TO HAVE OR NOT TO HAVE THAT IS THE QUESTION?

  Reading some of the things on this forum have really freaked me out. I'm due to go into surgery Tuesady, and at this point don't know what to do? I'm supposed to go in for an ileocolectomy and a resection, but most people say that they form hernia's or either they have to go back in to repair the leak, and that they were near to death. This freaks me out. I mean my surgeon says that he has done over 300 of these operations, but when my father asked about the success rate he gave us statistics. Like 1 in 100 people may have complications or death. Then he was like the surgery has a 90% and greater success rate. I mean I know that I'm losing blood from this spot, but I'm not really in any pain only like when I eat. I only wiegh 110 lbs but before this desease was never really big anyway. I'm just really freaked out from the thought of surgery. At this point I don't know what to do, my parents are pushing me to have the surgery, but I'm very skeptical, they think I would benefit from having this done, but I'm really afraid of surgery. I can tolerate most foods like dairy, but I know to stay away from peanuts and sneaker bars., I can drink ensure without naseau, I mean I rarely have it, most times I have it is like when I go back into a flare, but my flares are mostly minor to medium range. The docs say that I'm anemic and would benefit, but once again I'm afraid of the complications that could come from this surgery. I just want to live a normal life. Docs always say that the disease can be treated but, they don't mention how drastic the outcomes can be, if only the docs really knew. Could anyone just reassure me that this surgery isn't that bad. I'm even afraid of the anasteshia that they will give me to knock me out, and I here that they put an epideral in as well, wow what the.... I mean what am I in for. My surgeon says most people stay in the hospital five days after surgey and many don't lose that much blood from it. My surgery is supposed to be an 1 1/2 hours in which the doc says, is this true. This surgeon has 23 years experience should I go for it. I mean I've been prayin alot. My surgeon also say that most people who get it done go into remission immediatley, and if you take ur meds has a 50% chance of it coming back. But i personally think that if you take too many meds right after than it can give you the crap back itself, by just taking the meds. He said if I didn't take the meds than it was a 75% chance that it would return. I mean so many statistics. Could some body  who has had this surgery done please, give me some advice. I am freaked out! REALLY THINKING about BACKING OUT!

He never said anything about an epidermal but I see that most people on this forum had one. These are the facts that he gave me. 1. ileocolectomy, 2. It takes him 1 1/2 hours, 3. open Surgery, 4. General Anesteshia, 5. Many people don't bleed that much from the surgery so no blood transfusions, but in my case I'm anemic he will get my blood type if he saw I needed it after surgery, 6. 5 day hospital stay. These are basically all the facts that he gave me.

 i had the surgery in feb and was just as nervous as you it does not help i have panic attacks but it was one of the hardest things i have done in my life.  as for pain there is not much they give you good drugs. i had complications of the wound not healing and had to be in hospital for 3 weeks!!! it was 3 months until i was back at work, on the flip side i am pain free for the first time in 8 years. every challenge you face with chrons can be complicated but i believe we are not given anything we can't eventually learn to deal with. oh and by the way the scar is pretty Knarley

This is my first surgery and really don't know what to expect. When they put you to sleep does it fell like you wake right back up?

Gee I think it sort of is like when you go to bed and wake up in the morning . How old are you if you don't mind my asking in your teens or twenty's . They put a IV in my hand and some meds and I was out like a light. Did you have a IV before? lol gail

I had pretty much the same surgery a year ago. It was the best thing I could have done. Even though the disease has come back, while on meds, I feel so much better. A year ago I could barely walk up the hill in front of our house and now I walk 2 miles every evening. I look at it this way: don't have the surgery and be sick and miserable until you end up having the surgery anyway, or have the surgery now and start feeling better in a couple of weeks and deal with whatever happens when it happens later. The surgery itself isn't bad, they knock you out and if you ask for it they should give you something before they even wheel you into the operating room. The epidural is nice because it provides 24 hours of pain relief and it works very well! You won't even know about it, they do that after you're asleep, and its done in alot of surgeries. After that you will probably be on a pain pump for awhile, where you control your own pain relief. You will likely have a catheter in for a day or two, but that can be a blessing because you won't be getting up for the first day. I woke up in recovery for a few seconds, but didn't wake again until I was in my room. All I did was sleep the day of surgery. My surgery ended up being about 4 hours, it was supposed to be less than 2, but they found a mess in my intestines, fistulas they didn't know were there, and ended up removing more than was planned. I have an 8 inch scar but its going away and I haven't treated it with anything other than cocoa butter. I hope this helps you understand a little better what is going to happen. It really isn't that bad, you just have to lay back and let the surgeon and his nurses do all the work. Good luck and I'll be praying for you.

I'm 21 years old. I was looking forward to life, and still am. Wow it looks like I'm in for a long battle with this disease. Where did this come from. I mean it started out by me having a stomach ache in the middle of the night every week. Then it was twice a week. Then hurting while eating. Someone please find a cure, this disease as got me terrified. I never been cut open. My doc insured me he'll make the cut small as he can due to my size, but being cut open is so traumatic the the mind, anxiety sets in.

Hi No it does not hurt being put in or taken out. Doesn't hurt while it is in either. I had mine in for a couple of days it just keeps everything running out and you don't have to go pee which saves bathroom running until you get walking better . lol gail