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Crohn's Disease
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Posted Yesterday 1:02 AM (GMT 0)
I need to hear the good the bad and the ugly about having small bowel resection.  From hospital stay to recovery.  Don't hold back, give it to me straight.  I have an appt with the surgeon on the 14th to talk about having my TI resection.  Any and ALL info is much appreciated!
Posted Yesterday 1:45 AM (GMT 0)
I had a resection but not of my TI. It was of the lower half of my colon. It wasn't too bad. Surgery on Monday, discharged on Saturday and back to work in five weeks. I did not have laproscopy but a full abby incision so I would think that would make a difference. I know my bm's were totally messed up for several months but they were messed up before surgery. I just started having more formed bms. The most amazing thing is that after a few months I felt better than I had in years and didn't realize until than just how sick I really was before my surgery. I don't regret having the surgery except for the fact that since I didn't know I had Crohn's and neither did the surgeon until I was opened up, I'm afraid that too much of my colon has been lost. I hope not but at least I'm grateful for the QOL I have now.
Posted Yesterday 2:33 AM (GMT 0)
Sounds like I had the same surgery that you are contemplating. In August of '06 I had a resection done laproscopically, losing about 12-16 inches of small intestine plus the ileocecal valve. I was in the hospital for about 5 days and back to work about 6 weeks later. I could have returned much earlier but my employer insisted I take the entire 6 weeks off; liability issues I suppose. In a nutshell I would have to describe the experience as, well, um, kind of a let down really. I was all bent out of shape and worried for nothing. It was completely routine and non-eventful.

As far as results go I couldn't be happier. I went in weighing 165 lbs. ( down from 240lbs ) and as soon as I was released I started eating. Everything. You name it, I inhaled it. No holds barred. I'm up to 210 lbs right now ( Doc says lose 10 ) and have no trouble maintaining that weight. Medications. I was on 50-60 mg of Prednisone a day plus 150 mg of Imuran before the operation. Both of them played merry old hell with my liver; they are now history. I'm on Remicade right now and have had no trouble and no bizarre blood test results.

Remember that Rolaids commercial? How do you spell relief? I spell it s-u-r-g-e-r-y.
Posted Yesterday 2:34 AM (GMT 0)
Just to give you a little background about my problems. My Crohn's had been in remission for about 7 or 8 years. It started acting up in March of this year. During the next few months I had several bouts of being up all night throwing up and my small intestine being distended. This was because I ate the wrong things and that caused blockages in my small intestine. Peanuts, popcorn and unpeeled cucumbers are what I ate. My GI put me on Prednisone, Pentasa, Entocort, Levaquin and Flagl several times. That helped get me through the flare ups but the strictures where still there. I had an Enteroclysis test done and that verified that I had 3 strictures in my small intestines. It was just a matter of time before I would have another blockage. This was the first time that I had any issues with blockages caused by food.

I saw a surgeon in Sept. and decided to have it done. On Thursday, October 4th I had the small bowel resection done. I can actually say that the surgery was not as bad as I anticipated. The surgeon did it lapriscopically and so I only had a small incision and two small holes in my abdomen. I was up and walking around a little bit with the help of the nurse the following day. I was on a Morphine drip for a couple of days and although the pain was not pleasant, it was bearable.

The only issue that I had was that I ended up with pneumonia on Saturday so I ended up spending extra days in the hospital. I should have been released on Monday but I ended up getting out on Friday. I am guessing because my resistance was low and because I have COPD that that's why I ended up with pneumonia. Although the surgeon told me it would take me a couple of weeks to get back to normal, it took a good month for me to start feeling better again. I think that's because I had both the surgery and the pneumonia at the same time.

I would definitely do it over again. I am able to eat somewhat normally again. I am eating things that I couldn't eat before the surgery.
I am regular and my intestines aren't grumbling or growling as much as they were before. Not like the crazy and embarrasing sounds they were making before the surgery.

I know that the Crohn's may come back in the future and that I may end up with other stictures but I will deal with those things then. Right now I am enjoying feeling better.

Good luck to you and I hope this helps.
Posted Yesterday 1:15 PM (GMT 0)
I had my resection in July of this year. It was planned as a "laparoscopically" assisted, but once they opened me up it was worse then expected so I ended up with a huge (and very ugly) 7 1/2 incision along with the 2 small ones on the side. They took 14 inches of small intestine and 4 inches of colon. I went in for sugery on Thursday and got out the following Friday. I think hospital stays depend on how quickly your bowels start moving after the surgery. I had little to no gas and didn't have a BM until the 7th day. I would say for myself the worst part was that in the hospital my pain was controlled very well, but when I came home it wasn't. I didn't sleep for 3 days straight and I just laid on the couch and cried every time someone looked at me. It was pretty bad!! I ended up having to go back in and get something to help me sleep/anti depressant - which REALLY helped! Although surgery is never FUN and I wouldn't say I'm looking forward to my next one (HA)..it wasn't as bad as I thought it could be. I feel wonderful now!!! And I would TOTALLY do it again if needed considering my results! I am now back on remicade/8 weeks and back to "normal" (as normal as I expect to ever be). GOOD LUCK!
Posted Yesterday 1:54 PM (GMT 0)
I've had 3 resections all at the TI. Just remember that when you wake up, that is the worst you will feel. You will feel like you've been run over by a mack truck. But they do a good job with the pain meds. Don't try to be a hero. If you let the pain get ahead of you, it makes it really hard to get under control. So at least for the first few days, take the meds. It makes it easier to get up and walk and walking is what will get your bowels moving again and that is the key to getting you HOME. I have lots of suggestions for comfort, like bring your own pillow and pillow cases, so much nicer. Have the nurses tuck pillows all around you while you are lying on your side, especially tightly behind your back. It helps support you so that you don't have to use those stomache muscles that were cut and are sore. When you need to roll over, ask them to do it again. I know it sounds annoying. but it really does make you more comfortable.
Posted Yesterday 11:42 PM (GMT 0)
I'll spare you the tale of woe leading up to a resection. The surgeon was fab. The first doctor I'd spoken to in ages who could describe my symptoms in advance, and the first who was matter of fact about surgery. You see, after a while, the problem is mechanical and only surgery solves it.

Prep was easy. Not even the IV hurt. When I was fully-awake, I could feel that a tremendous stone had been lifted from my belly! Spent...I think...two days in the hospital with very, very little pain. The biggest problem was that feeling of having to pee even though I had a catheter. TMI?

Well, got home and was fine with just Tylenol! What a huge relief!

Things have been pretty much fine ever since. I have had a few times when I needed a bout of Prednisone, but that's it.

Oh, nearly forgot something. about a year after surgery, I had big trouble with the runs. Uncontrollable. Yuck! The doc thinks it's because over all the years I've had close to three feet removed. (The last resection found about 10 inches glommed together with inflammation. It's a wonder I could eat anything at all. Other surgeries were many, many years ago.) Some people don't process fats very well, with fewer intestine. Usually, problems with that happen right after surgery but I was not the average bear, I guess.

Anyhoo, I was given Colestid, a colesterol medicine with the side-effect of being constipating. Did the trick! I need only a tiny bit every day. It goes down fine in juice. Easy Peazy.

Picture yourself happy, with a happy pink calm gut. I hope all goes well for you!
Posted Today 2:38 AM (GMT 0)
I've had 2 resections of the TI, the 1st one in 1995 and the 2nd one in 2005. The 1st one was done during an emergency surgery because my appendix had ruptured so I have very lovely incision that is about 10 inches long. The pain medicine was my best friend the 1st few days in the hospital. about 12 hours after each of my surgeries I was up out of the bed walking and I thought I was going to die the 1st time I had to get out of bed but it got easier each time. Walking is very important to how soon you get to go home because it helps with waking up your bowels. I was in the hospital for 8 days each time and for the 1st five days I had nothing to eat, just ice chips, then on day 6 I got to eat broth and jello, on day 7 I got to eat 3 very light meals and then my bowels started moving.

Once I got home the hardest part for me was using the bathroom, I took it easy on what I ate for a couple of weeks because I had the diarrehea for the 1st week and although I had pain medicine it wasn't as good as what I was taking while I was in the hospital. With my 2005 surgery I was off work one full week doing nothing and then the 2nd week I started working from home and on the 3rd week I was able to go back to work but I have a desk job and my boss was good about letting me go home when I needed to.

Feel free to contact me anytime if you have any other questions.
[email protected]
Posted Today 1:23 PM (GMT 0)
I had my surgery in 2005, they removed some of  my intestines and some of my colon i had a blockage and either had to have a planned surgery or wait for emergency surgery they cut me all the way down my stomach. i had 2 c-sections with my kids and I tell you this crohns surgery was the worst thing i ever had in my life and I hope to never have it again, I had surgery on a Thurs. and didn't get to go home until the following Friday. I was on ice chips for about 6 days before I got anything else, but they had put an epederial in my back and it made my legs numb so I couldn't get up and walk for a couple of days. When I got home I started throwing up and had a really rough time. A couple of months later my crohns got active again and here lately I have been hurting so bad I am going for a CT entercolysis on the 11th and I am nervous about them sticking that tube up my nose and down my throat does anyone have any advice about that, they told me at the dr. they wouldn't sedate me. I really hope everything goes well for you.
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