Having had the last of 7 chemo treatments 8 weeks ago (still have pins and needles in my feet....), I'm scheduled for the reversal of the ileostomy on Wednesday. Looking for any Top Tips post surgery please! Thanks!
So the day you have been eagerly awaiting is just a few days away and I hope the surgery goes well.
I've not had a reversal or ever likely to have one so I've no Top Tips for you post surgery but we do have a lot of members who are still with us who will be along shortly to give you the ins and out.
I am very sure that my friend will be one of the first to give you the low down, share with you and will answer any questions you will have between now and Wednesday but Karen comes into her own when she talks about her reversal and will give the benefit of her experiences.
Good luck for Wednesday, please keep in touch and let us know how you're getting on.
I had an ileostomy reversal 6 months after the procedure was performed.
I recommend that you purchase Lamberts Acidophilius Extra 10 (you can buy them from Amazon). It is difficult to regulate your bowel post surgery and these were recommended to me by a medic and they worked. I even managed to travel to India for 3 weeks just 6 weeks post surgery with no problems.
Hi Jersey Lily and congratulations on finishing your chemo. This hot weather is not nice for tingly feet so I’ve been sleeping with mine stuck out of the bottom of the sheet much to my husbands amusement.
Theres a few people been through reversals at the moment and ’s daughter is due to have hers next week so you’ll be able to share notes.
The op is much smaller than your previous one but please treat eating afterwards with the same caution initially - the bowel does not like being handled so stay on soup, jelly, ice cream for a couple of days. My surgeon told me I could eat what I wanted so when Cornish pasty appeared on the menu...........cue another bout of ileus (vomiting) and a couple of days with my head in a cardboard bowl.
Your Bowel routine will never go back to how it was pre-op but will settle into a new routine - 1 of the surgeons told me it would probably be like my stoma which it is with my toilet visits being late in the day. Your stools will probably be quite loose to begin with so practice your sphincter exercises (squeeze the muscles as it you were trying to hold in wind) as it’s better to wait for a sudden urge to pass then go to the toilet than to make a dash for it. Sudocream or something similar will help your sore bottom and haemorrhoid cream is good as it has a slightly anaesthetising affect.
I also found it handy to have a grab bag at the ready while in hospital containing pads, spare knickers, soft toilet paper, wipes and cream. Initially I was visiting the toilet a lot and getting very sore so started using the big soft cloths that they give you for washing yourself with then putting it in a stoma poo bag and then in the bin - I still sometimes use these at home and order them off Amazon.
Things will improve over time (even up to 2 years) and you may find that you have to use loperamide or movicol on a regular basis but I was told this is quite acceptable and to be expected after bowel surgery.
Stick to a low residue diet initially and introduce your old favourites as you go along - I was like Paddington bear with my tongue inside a carton of marmalade!
Hope everything goes well tomorrow and please let us know how you’re getting on
Here I am 4 days after surgery awaiting a poop so I can go home! I found this surgery much more painful than the first, but manageable with drugs. Just tell your daughter to make sure she asks for more before it gets too sore. I had morphine to start with, and intravenous paracetomol and an ibuprofen tablet on a regular basis. We stopped the ibruprofen due to it upsetting my stomach and I've been managing on just Paracetomal tablets since since yesterday morning. The worst part is getting out and in of bed, very sore! I'm sure your daughter will be told, but she must roll onto her side, drop her legs then push herself up when getting out of bed. My wound is a 'purse string' with a small opening to allow drainage, which will heal from underneath. My stoma nurse has told me to shower with the dressing off, to let water run over the wound then dry it before redressing. Here at the hospital though I keep the dressing on to shower, it's splash proof.
I'm feeling fine and really want to go home, so it's just a waiting game. I've been walking up and down the ward and tried some bran flakes this morning, though up til now it's been a light diet of cornflakes, mash potato & chicken or fish, jelly & ice cream. I managed some carrot soup yesterday. I'm drinking lots of peppermint tea to help with the wind. I've been passing lots of wind and some mucus since yesterday morning, which apparently is a precursor to pooping so fingers crossed!
I'd had my ileostomy for 7 months so it's going to take a bit of time to kick start again. a friend who had her reversal on the same day as me is already home, having pooped after 2 days, but she had had her ileostomy for 3 months.
Wishing your daughter all the best for her op, do get in touch with any other questions.
I’m a couple of weeks ahead of you, having my reversal surgery on August 12th.
I was expecting to be relying on loperamide to leave the house but I am better than expected.
I find that I can eat a more varied diet now than when I had a stoma but if I eat certain foods then I am running to the toilet.
how is your wound? Mine is really itchy - I hope the stitches are dissolving because one is sticking out and not dissolved.
Exercise - I have started yoga and Pilates this week but I still get a bit sore.
What I find hard is the isolation. I feel a bit abandoned by healthcare support and also friends. It is as if I should just be better now.
I do find that’s the problem with all these online forums. I can’t believe that it’s 9 months since my Bowel cancer diagnosis but I’ve never met anyone else with the disease.
