Stoma Reversal

Hi Ali Bali I was confident with Whoopi and thought long and hard about keeping it.

I don’t regret having the reversal as I know I would have regretted not trying  

my surgeon offered lots of support and I had so many tips here

I had two weeks where I literally wore a nappy at night and slept downstairs then it calmed with a similar mashed type of diet like I had after my stoma op  

I took one lopermide before bed and it’s settled well I eat out at places I know are safe  

I just can’t get to Tipperary this year or Spain  I’ll be there next year  

I think that you need to really think of the reasons why you want the reversal against the reasons that you want your stoma 
I knew if I didn’t try I’d regret it so hence whoopi is now asleep 

There’s masses of posts on this subject that really helped me  

Keep us updated 

Thanks so much xxx I was desperate for the reversal as unlike you I hate my bag although I am much more used to it now. Did you take the loperamide from the beginning ? And was it through the night that you had most of your accidents or during the day too. How long did the mashed diet last x

Hi Ali Bali 

I had no support from the ward I was on it was ENT. They sent me out in twelve hours with laxatives!!!

I had no appetite and I didn’t  think about the fluid we make which was silly really as I had  an Ileostomy before and it was fast and furious when I didn’t eat and needed thickening.
Mash I found a great base. But I make mustard mash with butter and it’s yummy 
I didn’t soil myself in bed , I just couldn’t make it even sleeping downstairs and using the small tiled downstairs loo made sense 

I tried having Loperamide before meals like it said on the packet and as recommended loads of members but I then became constipated. It’s trial and error  

My surgeon then phoned and recommended one tablet before bed. 

It’s working I am now going two to three times a day. I’ve been out for a walk which I was delighted about. I have control. Just occasionally I eat something naughty and pay for it next day. 

Like SWEETCORN. oh I love it. I had a tiny amount and was fine so next day made up rice with corn and peas   Yes that wasn’t smart 

As for diet I mix it up  today I’ve had a piece of toast, pizza for dinner Tesco meal day with chips sticky toffee pudding and wine  

I tend to forget how long it took me to eat normal foods with my Ileostomy  I’m two months now and doing well 

 Tomorrow I will probably go back with the beige food for a couple of days  if I don’t have a BM I will stop the 2mg lopermide for a couple of days  

You take care

Artsie you truly have been a wealth of information x no doubt you will hear from me again soon, and I will be thinking of you on the 25th take care xxxx

Hi Ali Bali

Glad to be helpful.
The one thing I’d advise is to get prepared at home for afterwards. Luckily I thought about getting some incontinence faecal pads. I ordered them through age Uk mistakenly I ordered two packs. I thought the payment didn’t go through. There’s eighty of the things. I used about ten!! If you live my way you can have them 

Anyway the pads are perfect to give you time to get to the loo and with full brief knickers they are removed really easily. I found the Tena type of pants hard to remove when in a rush to sit on the loo 

Long slim pads are security for when out and about. I only wear them now if I’m out 

And this is a gem. A portable bidet. It’s under a tenner I bought two on Amazon after my poor bottom was so sore 

I think it’s the acidic output I had when I had my stoma burned my skin this BM burned my bum. I found by spraying with water it calmed my skin tap dry with toilet tissue  then Sudocrem or pile cream or Vaseline.
The showers great but not in the early days  or at night. 
Good luck with it all. 

Hi Ali Bali

i just realised that I may have been not thinking about our similarities with a reversal , are you only four months from your Ileostomy?  I was thirteen months after my Ileostomy which makes a big difference according to my surgeon

Oh and a LAR is a Lower Anterior Resection. I should have answered that before sorry .