Hi Nick,
I had my takedown at 62, about 2 1/2 years ago and find that my output varies. One thing that is very important in the beginning is to follow the low residue diet. I did have some night time leakage for a while, but rarely ever have any now. If I do, it’s minimal. Just in case, it’s good to have pads for the bed. I had some of the washable ones from the hospital from my Dad. You could also use the disposable ones that can be bought at your local pharmacy. I just remember the first night I got home, I had terrible leakage and was pretty discouraged at the time. But over time things got better.
In the beginning, I did not use any thickening agents, or anything to slow things down, but after a little while, my surgeon recommended Lomotil, Immodium, Pepto, and Benefiber. At this point, I take Benefiber in the morning, 2 Lomotil when needed during the day and 2 before bed. My output does vary depending on what I eat and to be honest I haven’t really figured things out completely in that area. You’ll be able to see what works best for you through trial and error.
Not sure if I answered your questions. Just be prepared before your surgery as much as you can. I’m assuming you have butt cream already. I brought mine to the hospital with me and started using it right away. And, for me, the butt burn was the worse of it all. That also got better after time and now I rarely if ever get any. Calmoseptine worked for me but there are others you can try.
Anyway, good luck with your surgery!