Bye bye junior!

[Pointy_ears]

We all knew this day was coming Junior has been reversed on Thursday 11 April 2013. It's weird not having him although the surgeons told me the procedure went well!

I don't feel like it did as I havent passed any wind since Friday morning and my consultants seen it fit to give me jelly and ice cream! Friday morning my epidural also stopped working leaving me in agony until they could does me up to the eyeballs on morphine through a PCA pump. I've been sitting out of bed most the day and have been marching on the spot to try and help my bowels mobilise! I've also been steadily trying to cut back on the amount of morphine I'm using to help things along too!

I'm just feeling so rough right now I wish I'd know when the pain will stop and when I can fart again so I can look forward to my first normal poop! I've tried moving round on the spot leg exercises and even got back into bed unaided but it doesn't seem to have helped!

 

[Samboi]

Keep us updated Pointy Ears.
I'm always keen to hear about reversal stories so I can prepare for mine.
I'm sorry you're in such pain though.
I'm excited for you and your first poop - let us know when it arrives so we can celebrate with you!
Sounds like its a timid one though!

 

[Jim (POPS)]

Ya, I lost my friend (my good old bag) about 8 months ago. I will take some time to heal, it took me about 2 weeks to feel much better. I had stools after 3 days without the bag. At first there were around 8-12 a day and it went down with every day. After about 2 months I was having 1-3 a day and it stayed that way till about 3-4 weeks ago and then went down to one a day. It had been so long since I had a real poo, now when I go I still have to look at it before I flush and say, "Good bye my friend" I just might not ever get use to it. OOO well, Take it slow and things will be just fine soon.

Jim (Pops)

 

[Pointy_ears]

Thanks Samboi and Pops, I'll keep you both I formed! The registra has had a look at me this morning as its Sunday and there's no consultants in *rolls eyes* ( attendings for our American friends.) She thinks my pain is largely gassy pains and will improve with out morphine as the stuff can make you constipated. So the nurses have been busy taking down my drips and encouraging me to get on my feet. They've said I may be allowed some bus open and peppermint tea to encourage me to fart! So fingers crossed.

 

[Jaano711]

Oh to fart again! No chance for me but they still make me laugh!

 

[2thFairy]

Good deal that surgery went well. Fingers crossed that the rest of you kicks in today! It's great to hear from you again, Pointy Ears!!!

 

[Pointy_ears]

Lunch came and I couldn't face it, I was way too gassy to eat! Still no word on the buscopan I was promised or peppermint tea. Does anyone have any tips for passing wind? This is becoming as bad as the day the epidural failed!

 

[2thFairy]

Walking is the best advice I have. Walk as much as you can, whcih I know is not easy at the moment. Chewing gum can sometimes stimulate the bowels to move around, so that might be worth a shot.

 

[Pointy_ears]

Walking I'm doing as well as trying to drink plea ty of fluids since my clever surgeon asked for my fluids to come down. I'm up on my feet as much as I can tolerate. In some respects I wish I could have rideded out the wound pain and avoided the gut numbing morphine!

 

[Downnvrout]

I had my reversal in October and my first bowel movement 5 days later. Like everyone suggests, walk, walk, and walk. It took me about 3 weeks before I started to feel human again. I only have 6 inches of my colon left so I still go a lot and probably always will but I have come to terms with that. I hope things happen soon for you so that you can have some relief!

 

[Pointy_ears]

Well they gave me a suppository yesterday, and I've managed to start farting on and off, which is some relief! I'm hoping more will come out soon!

Just had the dressing re-done so I'm just having a quick lie down to let the soreness settle. Then it'll be back off for a wander!

 

[Samboi]

How long did it take for your bowels to wake up when the Stoma was installed?
I'm wondering if there is a correlation between installation and removal bowel wake up times?
Clutching at straws really .......

 

[Pointy_ears]

My Stoma worked straight away really, if anything my Stoma could be a little over active at times. From what I've heard and seen its harder to recover from the reversal than the resection.

 

[Samboi]

Oh dear - I hope not!! It took me months to recover from the Stoma!!
I'm allowing 4-6 weeks recovery for the reversal.
But I have a terrible tendency to think I'm super-human!
Talk about deluded!

 

[2thFairy]

Several people here have had rather quick recoveries after reversal...much faster than stoma placement. Don't lose faith just yet!!

 

[Downnvrout]

My recovery was much easier after reversal because i wasn't sick anymore. Any surgery presents challenges but it definitely helped that I was much healthier overall when my reversal was done. hang in there, it will get easier.

 

[Samboi]

That's what I'm hoping!
I'm actually preparing for my reversal surgery by doing yoga and taking long walks.
I will be in tip top condition.

 

[Downnvrout]

I hope you're feeling better Pointy Ears Keep it up Samboi. It will definitely help!

 

[annawato]

Pointy ears the thing I found best for gas pains was peppermint lollies made from real peppermint oil which my husband bought at our local supermarket. Also he got me some peppermint drops from the health food shop and of course peppermint tea is helpful too. You could also try charcoal tablets from the chemist - in Australia we have a product called Degas - but I didn't find it very helpful. Buscopan can be good but its more to stop spasms so may actually slow down the bowel waking up. As I'm writing this I'm really hoping you have already got rid of the wind though - its an incredibly painful thing to have and no pain med helps. So fingers crossed for you.

Samboi, last time I was reversed I found it a lot easier than the original surgery. Yes you are sore but not as bad as when they put it in and cut out bowel and adhesions etc. I was cut right down the middle for the reversal but this isn't always the case. You may be able to have it done thru the stoma hole so less wounds to hurt. Great you are getting so prepared for it, that is sure to help.

 

[Jaano711]

Oh Pointy
I do hope the gas pains are feeling better. I can remember when i had a partially laproscopic resection the pain. i was in agony and nothing would ease the pain. i did find a heat pack quite good, but im hearing you re the pain

 

[Pointy_ears]

Well the gas has now turned to near triumphant farting and I'm passing some really loose stools several times a day so the gass pains have started resolving them selves. They told me my colon was still quite heavy and loaded with poo from before my first operation which hasn't helped with the bowels waking up. But after an enema and some lactulose later things are starting to work.

I'm back on to soft foods now and the consultants are discharging me this afternoon leaving me to the tender mercies of the district nurses for wound management for the incision. So hopefully things will start to firm up soon and then life will be back to normal!

 

[Jaano711]

Great to hear Pointy Ears. Freedom. There is nothing quiet like it!!!

I am also glad to hear you can fart again. There is also nothing quiet like rejoicing in farts and poops.

 

[Pointy_ears]

The farthings nice just wish the dioreah would turn into something at least like the consistency of curry. At the moment I think I feel worse than I did with the stoma. After having the stoma I was eating what ever I liked by now and shopping for my daughters birthday. This time I feel bound to the toilet and like I have to really watch my diet.

I'm starting to think I should have kept the stoma!

 

[annawato]

Its only eleven days, be patient and be kind to yourself. Things will improve:ghug:

 

[Pointy_ears]

I know I should be patient, but it's difficult when your bum burns with diarrheah that wakes you up in the middle of the night. I kind of miss my Stoma right about now, which I know sounds really ungrateful after all the effort the surgeons went to doing the reversal, especially as I took up 3 of the top gastro surgeons in the West Midlands. It's just after being ill so long last year I was just looking forward to at least a solid year of good health bag or no bag.

 

[annawato]

Yes its so frustrating to expect to have everything improve only to find that things are worse. Hopefully your body will soon adjust and start behaving itself. I remember when I had my first stoma reversed I missed it for a while. Though I didn't miss having to empty the bag at night. Try and think of all the things you hated about the stoma and see if that helps? Fingers crossed.
:heart: anna

 

[Pointy_ears]

Well I'm finally comfy enough to be reunited with Benny (my guitar) I've been trying to learn some new songs for Children in Need because I know after comic relief the office are going to want me to play again! So that's helped to take my mind off things. Unfortunately I still got my post op voice so when I'm singing high notes it sounds like a cats being strangled lol.

Not to mention there is a really cute student nurse who's coming along to do my dressings, I'm actually contemplating asking if she wants to go for a drink when I've healed up properly. But I'm beginning to think that's really unethical!

 

[annawato]

I think it owuld only be unethical if she initiated it. But quite ok if you do and she says yes, so I say go for it. . Enjoy.

 

[MsOJ]

I had my reversal just before Xmas, it does get better!!! They managed to cut around the stoma so it wasn't that painful. BM's have gone back to about normal - I still get a little tired but fingers crossed I'll be back to normal soon.

 

[Pointy_ears]

I'm free of the nurses now. Unfortunately I didn't get to see the cute student nurse again :-(

The bowels are still playing up but I see my gastro doc next week, I'm guessing it's hello Questran.

 

[Jaano711]

Glad to hear your out 'for good behaviour I hope'. Also hoping that your bowel starts doing the right thing. I have to admit that I do NOT miss the burning red raw butt. I hope that its not to sore when your sitting around with Benny.