extremely acute. Basically I needed that colon out before it poisoned me to death. I felt sooOOOoooo much better after having that toxic organ removed that my recovery was pretty clean, despite having to adjust to the ileo and everything. So, when it was time for step 2, I was pretty healthy, and that surgery just knocked me for a loop (so to speak). Partly, it was the difference between laparoscopic and conventional surgery. The incision the second time was MUCH bigger, and that alone was more painful and harder to recover from. Also, my loop ileo was much more problematic from day one than the original ileo. I had a very hard time keeping the output under control, and they didn't release me from hospital for 11 days, until I could show that the output was managed and I wasn't going to get too dehydrated. I actually had some twinges of regret in the early days of the 2nd stage, even though I absolutely HATED having the ileo.

That said, I'm nearly 7 months post-takedown and I couldn't be happier with the result. My bowels function almost normally, and all I have to remind me of my ordeal is a round rosebud scar, which is healing slowly, but nicely.

Good luck! Those surgeries saved my life.

I had my 1st surgery 7months ago it was emergency, i recovered in about 10 days.

i just had 2nd stage 3 weeks ago and it's a bit harder than the 1st one but only for about a week, no rectal pain tho but i do go pass mucous about 4 x day, only thing is your stoma is much smaller and no more loop, i dont like this stoma always leakage.

currently waiting for 3rd stage.

Dx with UC 2012

meds: corticosteroids, Asacol, 6 MP, Salofalk, Infliximab

End ileostomy 2014 no more meds 

I had a three step as well. I am going to be honest, for me the second was the worst. I am in pediatrics and they talked me into getting an eipdural afterwards for pain management which Im not sure why because the pain pump with dilaudid worked fine I thought. But I ended up getting a UTI from the folly catheter and my epidural was all bad with leakage and making me extremely itchy etc. It just was more painful for me, but once everything was figured out it was okay. 

I would say if you had good pain control the 1st surgery just stick with everything the same and you should be fine!

Two step, years ago. 

 

Second was much easier, IMO. 

 

I was out of the hospital in 4 days, and in full time nursing school 4 months later. 

 

Though i I guess with your 3 step that's not really equal. Guess my second will be your third.