Hi @terrihodges, I see that you are getting ready to have your ileostomy reversal this week. I'm tagging @cjay so that they see your questions for them about what they experienced and what you might expect.

How are you feeling about the upcoming procedure?

I’m a month out from the reversal and I’m feeling pretty good. First tip.
Buy some adult diapers ( wish there was a better name!) you will need them for the ride home and maybe for the first few weeks, or longer. The issue is getting to the bathroom quickly enough. I use Always discreet boutique, low rise.
Take Loperamide (anti- diarrheal) every day. I took it 3x a day for the first few weeks. Now I take it every morning. (I didn’t yesterday and I had a bad time and couldn’t leave the bathroom for almost 1 hour.)
Eating is going to be trial and error like when you first had the ileostomy. Take Metamucil after EVERY meal. Just 1 tsp. Stirred into a little water to dissolve. This will save you!
I made rice (jasmine or basmati) and ate it at EVERY meal. And I kind of ate the same thing every day. Scrambled eggs and rice and toast in the morning, then Metamucil.
I grilled skinless & boneless chicken breasts every few days and ate that every day with rice.
I made the mistake of having a small salad with it one day and I couldn’t get off the toilet at all.
I still have not eaten lettuce again, but I have had tomatoes and celery.
I now eat tuna salad, egg salad, grilled cheese and soups. Also grilled plain fish. Not always eating rice, but pasta is good too to bind everything. Try out something first in a small quantity so you don’t get stuck in the bathroom for too long.
Go easy on exercise! The chance of incisional hernia is pretty common, so no straining too hard on the commode, and no lifting heavy. I still have a little burning pain at the site of the ileostomly, and some swelling there that seems to be finally going down. But my belly was pretty distended - I was told that’s swelling and scar tissue. I do a lot of walking, and gentle yoga and stretching.
I also take a very good organic probiotic EVERY DAY! Went to Whole Foods in the refrigerated supplements case.
I plan on going back to work at the beginning of December. I’m a chef, so long hours on my feet. That will take some navigating as far as what to eat and when. Every morning I have either my own high protein smoothie or an Ensure high protein drink 30 mg protein, 130calories only. (which sometime tends to give me diarrhea so I make sure to take Loperamide and Metamucil after. )
My surgeon sent me home with a big tube of zinc oxide. It saved my life! Your butt is going to get really sore and the zinc oxide gives you a barrier protection and it’s very very soothing. Make sure you go home with that!
I knew this was going to be a novel! Good luck, and be patient with your body and be kind to yourself😘
Edited to add: if you have ANY questions or concerns after you come home, don’t hesitate to send me a message. If I can help I sure will!