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Bowel Resection This Friday

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Posted 1/19/2010 7:03 PM (GMT 0)
Hello. I have a bowel resection coming this friday. It's my first Crohn's surgery.

They think they only need to take about a foot of my small intestine (terminal ileum), as it's heavily scarred and inflamed and I have a bladder fistula, which they suspect is coming from there. If it's coming from somewhere else (large bowel), that's gonna be even more intensive and probably require a bag. It's going to be laparoscopic.

I'm obviously very nervous about the surgery, but I've read about the procedure and recovery and feel a bit better. Any advice would be helpful.

I know pimfram recently had one. I was wondering (from pimfram or anyone else) how long it was before you could sit comfortably in a chair at, say, a computer. I'm trying to tell people when I'll be able to work again. Thanks everyone. Prayers and best to you all.
Posted 1/19/2010 7:32 PM (GMT 0)
Wish I could offer advice, but my resect was almost 20 years ago and emergent. I just wanted to say to try to relax as much as possible before hand and we will think of you until you can post a post-surgery reply
Posted 1/19/2010 7:33 PM (GMT 0)
I had surgery in Mid November, large incision to remove a stricture, I lost 3 inches of colon, and they cut right through my stomach muscles.

It is not really sitting down that hurts, it is trying to get back up that hurts. Not too bad now, but a couple months ago, I was wishing I had a large rope tied to the ceiling, so I could use my arms to pull myself up out of the couch with. Anytime I need to use my stomach muscles to do something, it is gonna hurt, and surprisingly, they are used ALOT. It is not so bad now, but they are still pretty sore. It feels like I did 1000 situps yesterday.

I can drive myself, I am mobile, and I am headed back to start exercising again today. The hardest part of all this has been me having to relax, take it easy, become a couch potato, and not lift any weight.

Good Luck
Posted 1/19/2010 8:46 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks, you two. Best again to both of you. I have a laptop so I'll be reporting back here as soon as I can.

I was in a five month flare, so I'm pretty well used to sitting around doing nothing. I was useless from July '09 on. Very scary. Good to know about the stomach muscles.

I'm not too anxious right now, and during the pre-op this morning, they said they would give me some valium on Friday morning before everything starts. I'll take anything I can get at this point. I'd actually like some valium right now. Or maybe an anvil.

To fall on my head.
Posted 1/20/2010 12:15 AM (GMT 0)
I had my resection on a Monday (a few years ago) and I could sit comfortably within a few days. By the time I got out of the hospital on Saturday, I could sit for hours. Sitting was the easy part. As Homeboy said, getting up is the harder part. My surgery was laproscopic with a short incision (about 3 inches) under my belly button to remove the intestine.

I was really tired for weeks after the surgery, I could not have stayed awake and functioned at a desk job for at least three weeks. I went back to work after 6 weeks and still needed a nap as soon as I got home.

I strongly suggest you ask for the maximum time you can get. It's easier to go back to work earlier than to ask for more time off. Also, I love to go back on a Wednesday so you get a weekend right when you need one. If you can't take enough time off, see if you can go back half days for the first week. If you overdo it, you'll have more pain or pick up whatever bug is going around.

Good luck.
Posted 1/20/2010 2:48 AM (GMT 0)
I had my surgery 4 weeks ago and am essentially back to normal. No pain, except that I am occasionally sore at the site of the re-connection. I had an open surgery, but the incision was only about 3 inches long. Haven't taken anything for pain in at least 2 weeks. I was fairly prepared with what my surgery was going to be like, since my father had a colectomy a number of years ago. I got some advice from him, mainly about not taking off work prior to surgery (to keep my mind off the upcoming surgery) and to walk ASAP. I had my surgery Monday pm and was discharged Friday pm, so I was out quickly. Pain wasn't really a huge issue, even after I was discharged, and 10mg of percocet seemed to handle it well. As for returning to work, it's probably not a good idea to do so while still on narcotics. Obviously, it can impair you and it's not even a good idea to drive. I sat the day after surgery and things were all right, but pain meds obviously factor into that. The only thing that has ever been uncomfortable is a seat belt.
Posted 1/20/2010 3:42 AM (GMT 0)
Just wanted to thank everyone for sharing their experiences, and to wish the OP luck on Friday. I'm having the same surgery (though my fistulas are in a different area) - also a first since diagnosis - as soon as I can (have the surgery consult next Thurs).

OP - as soon as you feel up to it, I'd love to hear how it went. I've also been flaring since last summer and know how anxious you must be to have some relief.
Posted 1/20/2010 5:20 AM (GMT 0)
Dagger - good advice about the Wednesday thing. I will do that if I can. Also the warnings about the tiredness. I've got four weeks booked off right now, with some wiggle room. Hopefully that will be enough. I hadn't planned on being so tired... just out of it from meds.

pim - thanks for your reply. Glad to hear you're doing so well. I've actually been a little worried about the seatbelt because I do a lot of driving. Good to know that's not my imagination running away with me.

Aimee - I will report back here and let you know everything, hopefully a lot sooner than later. I'm sorry to hear about your flare. You know what took me out of my flare? The antibiotics for the fistula. I was days from going on Humira, because nothing else was working (steroids, 6mp) and the antibiotics for the fistula (Bactrim, then Flagyl) pretty much destroyed the flare to the point where I went from lots and lots of pain every day, to hardly any pain at all. The relief was almost immediate. Fairly miraculous if you ask me. Everyone is different, but if nothing else is working for you, see if you can try some antibiotics. I had lost all hope of ever getting out of that flare. It was devastating, and by far the worst of my life. Thanks for the well wishes... I'll let you know how it goes, hopefully from the hospital!

Thanks everyone for the details and advice. I'm shaking here now thinking about Friday. Back to doing something else and forgetting about it. Your help is much appreciated!!!

P.S. to Aimee - Check this thread out in another place. So many detailed experiences. It helped me prepare for this thing A LOT.

tinyurl.com/yzam6cp
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