Did your surgery help?

Oh, yeah!!! My resection of 18" of the mid-ileum blessed me w/a 20 year remission of disease activity! I firmly believe I was blessed w/that surgical success due to my disease activity having been put into remission prior to the surgery. I had been on IVs and an NG tube for 6 weeks prior to the surgery due to an obstruction and likely perforation which was the result of 2 1/2 years of disease activity w/no let up so plenty of scar tissue at the site. This sounds like an excellent time for you to have the surgery. Good luck and God bless!!!!!!

My 38 year old cousin had 5 inches of TI removed last july and has been symptom free ever since.  Prior to removal, she was in excruciating pain for 6 months due to a mass of inflammation and an abcess in the TI area.  GI kept saying surgery was not needed, and he could cure her with  humira. My cousin refused all immune supressant drugs except for pentassa.  Finally after 6 months of pain and suffering, her surgeon said enough is enough, this mass of inflammation has to come out NOW!!!.  Surgeon actually had a fight with the GI over her treatment.  He told the GI to take his dam humira and put it where the sun never shines.  During surgery, the surgeon had a pathologist in the room analyzing samples realtime as he cut out intestine so as not take more intestine then necessary,  and also to be sure he did not leave any CD behind.  Today my cousin has gained back 20 lbs, has no syptoms of CD, BMs 100% normal, and she wishes she had had the surgery earlier.  Still on pentassa and following SCD diet as maintenance routine.

Post Edited (NY-Sooner) : 5/10/2013 6:21:05 AM (GMT-6)

I'm glad to hear these success stories. I've had Crohns for about 5 years now with no relief. My doctor wants me to try clean everything out with a colonoscopy prep and then slowly introduce food to see if that helps. Then after an MRE start to talk to surgeons. Have any of you had relief from "cleaning out"? It seems like an odd next step, but maybe because I'm having some constipation?

T - I hope everything goes well with your surgery.

March 28th of this year I had a small bowel resection to remove scar tissue that built up since my first resection in 97.  Approx 3 inches of scar tissue was causing the issue but that being said there was huge amounts of scar tissue that had built up and spider webbed itself all over my bowels. I hands down do not regret my surgery!! 

If the "swelling" is not going down with the meds then it is likely not swelling and scar tissue, and that cannot be alleviated by meds. 

It took a while to heal but I am glad I did go through with it. My surgeon advised me yesterday at my follow up apt that I can even eat popcorn should I wish.  For a popcorn crazy crohny that is just what I wanted / needed to hear!!!

Good luck to you whatever you decide!!!

Lala

I've had several surgeries before I was diagnosed and due to the difference in healing and the drs not knowing what they were doing ..things went south for me.
I'm terrified of surgery now BUT I have so much scar tissue in my rectum that it hurts to even to stand because of the pressure "down there" my whole pelvis kills me and am having to take pain medication to be able to stand, which is not fun by any means.
I'm getting where I can not live like this anymore and am debating on having surgery but am cautious.
You mentioned you were on Remicade, before I developed anti-bodies to it I had never felt so great, my energy level, I didn't live in the bathroom, even my vision was better.
I am going though the tests for Humira and am hoping they come out positive, is so, I will seriously consider surgery .,.. With caution if course.
It sounds like from what responses you have received here it sounds like a smart move.