time between 2nd and 3rd surgery

Hey, good luck with your surgery!

It took me 6-8 weeks to recover form the second step, I slept 12+ hours everyday to recover, so another surgery only 4-5 weeks later would be a torture on my body. I know everyone is different, but I suggest you focus on recovering from your upcoming surgery first before asking for another one.

My surgeon made me wait 3 months between step 2 and 3. 4-5 weeks seem short already! Although my experience with the loop was a real nightmare, I had to change the appliance multiple time some days,  I still believe it is better not to rush things. The end result will have to last for a life time, and that is more important than a couple months suffering. Once you start using the pouch, you will see that it will have to endure a lot at the very beginning. I remember thinking at that time that how a cruel thing it is for a doctor to do this surgery at one step, and I felt so sorry for people who had to have it all in one step.

I never doubted my surgeon’s decision to wait 3 months. He made me wait 6 months between step one and two as well. There are many surgeons out there who wait this long for the safety of the patient. My surgeon’s specialty is fixing failed j-pouches, he is one for the rare surgeons that operates on multiple failed pouches every week. He was very very strict about waiting 6 months between step one and two and at least 3 months between step two and three. So if yours says 4-5 weeks, he already is offering you a very short period compared to other surgeons. I would say wait at least two months if you can, and three if you want to reduce your chances of future complications.

Thanks for the reply!
I was in a very bad shape on surgery #1, total colectomy. 
Anemia, low albumin, massive blood loss, malnutrition. Everything I could have from 2 months in the hospital  with UC, name it, I had it.
And I waited 7 months and im getting surgery #2, and I couldve done it earlier, but I took a trip overseas in between, and the coronavirus quarantine, I recovered pretty fast, I was ready for surgery #2 after 3.5 months. 
Im 28, age may help, im super healthy (other than UC) so maybe that's why my surgeon is confident I may be able to do it fast, in fact he said it may be advisable to no delay in my case to avoid the jpouch kinda "sticking" to itself and the anal stitching to become too closed, at least that's what I understood.
I see him on friday and will ask more questions. 

I know everyone is different and I dont doubt in many cases is better to wait, but in my case I am hoping I will heal fast and dont have to.
My surgeon said waiting tops 3 months, and as fast 4-5 weeks. But i'm hoping for the shortest time because theres a lot I need to get done this year and surgeries need to be out of the way ASAP. Im sure if he doesnt see it fit we wont rush it, but I was hoping to hear other experiences of people who did do it fast between #2 & #3

Again thanks for the input!

I had a barium enema test at 4 weeks post op to test whether the pouch has healed and to detect any leaks. You would have to have a similar test around that time, before your surgeon can decide to go ahead with the next step. They wait the result of this test to schedule the takedown. 

I was in a condition similar to yours at my first step, I was in terrible shape and very weak when they operated on me. The surgery was laparoscopic, so the post op recovery was easy, but it took time for me to regain my strength, put on weight.

You are probably having a laparoscopic surgery on Monday, so you recovery will be faster. My second step was open surgery. I chose it over laparoscopic and it was a hard decision to make. The post op recovery with open surgery was hardcore, it was brutal. But, I finally had my takedown in March this year, and all that suffering is past memories now!

I had my first step at Mt Sinai IBD research center at NY, which is a major research organization on IBD. They wait two months between step 2 and 3 there. My second and third step were done by Dr Remzi at NYU, he was at Cleveland Clinic before. He is the world star on j-pouch redos, you can search his name on this website. He waits three months between 2 and 3. The surgeons at Mt Sinai NY and Cleveland Clinic operate on hundreds of pouches every year, these are the top j-pouch centers in the US.  So, unless your doctor sees a particular risk in your case, waiting more than 5 weeks should not hurt you in any way. No need to worry about sticking etc if they ask you to wait 2-3 months.

I had my 3rd surgery 8 weeks after my 2nd.  My pouchagram was done about 2 weeks before the final surgery.  The time between my first and second surgery was 7 months.  I could have had it a month earlier but we had planned a vacation the month before.  My surgeon preferred the 8 week timeframe, but also said he would rather not go longer unless there was a unexpected issue, such as leakage with the pouch.  Everything worked out as planned.

I agree .... that seems too short of a time between surgeries.  Maybe if you're healthy it's different but, in my opinion, we've just had the surgery because we're not that healthy!  I get not wanting the bag on your belly; however, you want the pouch surgery to have a happy ending with as few issues as possible.  I waited six months.  It sucked but my doc said it was necessary for my recovery.  It is a pretty major surgery that is very taxing on the mind and body.  If you're not in the best health you can be, it may prolong a good recovery. 

@Nela @CTB23 @Former Member 
Thanks for the input. I am aware of the standard time, and i'm sure my dr wont send me into 3rd surgery without making sure its all healed and no leaks etc. On friday when I see him I will ask him more about this time frame, but I have read of people getting 2nd and 3rd surgery in shorter time and I was wondering of members here who did it more back to back successfully.

For the record I am not in the US, im in south america. Times seem to be a little faster than in the US, also for scheduling dr visits, exams and surgeries, for what ive read.
My surgeon was willing to send me into surgery #2 after 3.5 months of surgery #1.  
I chose not to because I wanted a break, to travel to Europe since my UC was unexpected (never had any symptoms before or IBD) and basically knocked me off fast and furious for 3-4 months since it started until I healed from my total colectomy.
So it was very shocking for me, being healthy to suddenly unable to eat, constant bathroom urges, and last but not least, bleeding to the point of needing several transfusions. 

Anyway, if anyone knows any member who had a short time between # & #3 I'll appreciate it!

thanks 

I understand because I had my happen just like yours.  I was diagnosed in April and had my first surgery in November that year.  Mine came on fast and furious at age 59.  My sister had the same situation at about your age.  No rhyme or reason, I guess!