chronic insomnia and maybe reversal next week

I really hope you will be able to get some sleep soon!

As for transit times, everyone is different. I can tell you that my pouch is the quietest while I'm sleeping and through the morning. Frequency really picks up for me later afternoon through evening. I try to be done eating by 7:00, and then I take an Imodium before bed. It is recommended that you don't take bowel slowers for a few weeks after takedown unless you really need them. Once your pouch is a bit more established, it is nice to take before bed.

In the beginning, you may be up more at night, but that will change. I was sleeping through the night shortly after coming home from the hospital. I slept much better with my pouch than my ostomy. Probably because I am a stomach sleeper.

Foods I eat to help thicken everything up are bananas, applesauce, rice, bread, and cheese. Those are easy foods to start with too. Low fiber stuff. Raw veggies and fruits will be hard in the beginning so avoid those initially. After 3+ years, I still don't tolerate them very well, but I do eat them every day in moderation.

Pasta is good too. You might want to sick to white and cheese sauces in the beginning. Bagels and mashed potatoes were a couple of my favorites as well.

My surgeon had me taking metamucil and imodium both after take down. I used metamucil (generic) filled caps as they were easier to swallow than mixing it with a liquid. It helps to take less liquid with them than in the directions as the goal is for it to absorb water in our j-pouch. Your surgeon will instruct you the way s/he wants you to proceed after surgery. There seems to be many different opinions amongst surgeons.

After the first month or so I took Temazepam 15MG at bedtime. It is more a tranquilizer than sleeping pill. It allowed me to get up when needed and to fall back asleep afterwards - most of the time. So I wouldn't worry about leaking I slept on a hospital adult washable bed pad or large bed towel folded in half. Otherwise I'd stay awake worrying about accidents, which I didn't have many.

Please get something like a bidet sprayer attached to the toilet's water supply to clean yourself after BM's. Charmin Ultra Soft or Ultra Strong and Kleenex Ultra Soft are the best toilet papers. Plus calmoseptine lotion for your sore rear end. You will also need good baby wipes, especially if you don't have a water sprayer to clean your rear end in the beginning.

The first few months after take down were hell but everything gradually gets better with time.

Good Luck Please let us know how everything goes!

Thanks guys for the help and advice. Hope you can reply to this as go in Friday am (UK time). I have spoken to the stoma nurse today about possible takedown, and said I had been recommended a low residue diet (eg not basic hospital food!), she said ' oh no you can eat anything'..so I said what about fruit and veg and she said yes, just see how you go..mmm.I think she should look at this site!!!

I ate a full diet from the beginning, as I suspect many do. I remember my first meal after ten days in the hospital: tuna, lettuce, and tomato on toast. It tasted so good it made me cry. My pouch was 10 days old, since I had a single-stage procedure. It's okay to go slowly, too, if you're more comfortable with that. If you find you are having food-related issues then you need to address them, of course. Your experience with this will be unique to you.

Thanks for the advise Scott, I love my food as well! Will see, first if the surgeon does it and then take it from there.
Deb

I'm 5 weeks post op now and have never been a great sleeper, but I must admit having the pouch hasn't helped (I'm still very early stages though). The first 3/4 weeks for me were a struggle but I'm starting to get the hang of it now! I'd say I typically get up 2/3 times a night to go to the toilet but I've never had any problems leaking ect!

Where in the uk are you from? My stoma nurse kept me away from fruit and veggies in hospital but wanted me to start introducing them slowly but surely a couple of weeks after. I'd definatly say stay away from spice for a little while I learned that one the hard way for sure!!

Steph xoxo

Thanks Steph, I am in Yorkshire..my take down hasn't been done, sp v upset to say the least. Will do new post about it.

Debx