TOTAL COLECTOMY PART 18

Thank you so much for the reassurance Robin.  I take Paxil for depression/anxiety and it seemed like it wasn't doing a bit of good while in the hospital.  Everytime they played the "twinkle little star" over the intercom when a baby was born, I would cry.  My husband and I want to have another child, but looking at my health now, I just don't see that happening.

Last night was pretty bad for me.  I was up from 1-5 am with terrible trapped gas.  I did finally take 2 gas-x around 4, but that really didn't help.  I ate a rice cake thinking maybe it needed something to push it thru...that didn't help.  I am now finally able to sit down and have a cup of decaf coffee and I did just pass some gas (no poop...starting to worry!!!!!!).  The gas smells like rotten eggs!!! Do you think it is b/c there isn't enough poop in me to pass?  I am just so sick of thinking about this, I need to get my mind off my bowels.

This surgery, in my opinion, affects depression/anxiety, or at least it did for me.  I take SEVERAL medications for mine and they just didn't seem to help for a short time post-op.  I'm not sure if it's because our body went thru the traumatic experience of this surgery, which was huge, or if it's due to the anesthesia and how long we were under.  My psych told me that it can really throw our body off.  I was under for eight and a half hours.  In my opinion it could be that until you've had this surgery you don't really know what to expect post-op.  It felt like a truck ran me over, backed up, and ran me over again.  I also wasn't prepared for the length of time it took for me to feel somewhat normal again.  It also affected my sleeping pattern.  I was lucky to get three hours of sleep at any given time.  Please keep this in mind and if you get in a "rut" don't hesitate to call your doctor that treats your depression/anxiety.

Regarding the smell of gas, it's the same for me.  Unfortunately for me it hasn't changed.  It's remained awful since surgery.  Hope this brings a smile to you - my poor dogs even gag if they're near me LOL!!!!

If you haven't really eaten much this could be the reason for not having a bm.  I think it's a good sign if you can pass gas without poop so soon after surgery.  So many others are lucky to make it to the bathroom in time.

The most important thing I can share with you is this...give your body time to heal.  It takes time for the small intestine to take on the responsibility of our old dead colon, even up to a year.  Things may still be trying to "wake up" for you.  Also, listen to your body.  Don't overdo it, take your time, and your body will thank you.  I still have bouts with gas and it is uncomfortable, but it isn't as uncomfortable as it was immediately post-op or even a few months post-op.  For me personally my stomach region was so tender and sore for at least 12 weeks.  It was a good 16 weeks before I even began to feel "normal" - everyone is different, so don't get discouraged.

HI HELEN - So nice to meet you!!!  Don't feel the need to apologize or for heaven sakes don't feel bad!!!!!  We're here to support everyone, even when our depression gets the best of us. 

Regarding your weight gain - it could be linked to many things, especially seeing you only eat one meal and snack a day.  Have you had any blood work done?  Maybe it could be your thyroid or hormonal changes/imbalance, better yet, many other possibilities your doctor can shed some light on. 

Do you think the pain and burning in your stomach could be an ulcer?  Maybe seeing a GI is a good idea.  Also, do you drink plenty of fluids and what kind of fluids? 

I had a sub total in August of 2007. I came to this site and read all the post prior to having the surgery. I remeber everyone talking about eating slow small bites and no seeds and nuts. After I had my surgery I asked my surgeon about it and he said I caould eat whatever I wanted as long as I could tolorate. I guess my question is how common is a blockage and what is your opinions on seeds and nuts? I eat everything and I know I dont chew well. And as I sit here my stomache is so hard bloated and tight. How do you know if you have a blockage?

Thank you in advance for your time and answers

Right now I am doubled over in pain from gas that won't pass...I just can't see the light at the end of the tunnel. 

Any advice on the stool softner issue?

Well, right now, my tummy must look like yours.  I am miserable.  I am bloated and I feel the gas rumbling around in there but it just doesn't want to come out.  I have been living off of ensure and boost, dry rice krispy cereal, crackers, grape juice, jello, water....can't think of anything else. 

I wonder why your bowels have changed so suddenly???? It's so hard to figure out our bodies.  Do you think you will try a stool softner and see if that helps?  I hope you feel better soon!!!!

Welcome to the site Stormy,

Like Resa, I had a laparscopic total colectomy...ileorectal anastomosis.  I was told by my surgeon at the Cleveland Clinic that he would NOT do a partial removal of the colon as you can not tell where the disease is by just looking at it and that most people who have a partial subsequently have to have the rest removed.  I had my surgery June 19th, 2006.  My recovery was uneventful.  I do go to the bathroom 12-16 times a day on average.  It is loose.  I have recently developed ulcers in the blind section of the small bowel.  I have difficulty with the meds I have been given due to reactions but will be starting something new on Tuesday.  I eat anything I want but sometimes do not digest it.  Just remember spicy in - spicy out.  You do need to up your water intake as we can get dehydrated very easily.  Even with my frequency, I do not regret the surgery.  I'd rather be blessed with going often then the way I was pre-op.

Any questions you may have...ask away...

Phyllis

Hi everyone,  wellcome all new members.

I know I have not been around lately but going through a rough time with going to the bathroom,  pain, weight gain. I've been very depressed,  everything is going wrong. I've been going to the bathroom about 4-8x a day all water. I'm watching what I am eating, so I know what food could be doing it.  Right know my husband isn't working again and we have no health benefit and no RX plan. I can't get any of my med's because they cost to much $$$.  I can't stop gaining weight, I try to eat right but can't exercise because of my back. plus I'm really tired lately. When I get really bad pain I use a heating pain and I find that works pretty good.

All of you who just had surgery listen to everyone, it takes time to heal. I was in the hospital for 13 days just hang in there and we are all here for you.

Miss chatting with you all...........

First, I have to tell you that when I went in to the hospital last Saturday with that small bowel obstruction, his partner on call treated me like crap.  Granted I had never met the man, but his comment was, "listen, it is in the middle of the night, I don't know you, you're not my patient, what do you want to do?"  That was his comment.  No advice, nothing. 

So today, my surgeon calls me for the first time since I was released from the hospital (the first time mind you, never even called the second time I was in) and asked how I was doing.  I told him that I was not doing as well as I thought I would be.  My stomach is huge, I am having a really hard time passing gas, and I am not passing much of any stool...even with being on Miralax.  His comment was, "if you don't eat, you're not going to poop.  You need to eat, take some benefiber while your at it."  Ummmm...okay, that goes against what the other surgeon told me in the hospital about being on a low residue diet.  So which is it?  My surgeon says, "this surgery has always worked before, I think the reason you aren't going is b/c you're not putting enough in." 

So what are your thoughts?  I am so uncomfortable I don't feel like eating.  I seriously look so bloated....like I did the night I went to the ER.  Does anyone else have trouble passing gas?  I feel it and hear it rolling around in there but it just doesn't want to come out...and when/if it does make it to the rectum, it hurts when I push it out...yes, I have to push it out. 

GOD.....sometimes I wonder why I even had this surgery!!!! Sorry, but seriously, I am that frustrated right now.  I feel worse then I did before. 

Nothing is too personal to ask. I'm basically still in the same boat I was in before the surgery. No pooping for me. Actually I can go by taking three tablespoons of Lactulose in the morning and three more at night. Considering that the Lactulose didn't work before the surgery, I guess I got 'some' improvement in that respect. It's way over the normal dose, but that's the only way it works. I did have the anomanometry testing done and it was "severely abnormal". I posted the exact results in another thread on here. So now they want to do defography testing. In the meantime, I've got another hernia but I'm putting off having it fixed until I see what the next step is. I'm figuring if they're going to have to go back in that I might as well wait and get the hernia fixed at the same time. The problem is that it's another femoral hernia and they suggest to have them fixed quickly since they tend to strangulate quite easily.

Maybe this is a sign that things are beginning to waking up and will begin to start working on their own - we always have HOPE!!!!!

Boy, can I relate to dealing with my surgeon's "partner".  I remember when I was about 10 or 11 days out of surgery and my pain was more than I could bear (I can bear a lot of pain by the way) - anyway my surgeon was out of town, I called the exchange and his "partner" called me and was SO hateful.  I asked if there was something stronger he could give me and he hatefully said "NO - I can't and will not give you anything stronger - if you can't handle it go to the ER.  So I went and he never showed up, everything was ordered over the phone (tests, labs, etc.).  After hours he told the ER doctor to send me home.  Well, to say the least the next day wasn't any better so I called the exchange again and he very rudely said go to ther ER "again" - there he told the ER doctor to give me a choice of going home again or be admitted because my surgeon would be back the next day.  I opted for staying only to get some relief with IV pain medication.  When I saw my surgeon the following morning (I loved my surgeon) I told him that his partner had absolutely NO bedside manners and that I NEVER wanted to deal with him again - PERIOD.  My surgeon heard what I had to tell him about the idiot and he promised me that I would never have to deal with him again.

IRISH - Boy, it's one thing after another isn't it - my heart goes out to you!!!!  Hopefully, for your sake, they will get the ball rolling QUICKLY and kill two birds with one stone so to speak.

JANIE - Welcome and nice to meet you!!  I'm 45 now and had my surgery right before my 44th birthday.  I too had troubles my entire life.  The only thing that worked for me for years was Exta Strength ExLax and it did eventually quit working.  I was taking 48 pills every other day.  Forgive me for sounding gross here but it was to the point where I had to literally dig stool out of me.  My colon was very large and loopy and surgery took eight and a half hours with five and a half feet of colon removed.  My surgeon has done hundreds of this surgery and he said he never had one last as long as mine did.

This is a HUGE surgery and there is no "sugar coating" it whatsoever.  Until you've gone thru it, even though all of us here try to explain how painful and difficult it is immediately and weeks post-op, you just can't realize it until you've had it.  I've had many, many surgeries in my lifetime and nothing has compared to this.  However, if I had to choose to do it again I would do it in a heartbeat!!!!  I gained a life I never knew existed, literally!!  There are still days, a year and a half later, that are better than others. 

STORMY - You're more than welcome.  If I can help others it brings me joy!!  I guess that's why I'm still drawn to this forum.  The people here are amazing and it's wonderful to know that others are going thru these trials - we're not alone.  People who've never had our problem have no idea what we got thru on a daily basis.

It's great that you've printed out the many "parts" and are reading and educating yourself, that the best gift you can give yourself.  There really is hope for you!!

APRIL - Hang in there hun!!  I do know what you're going thru emotionally.  There is always a light at the end of the tunnel!!! I've also discovered that a heating pad has been a lifesaver.  If it makes you feel any better, I've gained back the 30 pounds I lost after surgery - ERRRRR!!!!  There are also days when I get tired too.  Just keep in mind that we've been thru A LOT and don't be so hard on yourself.