my temp loop ileostomy reversal, need answers please!

hello everyone, really hopping some of you can help as you all seam to be extremly knowledgable on this site!

im a 25yr onld male from the uk, was diagnosed with crohns in late jully this year after nearly a year of constant pain, and longer before that of nearly everyday pain (i was originaly told i had ibs untill i pesterd my gp to be sent to a specialist)

in one of my meetings with the specialist they noticed the hard lump i could feel near my appendix removal scar, and decided to keep me in, i had a ct and x ray with contrast etc.... and they decided to keep me in for a wekk to try antibiotics and steroids, theses didn't work and they decided that because the bowel (i think the part is called the terminal ileas?) had become so narrowed and basically messed up with scarring etc... that i needed a bowel resection.

they took about a ft i beleive in the end and i ended up with a temporary loop ileostomy

im due to have it reversed on the 21st dec, and tbh i can not wait as i've absolutly hated having the stoma, not gotten on with it at all, had problems with leaks, and the subsequant burns/soreness that results etc... so really looking forward to the reversal and getting back to a normal life!

i've had absolutly no pain internally since my op, there are no plans for me to have a j pouch or anything like that at all it will simply be a reversal of the loop ileo and everything will be back to normal inside me (minus the bit of bowel that was removed)

but i have quite a few questions, i've had a look around but the only answers i've found for my question relate to people with other dieseases, complications, having a j pouch created etc.... none of which applies to me

so basically my questions are:

what to expect straight after the op, i've heard people can get dihorea almost incontenent for a while after? also heard that i may loose a lot of weight after the op? (i lost a lot before my surgery dur to the crohns, but have put on about 2st since having the stoma)

will i be able to drink alchohol after my reversal? i never noticed that it caused me any problems paticularly before the op, and i wont be on any meds straight away at least (so assume no meds)

as my crohns seams to be in full remission, and i still have my rectum etc.... etc... and i'll be totally normal inside after the op, does this mean that once everything is fuly healed i'll be able to basically live a fully normal life, eating and drinking what i wish? (i understand if i go on meds then booze may be out, and that also some foods may cause my crohns to flare up)

also how long can i expect to be in hospital for the reversal op? i understand this can vary greatly depeding on how i heal but im after just a rough guide, as to what the soonest i could expect would be. but tbh im not bothered if im in hospital over xmas/boxing day as i'll just be sooo happy to not have the stoma anymore!

i'd really appreciate any and all answers to my question, and i ask that all replys be kept as simple to understand (medical terms etc...) as im no where near as knowledgable as many on this site seam to be!

many thanks

mark

Mark, I had my ileostomy reversal in April. I was in the hospital a week, but I think a lot of that was due to I had a lot of adhesions, from the first surgery, and my doctor took it really slow with me. The pain was better than the first surgery, and I had a dilaudid pump after the second surgery. I asked for anything but morphine, after the second surgery. I itched so bad, and sweated so much, with the morphine (both normal reactions), that I didn't want to go through that again. I wasn't out of bed, until the fifth day after surgery, because that was the first the doctor wanted me out of bed. I don't know why. I had a catheter, until day six, I think after surgery. It was driving me nuts!! I wanted to walk, and between it and the horrid IV pole, that wouldn't move, I didn't like walking.

Sit up in a chair, and walk as soon as possible after surgery!! Both will help with the pain.

Hi Mark reading your post is like reading my story as far a the stoma goes!!!! never bonded with it and had nothing but problems also looking forward to getting it reversed.After i had a resection years ago and healed i basically led a normal life ate and drank what i liked with no probs till last year. this time around i had two resections of the small bowel and a fistula sorted out thats how i ended up with an ileo. I had an epidural to knock me out and used for pain relief after as well as the morphine pump i had no pain whatsoever only gas pain in my back at day four, im going for that option when i get the reversal done it was great! wish you luck with your op you will have to come back here and let me know what its like!!!!!! once you have recovered get out there and live your life to the fullest!! i hope you get a really really long remmision thats what i'm aiming for again!!Bev x

Mark, when i had the previous resection i had was in the large bowel I have always since then had D my surgeon said it would always be like that although by changing my diet would make it thicker But i love my food so much and managed to control thr D by taking Lomotil 2 tabs in the morning and wouldn't need to go till way over 4pm in the afternoon so it doesn't really affect my life. I have seen a few posts too where some people have suffered after having a reversal with D but then others saying no probs. hopefully someone will be along that will be able to help you could also go to www.c3forlife.com thats also a really helpful site about reversals and loads of other things keep in touch Bev x