Got the Call: Surgery Reversal Date Set for April 1st!

Hi to anyone who is interested, but I just got the call...!!!

Was walking into the front door with a bottle of vodka when the phone rang. My surgeon's nurse called with the outstanding news of a reversal date...April 1st...!

I questioned her about April Fools' Day, but she assured me it was no joke.

You have no idea what this means to me...I have been waiting for a long time (I have had a colostomy for about 1 year).

...I might have a vodka and tonic tonight (maybe two...). :)

Sorry to put this out there, but I am feeling like Rocky Balboa at the moment...

Congratulations!

That's the day before my first surveillance colonoscopy. We can commiserate about the prep together. Though, I must say, you have much more to look forward to than I do. 😆

Congratulations, wishing you the best.

Great news! Celebrate and have some of the vodka for me!

I wish you well.

How to Adjust to Life with an Ostomy with Bruce | Hollister

Ditto

Good luck

Good news, my friend. I hope all goes well for you.

IGGIE

That's good news, wishing you well.

Omg, I get it! Finally! Understood! Fix me! Get it done! Yay! Good luck, my friend!

Best of luck and congratulations!

I am so happy for you! Good luck and a speedy recovery!

...not sure how to take that, but if I offended you in any way, please accept my apologies.

I was just excited. I should learn to keep things to myself.

Huh? I'm happy for you! What made you think you offended me? I'm not easily offended. I'm in a similar situation, stoma issues. Good luck to you, my friend. :) Write anytime.

Congrats and best of luck. I have had a reversal myself - no regrets. Wishing you a speedy recovery!

What great news! I hope it all goes really well and that your recovery is uncomplicated. I'm going for my fourth second opinion about reversing mine, but all is dependent on whether my endometrial cancer has returned - if not, I should be able to heal from the reversal, but if it has returned, I will most likely opt for a revision as my stoma is severely retracted and stenotic, which makes managing it very much a problem.

Good luck. I just got home from the hospital yesterday. My reversal surgery (laparoscopic) was this past Tuesday. There was a fair amount of discomfort for the first few days, but once I was able to pass gas confidently (without the need to sit on the toilet), the gas pain went away, and the pain that remains is from the incisions and healing ostomy. I also have a bit of fatigue that can hit somewhat abruptly. Better days are ahead. Best wishes to you on turning the page to a new chapter.

Hi f1fan107...

Can I ask you a question about things after your reversal? I know we are all different...

Surgery went well. Done at about 9 a.m. on Monday morning. I was on a liquid-type diet for 4 days and then went to a 'sort of' liquid diet, where they introduced me to yogurt, blended fruit, etc.

I finally passed gas, to the extreme :)... but I have yet to have an actual BM and am getting anxious about it.

Now it's Sunday... lots of gas, but that's it. Do you know or have you used a stool softener at all? Thinking it may help get the train to leave the station!

Any advice would be appreciated.

All the best.
Steve

Are you taking any opioids? If so, try to switch to acetaminophen or acetaminophen alternating with ibuprofen. Opioids are notorious for causing constipation.

Hi Susan... Thanks for the reply.

No... I went off all painkillers on the third day after surgery.

My system does not tolerate things like hydromorphone at all... I get severe nightmares. The other choice was Tylenol, and I declined it as it was about like eating a Tic Tac..!

I'm of the mindset to drop a Senokot pill(s) tonight at bedtime and hope that it clears things up.

I don't like how sleepy I get on opioids. Most don't even work on me because of an enzyme deficiency. My rescue med was hydromorphone (Dilaudid), which gives me crazy nightmares and hallucinations. I have to be very desperate to take that!

I used acetaminophen (Tylenol) for my pain. It was enough.

Sorry, I have no other specific advice. I haven't had that surgery, and I rarely get constipated... usually the opposite.

Hello Steve,

I was lucky and moved a small amount of loose stool the day after surgery. At first, I was taking one Docusate per day. Yesterday, at the suggestion of the visiting nurse, I increased it to two per day and was also using 1-2 packets of MiraLAX per day, and today was the best bowel day so far. I think the main reason I needed to increase my “assistance” is that I was mixing protein powder and amino acid powder in water 2-3 times per day, and I think it resulted in some constipation, although it definitely helped my energy and healing. I was taking painkillers, mostly Tylenol and Advil, and every once in a while a Tramadol, but today is the first day I have taken no pain meds. The most recent pain was mainly due to the skin irritation around where the ostomy incision was, and also when I rebandage the incision, it can be a bit painful if the gauze has attached to the new tissue. It will get better. It may take a bit of time, but the fact that you moved gas seems positive. You've also eaten a liquid diet for several days, so you may need to take in a little more food in order to produce some solid waste.

Best wishes, Joe