My takedown surgery was scheduled for last Thursday but at the last minute they called me and said the hospital was stopping all non essential surgeries because of covid. I was pretty bummed. Then Friday out of the blue they called and said they can get me in this Tuesday.
I'm bringing some creme for butt burn, some adult diapers just in case. Anything else I should bring?
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Jay dog... congrats on the new surgery date...when I had my take down I brought nothing and came out just fine. I ate such bland food for the first 2 weeks I didn’t need anything for butt burn so you should do just fine. Good luck to you and in due time you will enjoy life with your pouch.. just remember things take time and will get better.. I am now 4 months post take down and things are much better than 2 months ago..
@Ryan138 posted:Jay dog... congrats on the new surgery date...when I had my take down I brought nothing and came out just fine. I ate such bland food for the first 2 weeks I didn’t need anything for butt burn so you should do just fine. Good luck to you and in due time you will enjoy life with your pouch.. just remember things take time and will get better.. I am now 4 months post take down and things are much better than 2 months ago..
How long did it take to get back to work?
I brought calmoseptine, soft toilet paper. I had my phone. I also had my husband bring me Gatorade that I mixed with water. Not much else. I started with calmoseptine right away, from the first bm. People vary in this respect so better to be safe than sorry. I think I was on a low residue diet for about a month.
Hooray for you! I brought a squirt bottle to fill with warm water to wash the backside after bm's. Wiping = butt burn, and you won't be able to shower right away. Also earplugs unless you have a private room. This sounds weird, but also chewing gum. When I had ileus, one of the residents gave me a stick of gum and within two hours I was going again. I looked it up later, and that is known to work. Just don't swallow it!
Jaydog.... I am a plumber by trade and my doc wouldn’t let me back to work until 3 months post take down.....my current job does not allow any light duty stuff otherwise I would have done that 2 months post takedown
Good luck! I didn't take anything and went home day after takedown.
Hope you’re doing well and go home soon!
I hope you recover soon. No more bags at last! 🎉
I am soooo happy for you!!!! Good luck with everything!!! I would bring some books and music and pen and paper to help past the time in the hospital. Also bring some extra clothes just in case you need them. Other than that, I think you should be fine.
Keep us updated, good luck 
Surgery went well. I'm just waiting for my bowels to wake up and pass gas and go to the bathroom. Hopefully tomorrow will be the day then I can go home. It's so weird not having a bag on.
@Jaydog posted:Surgery went well. I'm just waiting for my bowels to wake up and pass gas and go to the bathroom. Hopefully tomorrow will be the day then I can go home. It's so weird not having a bag on.
Oh congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
I wonder if you are going to be a 9 percenter that goes over 13X per day lol, we need more 9 percenters hahaa
Are you in pain???
@Former Member posted:Oh congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I wonder if you are going to be a 9 percenter that goes over 13X per day lol, we need more 9 percenters hahaa
Are you in pain???
I sure hope not.
No I'm not in pain. A little sore but nothing to bad. I just want to wake up my bowels so I can go home.
@Jaydog posted:I sure hope not.
No I'm not in pain. A little sore but nothing to bad. I just want to wake up my bowels so I can go home.
LOL, Your funny! I hope they wake up soon. I am glad you do not have any pain, I had lots and lots of pain.
Keep us updated!
@Jaydog how are you doing?
@Kmiller posted:@Jaydog how are you doing?
Pretty good actually. I'm pooping although it's pure liquid. I can seem to hold it as long as I want ( within reason of course). I'm just having a hard time passing gas. Since my surgery I've only passed gas twice and it's giving me a lot of pain. I'm hoping things start to flow better in the next few days but we'll see. The doctors told me it's normal and it just takes time for my bowels to wake up.
Heating pads are really good for gas pain.
@Jaydog sounds pretty normal. The gas is a big frustration for me. One thing that helps me pass on the toilet is to stand up, bend over for about 10 seconds like touching my toes, then sit back down. It gets easier with time but that generally helps it along. Do a little twerking, practice your gymnastics moves Glad you are doing ok overall!
Glad you are through the surgery. For some reason I pass gas when I lie on my right side. We all figure out what works, you will too! But do be patient with yourself, recovery takes months (my surgeon said a full year to get used to it).
@Kmiller posted:@Jaydog sounds pretty normal. The gas is a big frustration for me. One thing that helps me pass on the toilet is to stand up, bend over for about 10 seconds like touching my toes, then sit back down. It gets easier with time but that generally helps it along. Do a little twerking, practice your gymnastics moves
Killer thanks for the tip. I just tried it and it worked great. So much gas came out it felt amazing. Thanks again man
@Kmiller posted:@Jaydog sounds pretty normal. The gas is a big frustration for me. One thing that helps me pass on the toilet is to stand up, bend over for about 10 seconds like touching my toes, then sit back down. It gets easier with time but that generally helps it along. Do a little twerking, practice your gymnastics moves
Twerking works? Hahaa, that is soo cool!!
@Jaydog posted:Pretty good actually. I'm pooping although it's pure liquid. I can seem to hold it as long as I want ( within reason of course). I'm just having a hard time passing gas. Since my surgery I've only passed gas twice and it's giving me a lot of pain. I'm hoping things start to flow better in the next few days but we'll see. The doctors told me it's normal and it just takes time for my bowels to wake up.
Jaydog, do not hold your poop in, please do not make a habit out of that; that is not safe in the long run.
@girlunky posted:Glad you are through the surgery. For some reason I pass gas when I lie on my right side. We all figure out what works, you will too! But do be patient with yourself, recovery takes months (my surgeon said a full year to get used to it).
100% true! Definitely took me a full year too. It especially took at least a year to get use to getting up at night. I have not slept 8 hours straight in years lol.
Jaydog. I suggest you ask your GI and surgeon about whether holding your poop is bad/good/no-effect for the pouch. Some people here have some religious beliefs on this topic, and and try to push their opinions on others as facts. Do not buy any advice before googling first.
@Former Member posted:Jaydog. I suggest you ask your GI and surgeon about whether holding your poop is bad/good/no-effect for the pouch. Some people here have some religious beliefs on this topic, and and try to push their opinions on others as facts. Do not buy any advice before googling first.
My doctor's told me it's good to hold it so you don't have to run to the bathroom all the time.
@Jaydog posted:My doctor's told me it's good to hold it so you don't have to run to the bathroom all the time.
I believe my surgeon told me the same thing too. But after doing extensive research, I found out its not good to do that. We can get: blockages, hernias, overgrowth of bacteria, and among other things that can lead to other health conditions like permanent constipation. I only tell people about the info I found in the past, everything else is up to you though. I just say be careful; some things that are convenient are not always the right thing to do.
To hold or not to hold...
Many surgeons suggest resisting the urge to empty the pouch with the first urges, with the theory that it helps condition and stretch the pouch. My surgeon recommended it, but I only held my stool when I had to. I can imagine it is more difficult the longer you have been diverted with an ileostomy, because your sphincters may be a bit weaker.
After 25 years of personal experience I have not seen it to matter one way or the other. Early in the adaptation phase, it is difficult to resist emptying the pouch, because the gut is so traumatized and sensitive. But, soon you can delay emptying when needed, like when you are out and about. That is a great feeling, so unlike active UC flares!
What I have seen as a caution is slowing the gut so much that the stool is too thick to easily pass. This leads to straining, and THAT is what can definitely lead to pouchitis and/or structural defects like prolapse. Do not try to achieve solid stools, but more like applesauce.
Bottom line, each of us are different and your surgeon can best guide you.
Congratulations Jaydog for finally achieving takedown!
Jan
@Jan Dollar posted:To hold or not to hold...
Many surgeons suggest resisting the urge to empty the pouch with the first urges, with the theory that it helps condition and stretch the pouch. My surgeon recommended it, but I only held my stool when I had to. I can imagine it is more difficult the longer you have been diverted with an ileostomy, because your sphincters may be a bit weaker.
After 25 years of personal experience I have not seen it to matter one way or the other. Early in the adaptation phase, it is difficult to resist emptying the pouch, because the gut is so traumatized and sensitive. But, soon you can delay emptying when needed, like when you are out and about. That is a great feeling, so unlike active UC flares!
What I have seen as a caution is slowing the gut so much that the stool is too thick to easily pass. This leads to straining, and THAT is what can definitely lead to pouchitis and/or structural defects like prolapse. Do not try to achieve solid stools, but more like applesauce.
Bottom line, each of us are different and your surgeon can best guide you.
Congratulations Jaydog for finally achieving takedown!
Jan
I believe you said you have had pouchitis before. Holding in poop can lead to inflammation which is basically in the pouchitis family.
Leaving aside the absence of a causal link between holding it when necessary and an instance of an unspecified type of pouchitis, one person's experience is no basis for any theory.
@Scott F posted:@Jaydog, definitely listen to your doctor. Some of what’s shared here is very good advice, and some of it is problematic.
I will but this forum has some great info. There are a lot of doctor's who say completely different things. If I've learned one thing from this site it's that everybody's jpouch situation is a little different from everybody else's. It doesn't seem that there's a one size fits all set of directions that work for everybody.
@Jaydog posted:I will but this forum has some great info. There are a lot of doctor's who say completely different things. If I've learned one thing from this site it's that everybody's jpouch situation is a little different from everybody else's. It doesn't seem that there's a one size fits all set of directions that work for everybody.
Fair enough - it’s also important to listen to your body. That’s the best way to tell if anyone’s recommendation (whether doctor or forum participant) is right for you.
Lauren, yes I had pouchitis. Chronic pouchitis actually. However, this was more than a decade post j-pouch surgery and had zero to do with what I did in those early months, and I never actively held back on pouch empyting, except to avoid soiling myself.
Maybe what you are referring to is bacterial overgrowth which can result from pouch stasis, but that is more of an issue of not being able to empty well, not something you actively contribute to. If your doctor told you to never hold back on emptying your pouch, that is unique to you or your surgeon, not an overall caution.
But please, let’s not make this a debate. There are differences in opinion, and opinions are not fact. Again, I am asking people to NOT make “never/always” statements because they lead to pointless disagreements.
Jan
