Total Colectomy - 4 weeks today

 

I wanted to know if anyone else has had this problem - ( or happened to them) and what can i do to reset my intestinal clock.    I am getting up now every night with cramps having to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night... usually 2-3 times a night.

I do not eat after dinner.. and dinner is usually no later than 6:30, i have noticed around 2-3 o'clock in the morning this starts. 

 

I understand having to go right after we eat, but i dont understand what this is all about.  Kind of scares me a bit, one why has this started in the last 4-5 days, and since i take ambien to sleep ...... there is always that possiblity what if i didnt wake up.... it isnt like i have as much control over waiting to go like i did before the surgery.

 

Was just hoping for some input...

 

 

And also if anyone has had to be in the shoes i am going to walk pretty soon.  They are scheduling a back surgery sometime in the next couple weeks for me, a 2 level lumbar fusion.  This whole bathroom routine kind of scares me .... with back surgery it wont be like i can get up like i can now to go the bathroom in the beginning.  Has anyone had a surgery within 4 - 8 weeks of there colectomy and what happens while we are recovering?  do the pain meds in the hospital slow the intestine down so it will stop, or will i still have these cramps and be running to the bathroom ( which i cant do - you are given a cathedar for 1-2 days to prevent you from getting up right after the fusion) and then a back brace for 8 weeks...  im not looking as much for anyone that has gone thru the two surgeries like i am going to be doing as much as i am looking for any input on how the intestines will be for me during the hospital and recovery for this.... will they start up immediately.. i dont know how to prepare for this... i cant see me asking for or using a bed pan.. and even at home, i get up now sometimes 15 times to go to the bathroom.. that will be impossible after surgery. 

 

My surgeon will not use immodium on me for fear i could have a small bowel motility problem also.... so any suggestions or opinions for either parts of my post would be so appreciated.  

 

thank you

 

T

Hi tcr,

I don't know anything about the back surgery but I can tell you that the bms will slow down, especially if you remain on a low residue/fiber diet.  I can't take immodium either as just 1/2 a pill actually stop my bms when I was having 15+ a day so my GI said absolutely no immodium.  I also really keep track of what I eat so I can see what makes me go more frequently.  The nighttime trips to the bathroom gradually stopped but I really don't remember when; I'm pretty sure it was before I went back to work and I did that at 6 weeks. I remember being worried about how I was going to make it through the day if I wasn't getting enough rest because I teach 1st graders :)

I wish you the very best; you have two major surgeries to heal from in such a short time.  I will keep you in my prayers.  

I think Shrek-Chewbacka (don't ding me for spelling that) went through many surgeries where he couldn't get up...maybe put out a topic with his name in it and he'll see it! He might have some insight for you...good luck, I'll be thinking of you:)

i did try all the grain products... for anyone else in my shoes.... dont try them so soon..... didnt go well!!!!

as im finding many foods out dont go so well.....

and the pill reglan i used for my stomach is not gotten a flyer mailed out from the fda to its use of it after three months.... not good... and i almost three months on that... so any of us with gastroparesis that have been using that may not be able to anymore... my gastro said to go ahead for one more month and use it till i see him then we would talk about it!

hodaya

hi, thanks for asking, i just got home this morning from my back surgery.... it has been a rough three months but the surgical part i hope is now over..... the colectomy did pose some interesting challenges during the recovery in the hospital for the back surgery... hard to have to get up that many times after eatting and be in that kind of pain... one night i was sitting in my chair, nurse came in around midnight... asked what was wrong .. gave me my bentyl and pain pill and cramps finally calmed down enough i didnt have to run to the bathroom and i got in bed finally and fell asleep........