Recent Bowel Resection

I recently had a bowel resection (12/8/07) of the ileum.  They removed approximately 12 inches to include the cecum and appendix.  I am having a hard time recovering and am hoping by sharing this I can normalize the experience because I feel that I am starting to get depressed.

I am having bouts of nausea almost daily....is this normal?  I am 3 weeks post surgery and am having a hard time lifting my right leg.  When I do, its like I can feel a sharp pain where I am resected!  Is this normal? Also the back pain (especially on the right) is unrelenting.  Is this all normal?

Could pain meds be causing the issue? I found that Percocet made my stomach do back flips. I switched to Vicodine and the upset tummy went away. Not sure if this helps. As mentioned above, do chat w/your doctors.

Hi Crohnie8,
It does sound like we had the exact same surgery! Except mine was 5 days before yours. My scar starts at the lower edge of my belly button and goes down to my pelvic region. Although larger than yours, I have no staples. He sewed me up inside out (he said he did this because he thinks I am still young enough to wear a 2 piece). It is healing beautifully. I am on dilaudid 2mg and have weaned down to 2 times a day. I am allergic to percocet/darvocet/vicodin etc. I never really thought about the nausea being caused by the meds, but thats probably it. I had a good afternoon yesterday and took a 15 minute walk. My nausea subsided and I actually ate a sandwich. Did the surgeon tell you that he got all your crohn's? I think the D and cramping that you are feeling is normal and to be expected for a while after surgery. I too am off all meds for a month while I heal. I am nervous because there was talk of 6MP. I don't like what I have read about Remicaid or 6MP. My surgeon said he got it all. I know its crohn's....and it will come back, but why hit it with the most powerful drugs now.....shouldn't they wait until we really need them. There won't be anything left to fight it with it these don't work.

Gosh, you are too young to be dealing with all of this.  I just turned 40.  I was diagnosed 10 years ago, but probably had it before.  It is nice to know that you tolerated the remicaid and 6MP well.....it is somewhat reassuring.  My veins are not good so if needing remicaid I would need a permanent port.  I say no-way to that.  I am having a good day today.  Last night I was able to lift my right leg without pain.  It is amazing how the body heals itself.  I hope you have a wonderful New Year too!  Stay in touch.  Gigi

Oh goodness 10 surgeries that is quite a few. A zipper tattoo would be awesome...when people see my scar they say it looks like a zipper...especially with the staples in. My veins are also crap, but I haven't been considered for a port so far. This fall I could have really used one. My second hospital stay I had 10 IV changes, and ended up with a picc line, then my surgery I had 6 IV changes, and still each one didn't even work that great. I have known quite a few people that have had a port and it has worked really well, and caused no problems. I may ask for that if I do remicade now becasue my veins especially since being on prednisone are horrible.

For me 5 weeks tomorrow. 40 cm or about 16 inches removed. I stopped taking pain killers on day 9. Yes I hurt still. basically eat what I want, nausea is calming down. But still running to the bathroom about 10 x daily. on the 1-10 scale I'm 7-8 a lot. 7-3 more tests. Pain right side front to back lower, almost if having a flair. No drugs except a Tylenol. Having lots of fun wondering what comes next. mornings are worst. pushing the limits of what they think are limits. I need to get to lifting up to 50 + soon. I just hate doing nothing.

Talk to the surgeon, mine thought I was eating nothing of substance. Best of luck.

T

Better Living Through Chemistry

wishfulthinker06,
I did electromechanical work before the layoffs last Nov.. rarely lifted anything over several pounds other than a tool kit. But finding a new job everyone wants 50+ lbs. capacity on a regular basis. Believe me I feel the pain trying to increase my lifting capacity. It takes time, my brother in law was hacked up pretty bad for emergency surgery and follow up surgeries, he was telling me at least 6-8 months. He's got a helper (union) for bigger loads.

Take your time, Lift with your legs, keep the load closer to your body. You know the drill. Best of Luck with your recovery.

T

Better Living Through Chemistry

Hi,
New to all of this. 30 year old male. I haven't technically been diagnosed with Crohn's yet, but all the doctors I've seen (GI, urologist, colorectal surgeon) have all said that they are like 99% sure that I have it. But they were not able to complete my colonoscopy because of the narrowing in my colon (I think). So they couldn't take biopsies where they wanted to, where it was inflamed and narrow. So the biopsies they took were negative for Crohn's. So I'm having another genetic blood test from Prometheus (not sure if anyone has heard of this), but they say this isn't a great test either. Anyway...I was in the hospital for severe stomach pains and cramps (couldn't eat food really at all with out excruciating pain), and severe pain defecating. So I was admitted to hospital for about 6 days at the beginning of May 2013. I had an intra-abdominal abscess, which was drained, and obviously infection, which was treated by IV antibiotics. I was released, and I really at this point cannot eat a meal with out taking at least 10 mg of lortab, and even then the pain is real bad. Also about two weeks later after release, started getting urinary tract infections (urinary pain and difficulty). Was given cipro, which took it away for awhile, then it came back, so was referred to urologist, who did a cystoscope and diagnosed me with a fistula. Was given sample of Asacol HD which seemed to start working, but now ran out of sample and GI doc doesn't want to give me more until results from Prometheus blood test.

Also I saw a surgeon today, who pretty much said I need surgery to correct fistula and remove part of terminal ileum because of stricturing and narrowing there, and possibly some part of colon near rectum, but she said she wouldn't be able to say until she got in there to do the surgery. Additionally appendix will be removed. I tentatively setup the surgery for July 15, 2013 (which is like 2 weeks away), but I'm afraid this all moving too fast??? I haven't even technically been diagnosed with Crohn's? Should I go through with surgery, or hold off? I wonder if less aggressive treatment like different medications (i.e., immunosuppressant drugs, or steroid type treatment) should be explored before I do this very invasive surgery? Surgeon I saw today said that they would try to do it laproscopically, but said that she couldn't guarantee this, and may need to do open surgery. I'm just concerned that this is moving fast, but it sounds like from what I've read that surgery is probably best option, and people have gotten a lot of relief from it. I still can't really eat food without taking pain meds, even now, so I'm not sure what to do. My diet is very poor and I'm malnourished. I've lost like 25-30 pounds in last 2 months because of this crap. I'm 6'2" and I weigh like 150 lbs, and I have a pretty large frame to begin with, so I'm really skinny. The main concern the surgeon had today was the fact that my nutrition is so poor, so she wants me to up my protein a lot (which I'm going to try to do through protein powders, which she suggested). She says if my nutrition improved before surgery I will have a much better recovery. And is true that the recovery can be 6-8 weeks, that's a long time! She also mentioned possibility of temporary stoma, if some of colon had to come out, but that it would only be for like 2-3 months. How does that work, and I hope to not have a stoma the rest of my life? Just not sure how to proceed, please help?

MJS30,
If you start another topic you will get answers. This is a whole new subject.

T