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Ileocecectomy/ small bowel resection surgery recovery time?

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Posted 1/6/2012 7:16 PM (GMT 0)
Hello everyone it's been quite a while since I have posted and that is mainly due to the fact that not much has changed since the last few posts. I am still suffering from an enterocutaneous fistula located on my right upper pelvic area. I finally found an amazing surgeon and I trust her skill set and knowledge. I am scheduled for surgery on January 18th. I am having a ileocecectomy and a small bowel resection.

I would like to know if anyone has had this surgery (I'm sure plenty of you have) and if so could you tell me how long the recovery is and how painful it is. I know everyone is different when it comes to pain tolerance/recovery etc. but any information about this surgery will be helpful. My Doctor is going to attempt it laproscopically but she said I very well may have to be opened up due to all the issues going on inside.

If you want to give me any information or share your story I would really appreciate it. Be as descriptive as you like and don't feel you have to cut it short, I like to read about personal experiences. The more detail the better.

Take care guys and I hope to hear from you.
Posted 1/6/2012 8:08 PM (GMT 0)
I had an ileocecal resection done in 2001.  Compared to the pain I was in prior to surgery with the stricture and all, the surgery was a breeze and I felt immediate relief.  I still had pain, but it was a different kind of pain.  I was in the hospital for 8 days and off work for 4 weeks.  It was well worth it and I had 10 good years following the surgery.  I currently am in a flare, but had hardly any symptoms for 10 years.   Good luck with your surgery.
Posted 1/6/2012 8:32 PM (GMT 0)
kprice19: I am so sorry to hear that you are experiencing a flare up at this time, I hope you get it under control soon....Hang in there.

Did you have your ileocecal resection done laproscopically or did you have an open surgery? Thanks for taking the time to respond.
Posted 1/8/2012 3:43 AM (GMT 0)
Good luck with your planned surgery. I had my ileocecal valve removed in June 2011. My surgeon was able to do it laparoscopically. The day after surgery was the worst for me, and the pain got better each day afterwards. I had surgery on a Monday and was off prescription pain meds by the following Monday. I did continue to take Tylenol for a week after that.

Get up and walk multiple times each day. They make it a point to have you walk as soon as possible that 2nd day. The third day I was walking every 3-4 hours...also sitting up. I couldn't lay flat in the bed at the hospital. I had to have it propped up. After a walk, I'd sit up in the chair next to my bed. I tried to do that often, too, and not just lay down in bed all day. All this helps the digestive tract kind of "wake up" and start moving again. The quicker all that happens, the better you'll feel and the sooner you'll get home.

Check the 2nd link in my signature for more details on my story.
Posted 1/9/2012 5:35 PM (GMT 0)
Clonehead: Thanks for sharing your story. You were able to have your surgery laproscopically which is nice and I have heard that recovery is shorter for lapro as well. I sure hope they are able to do it that for me. As long as this surgery is done correctly I honestly wouldn't care if they had to open me up as long as the result is positive. I am so sick of suffering! So how many days did you stay in the hospital and did you lose a lot of weight?
Posted 1/9/2012 7:44 PM (GMT 0)
I had surgery on Monday morning and was discharged on Friday afternoon. I didn't have my first BM until Sunday, and from what I've read here a lot of doctors/hospitals won't discharge you until you've had your first BM.

My surgical prep was a full liquid diet on Saturday and a clear liquid diet on Sunday. Before starting these liquid diets, I weighed about 162-163 on Saturday morning. I don't recall being weighed at the hospital. By the next Saturday morning at home, I was down under 160 pounds. I bottomed out on the Tuesday (eight days after surgery) at 155, but that was the floor for me.

about 3.5-4 months later, I was back at 170, which is my target weight. I was underweight at 162. I've held steady at 170-171 pounds in the 3 months since hitting 170.

I had previously dropped from 170 to 160 from Nov 2009-Nov 2010. Then, dropped another 10 pounds in just 3 months from Nov 2010 to Feb 2011. At 150, I was feeling terrible and losing weight fast. Ensure supplements, more liquid diet in general, a heavy dose of steriods and a switch to Humira all helped me gain some of that weight back. My doc preferred me to be at a healthier 160 than 150 for my surgery. If I wouldn't have responded to diet/drug change, and/or continued to lose weight, I would have had the surgery sooner.
Posted 1/10/2012 1:50 AM (GMT 0)
Hi there,

     I just had small bowel resection done in Oct. They removed 18 inches.  I had a major obstruction and was in soooo much pain for a long time, the surgery seemed like a breeze, and I felt like a million bucks afterwards.  I was in the hospital for 3 weeks prior to surgery so as to gain weight. (I was down to 94lbs. from 120lbs.  So IV feeding through pic line was super.  After surgery, I left a week later...after BM. 

    

The worst part of the whole thing was the NG. Or nose hose as I call it.  It sucks everything out of your stomach.  But what a pain in the nose and throat!  (may have been the jerk in ER that did it)  I think the tube was too big in diameter, and he was in a hurry and just jammed it in...you probley won't have that problem.

    

They did "open" me up, about a 8 inch cut, lots of staples..I did a lot of short walks following surgery as I heard it helps release all the gasses that are in there from the procedure.  It worked, as I had no pains like a lot of people say they have.  They also let me chew gum, as that helps too.

    

A week after surgery they let me go, and said take it easy, don't lift anything heavier than a gallon of milk.  So far, so good.  Had I known how much better I would feel after the resection...I would have done it way sooner! 

    

It is nice that you know you are having it done (mine was an emergency room visit that turned into a month long project!) Its good to ask a lot of questions, the people here are most helpfull.  I took my laptop in so was able to communicate with this board, much help. 

    

 I wish you much luck, and a speedy recovery!  I have a feeling you will do very well. Please keep us posted.  If you have any more questions, feel free to ask...I did! 

feel better soon,  Kathy

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