Having My Reversal Surgery - Seeking Advice and Experiences

Hi everyone,

I don't really post, just read a lot. I wanted to thank everyone for all the great advice. I'm having my reversal surgery on Friday, July 7th and I have to say I'm quite nervous. I shouldn't be, this will be my 6th surgery overall and 3rd in the past 12 months. It all started on July 6th, 2022, with perforated diverticulitis and I ended up with a colostomy. I was supposed to have the reversal in February but they found a big abscess and they couldn't do it, so it was rescheduled. I was sent to a specialist at a University hospital here in the Chicago area. I recently had a CT scan and everything looks good, the doctor is very confident so I don't know why I'm so nervous. Well, I was just wondering if anyone could share their colostomy reversal experience. I know it varies with everyone but things like recovery time, going to the toilet normally again, etc. Thank you for that and thanks again for everything I've learned this past year.

Chewy

Wishing you the best with surgery and a speedy and full recovery. When you're up to it, please share your progress with us...thanks. JB

Good luck with your reversal. I think it is normal to be a little nervous with any surgery, but you will be fine. Do come back and let us all know how you are doing.

Hello Chewy

I cannot answer your question as I have different circumstances, but nevertheless I hope you get all you wish for.

Axl

Good luck with your reversal. I understand you are nervous, as I am booked in for a reversal on August 3rd.

Take care, and let us know how it went. All the best, Bill.

Stories of Living Life to the Fullest from Ostomy Advocates I Hollister

Good luck Chewy... but I'm sure you won't need it! Glad to hear another one won't need this group!

;O)

I lived in Chicago for many years and have a lot of family there still. It seems like a lot of the hospitals are under 2 of the university umbrellas now. A friend recently (within the past few months) had a colostomy reversal. I'll see if she can share some of her experience.
It's normal to be nervous before a surgery, because of that I kinda prefer emergency surgeries then I don't have time to think about it beforehand.

Important question: Cubs or White Sox?

-Jodie

And I hope you get all you wish for, Bill.

You got this, Chewy!!! One more walk through and hopefully home free!

I'm the friend J refers to, I'd be happy to at least make an attempt to answer any questions you might have. My reversal was March 30, for reference, I also had a perforation caused by diverticulitis (sigmoid colon). Go Brewers!!

I'm still here, Bob! (Though admittedly not as much)

Thank you!

Thanks everyone. I had the reversal surgery Friday morning and it was successful. However, later I started feeling bad and it turns out I had internal bleeding and was rushed into another surgery. Luckily, it was just from an incision and not the bowel. I felt pretty good after the first surgery which was done with the robot but the second one was more invasive and I feel terrible. It was expected that I'd be out of the hospital today but that's not happening. I just got out of the ICU and don't know when I'll get out but the good news is once I heal up I'll be back to normal. But I keep getting these thoughts in my head about feeling guilty that I'm getting back to normal and so many people have to live with an ostomy for the rest of their lives. I have so much respect for everyone that has to do that. Thanks again.

Chewy, I'm sorry you had to experience all of that after a relatively easy reversal. Hopefully you will feel a little better every day. You shouldn't beat yourself up with guilt over crossing to the "other side" (haha!) There are folks who are thriving with their ostomies and those who are having a rough time of it just as there are those who do well with reversal and those who don't. There's a spectrum of situations and we all fall somewhere on it. No guilt, just heal well and enjoy your life. I hope you get discharged soon!

Wildflower, you're the bestest

Ugh, I'm sorry. Post-surgery complications suck. The extra time at the hospital will go by fast unless you have a 2nd roomie like I did. I can't make the stuff up that she was doing.
What's the verdict on eating? Like how long till Chicago pizza or Portillo's? If you're nauseated at all, forget I asked that.

Sox. South side

Bugger. I don't know if we can be friends.

My cousin's stepson has a genetic disorder and is a hardcore Cubs fan. His dad likes the Sox. They went to a Sox game as a family last summer.... The whole time he was singing really loud "Hey Chicago what'd you say? Cubs are gonna win today." I'm sure you've heard this song...maybe? I told her stepson I was so proud of him.

I did live downtown when the Sox won the World Series, which was a few years ago now, but it was a fun night.

Hey Chewy. I'm an ulcerative colitis patient. I lost my entire large colon. I've had the reversal. So happy, I could zip my jeans and both sides of my tummy looked equal. I loved it. Then I developed an anal-vaginal fistula. Miserable. When you have the drop down, the cons are frequent diarrhea, poop coming out of my vagina, and "diaper rash." Painful. I started using baby diaper rash ointment to help with the pain of frequent movements and provided a skin barrier on my bottom. I finally went back and my ileostomy was put back in place. No fistulas and no running to the toilet and no baby rash bloody sores. Happy to be back on the bag. I'm 67 so I guess I'm just too old to worry about how a bag looks on an old gal. Wish you the best of luck. Don't let my situation get you down. As you know, each journey is our own story. Take care. "Bottoms Up"

Hello! I just returned home from an ileostomy reversal and am curious about the fistula that you mentioned. Do they know the cause of the fistula?

I had my reversal ileostomy done February 15th. My life is better but one thing.. I've had severe diarrhea since... I never use toilet paper anymore and have switched to Preparation H and Huggies baby wipes.