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Who has had a second or third resection surgery? Was it worse or easier than the first one?

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 2/27/2017 1:25 PM (GMT 0)
Well, signs are pointing to needing a second resection. First one was about 7 years ago. Nausea after eating, 5-8 bm's a day with most watery. Other days cramping and pain. The last colonoscopy in October showed structuring and inflammation. GI said even with a child's scope, he could not get any further.

I am seeing a new GI in a few weeks as neither my wife nor I liked the current one's bedside manner nor did he offer much support of what to do next. I am afraid there is not much they can do as most of the narrowing is from scarring, not inflammation. It is quite obvious on the pictures from the scope.

So, did you have a second resection? Any better second time around? My first was open method, so I assume they must do it open again. Anyone go from open to lapro?

What questions should I ask the new GI? I am on humira, having failed remicade, metho, cimza. Do we try something else? Or is it probably a lost cause? As a side note, I have never been in complete remission

Thanks for any advice
Posted 2/27/2017 2:04 PM (GMT 0)
Im so sorry Mirowpl. what length of bowel does the structuring affect? if its short segments then have you discussed balloon dilation as something to try before going straight to surgery? It doesn't work on inflammation but it does work well on scar tissue.
Posted 2/27/2017 2:16 PM (GMT 0)
No so I assume MRI/car scan is next to see the length. But the current GI told me I was abosolutely not a candidate for balloon dialation. He said the structuring is so bad he is afraid we might cause a perforation.
Posted 2/28/2017 7:18 AM (GMT 0)
yes they got easier for me after a dozen, I hardly noticed the next few... ;0) . seriously though after I knew what was going to happen afterwards with being laid up etc.. it was a bit easier. I recovered a little bit faster after each one up to about 7. then I had a strictureplasty go south on me and it was not good after that..

as for the balloon stretching, I just finished a year and 2 months of stretchings because I have not an inch of intestine to spare anymore. some times 1 time per month and lots of 2 times a month. I mean I just had the last one on last Thursday. #18 in 14 months. my stricture is now staying open at 18mm and is much more relaxed the dr says much less stiff. it started at les than 9mm and they got a scope in . the dr may mean that if he does the whole thing at once then sure it will probably rupture, but if you do it like mine 2mm at a time, then recheck and it may be back down by 1mm then you do 2mm more and keep doing it. sometimes mine would get smaller between and sometimes stay at the diameter of the previous stretch.. like 3 steps forward and 2 steps back kinda thing.. beats surgery though.. so now unless I have more problems I can go 6 months before my next check..
Posted 2/28/2017 12:35 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks, randynoguts. Your GI and team sound like they are really good. I must ask with that many in such a short time, are you on disability? Or are you able to work while having all of that going on?
Posted 3/1/2017 4:42 PM (GMT 0)
I've had 3 resections. Can't say it got easier but walk as much as you can stand after surgery. As for laparoscopic my surgeon said I wasn't a candidate since insides get to be changed around after 1st surgery. Good luck. You know when it's time so don't put it off till you get very sick and dehydrated
Posted 3/1/2017 5:29 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks, pdmhol. How has your body weight settled out after three of these? Are you still on biologics? I am a little worried overall due to my age. I will be 55 in a few months. And I have already had 3 other surgeries besides the resection over the past 6 years.
Posted 3/1/2017 6:36 PM (GMT 0)
Just had my second resection 4 weeks ago. Like the first time, 14 years ago, they tried to go lapro but converted to open. This time the surgeon told me that there were way to many adhesions to get through to actually get to the stricutre to safely do it lapro. The surgery itself went beautifully with no complications. THe recovery, however, for me is much harder the second time around. Maybe because I'm 14 years older? Also, I think after years of Crohn's my pain receptors are much more sensitive. I know I'm not fully healed yet, but I'm still having pain both in my abdominal muscles and my bowels. Hope its not inflammation already! Though they told me they took all the diseased segments out. The good news is I'm digesting all my food and am back at work and am functioning as close as possible to a normal person. though I am definitely not one!

The only big bump in the road besides my pain is that I had to get readmitted after a week due to nasuea and vomiting. They did a CT scan and there were no obstructions or anything like that, they just told me it was a long bout of ileus and my bowels had not fully woken up yet. I was on an NG tube for two days, which was unpleasent, but certainly helped. Hope this helps!
Posted 3/1/2017 8:08 PM (GMT 0)
thanks for info, Adam5555. my first resection was about 7 years ago. they did open method as the ct scan showed my gut with what they called "partial gut Add to dictionary" which means your intestinal track is not where it is suppose to be. partial for means the large intestines are one side and the small on the other ith the ileum right by my belly button! anyway, probably open again. I had a tough time with the first, having a major bleed out while still in the hospital for surgery, but it stopped on its own. and then about 14 days later had another and was back in the hospital for another 3-4 days. These combines with my other surgeries and complications, makes me nervous. Every surgery has had a complication that has required at least a re-admittance and in two cases a follow up procedure.

i hope i can make it the three weeks until my appointment. Right now I feel OK, but tired all the time. my CRP was elevated, which is definitely an issue as my crohn's has rarely caused the CRP to be elevated. Also, I have lost 8-10 pounds in the past two weeks.
Posted 3/3/2017 2:47 PM (GMT 0)
Hello, I have had one resection before which was done open as an emergency. I asked on another forum whether this would mean I would never be a candidate for lapro resections in the future and I got this response:

"I have had open surgery and some years later two laparoscopic surgeries....all abdominal resection.
I think it will depend on your surgeon and situation.
The surgeon did warn me that open surgery might be necessary but it did not happen.
My last surgery was one year ago."
Posted 3/4/2017 9:00 AM (GMT 0)
mirowpl, well the first 7 were about 1-3 years apart and I was working the whole time. that was over 14 years. then I had 5 in 9 months in '00. and had to go on TPN for the rest of my life. that's when I was forced to retire. as it would be almost impossible to work, being hooked to an IV up to 12 hours a day, drs appointments 1 or more per week for all these years. weakness being near a restroom all the time, etc... then since then there have been a few more here and there. I'm 53 myself and I recovered a little bit better each time till the 5 in 9 months and i've never fully recovered from those. with the sepsis episodes (4) with all the organs shutting down my organs are not 100% . one kidney was nearly taken out in '12 but it started working again several days after it was nearly non functioning, lungs are maybe 80% I was dead on the 1st of the 5 in a row for more than 20 minutes but they did a wonderful job in continuing the revival regimen . and since then been minutes from death 3 more times. luckily just at the last minute my vitals have recovered. I have said I have been on borrowed time since '99.
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