This topic is about what to expect after having a colostomy reversal surgery, particularly focusing on bowel movements, hospital stay duration, and concerns about constipation. Here's some helpful advice and insights shared by others who have gone through similar experiences:

- Passing gas by the third day after surgery is a positive sign. Many people experience their first bowel movement between the second and fourth day, although this can vary. If your bowel was diverted for a longer period, like two years, it might take a bit longer for normal function to return.

- Opioid pain medications and the typical low-residue diet after surgery can cause constipation. Here are some suggestions to help manage this:
1. Try to reduce opioid use as soon as you can, and consider switching to non-opioid pain relievers like paracetamol or acetaminophen, but make sure to discuss this with your surgical team first.
2. If you haven't had a bowel movement soon, ask your doctor about options to stimulate bowel movements or soften stools.

- It's common to have small, thin stools initially. The size and volume of stools usually return to normal over about six weeks.

- The usual hospital stay for an open colostomy reversal is around 7 to just over 10 days, which matches the estimate given by the surgeon.