I think you are well prepared.  Best of luck to you. My pouch is severely inflamed and ulcerated, did you have similar problems with the first one. I did not know a pouch could be redone. Am going to see a surgeon soon and going to ask whether colostomy my answer? Any thoughts? Cheryl 

I had inflammation that was caused from a sinus and a leak, so they say. My issues were mechanical. Hoping second time around i have better luck. so far so good.

nobody else can comment on this?? please guys

If you can bring a positive mind-set home with you, you'll be well-prepared, IMO. I'd suggest skipping the diapers, but that's just my approach. You are likely to have stumbles, of course, but they don't mean very much unless you make them meaningful. I think you should have whatever food you like, and enjoy modest portions while you're getting to know the new you.

Your three best friends for after surgery,,Calmoseptine cream , portable bidet (look on Amazon) & baby wipes. If u keep the butt burn under control it will give you a clearer mind to focus on other areas.

Immodium to help slow down  trips to washroom, & since you"ve already had a jpouch , u know what your body likes.

 Softer foods such as bananas, oatmeal ,yogurt ,mashed potatoes, um toast & p.b  is good , pasta (easy on the sauce). chicken breasts..

Good luck & hopes this helps

BEV

Hope it's OK that I bumped this. I was looking for threads discussing essentials for the takedown surgery. Mine is scheduled for next Thursday. Nervous, but really excited to be done with the bag (lots of leakage issues due to the placement). Thanks to everyone who posted advice for OP. And to the OP, I hope you're doing great five months later.

I'm one month post-takedown today. I can definitely say it has not been fun. I think this is the best advice around, what we have gotten here. Control that butt burn is key. And slowing it down during the night to get sleep. I would not have made it without this group because I was getting nothing from the surgeon but Eat a Healthy Diet, following release from hospital.  Good luck Jersey_mike and let us know how its going.

Thanks, Sharon.  I ordered the Calmoseptine and some wipes. The Calmoseptine is an ointment - I didn't see a cream version on Amazon. I'm sure it won't be a walk in the park, but I'm really looking forward to being done with the bag. They had to place my stoma right in the midline because I had skin issues where they wanted it to go. The result was all kinds of issues with leaking due to the shape of my stomach and my belly button. I've finally reached a point where I can get up to 5 days with a wafer before it leaks (for the first couple weeks it was daily, sometimes multiple times per day). But I'm ready for the next chapter for sure. I'll be 15 weeks out from the first surgery when I go back in next week. 

BARRIER CREAMS!!!!!!!  

My surgery went well on Thursday. I had my first BM last night around 11 p.m. (after doing sips of clear liquids throughout the day). I had three in succession then had about four hours of sleep and then went again, and then got a couple more hours sleep. I started eating solids today. After lunch (mashed potatoes and grilled cheese) I started going a lot. Like every 20 minutes, maybe 10 times in the afternoon. Dinner was some white rice and chicken breast, and things have slowed down a little, but still quite a lot. I'm assuming this isn't too unusual for day one? It was pure liquid at first, but now it's kind of soft, broken up strands (for lack of a better word) and the kind that piles up in a little pile at the bottom of the toilet.

I haven't taken any Imodium or powder today - doctor wanted to wait on that. I'll see him tomorrow an see what he says. I'm thinking he'll start me on at least one or the other. I was on Imodium, Lomotil, and powder (either Cholestyramine or just Metamucil) for the entirety of my 3 months with the bag.

I've been off the IV and the PCA since mid-morning and doing fine in those regards. 

For those of you who take a daily probiotic, how long after takedown did you start on it? 

I started my probiotic regimen about 6 years after surgery. It kept me off antibiotics for a good while. I didn't bother until pouchitis developed the first time.

I'm so glad your surgery went well, jersey_mike, it sounds like you are ahead of the game on the lomotil, immodium, metamucil. My surgeon didn't even suggest until I complained a week out of surgery. I went on a rant, about why I had to read on the j-pouch page rather than getting info from her. I think you will be fine. I'm coming around I think. Just can't forget metamucil w/ breakfast and dinner or it is too much. I am 5 weeks post takedown. Never feels better than after shower, but of course that is short lived...

I'm 7 months post takedown and as for me I buy moist wipes Calmpostine barrier when need and charmin ultra soft paper ... Here's what I've been doing everyday for the first 4 months... First I take my Imodium pill wait 30 minutes then eat either two Metamucil wafers or the Metamucil granola bars then I eat for breakfast 3 plain rice cakes with smeared with natural smooth peanut butter and topped with Apple sauce to thicken things up .. Then for lunch one more Imodium and another Metamucil wafers then eat a grilled chicken sandwich with one slice of cheese and a bowl of white rice then for a snack I'd  redo the rice cakes  and stop eating after 7pm ... But now Ive became a eating machine and I'm pretty much eating everything with a lil price to pay but I still avoid spicy everything... Sorry for my long story but I hope I helped a lil 

Just got started on here. I just had my take down on last Wednesday. My tail is on fire but everything went well. Hopefully everyone has as amazing of a surgeon as I have. Does the calmoseptine cream work better than desitin diaper cream? That was what was suggested to me but I am looking for something a bit better. 

Some people swear by Calmoseptine, but I found it a bit strong. Plain zinc oxide served me well, and I especially liked an obscure one called Ferguson Formula.

Bama45 posted:

Just got started on here. I just had my take down on last Wednesday. My tail is on fire but everything went well. Hopefully everyone has as amazing of a surgeon as I have. Does the calmoseptine cream work better than desitin diaper cream? That was what was suggested to me but I am looking for something a bit better. 

It's pretty Dam Good for Butt Burn & itching 

Awesome thanks for the advice. 

bev 69 posted:

Your three best friends for after surgery,,Calmoseptine cream , portable bidet (look on Amazon) & baby wipes. If u keep the butt burn under control it will give you a clearer mind to focus on other areas.

Immodium to help slow down  trips to washroom, & since you"ve already had a jpouch , u know what your body likes.

 Softer foods such as bananas, oatmeal ,yogurt ,mashed potatoes, um toast & p.b  is good , pasta (easy on the sauce). chicken breasts..

Good luck & hopes this helps

BEV

I couldnt agree more. Look after your 'backside' is number 1. Always use wet wipes or water spray bottle. If possible use hair dryer afterwards ! For me the burning was the worst element of post take down recovery. In the end you can only do so much as the cuff gets burnt to a crisp anyway but do what you can to save the exterior bits while the body adjusts and recovers...