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Posted 4/7/2009 8:03 PM (GMT 0)
Hope everyone is doing well. I don't post often but my husband just had a collectomy 3 weeks ago (after being found positive for hnpcc), he is doing very well far better then we had even hoped for.They brought the small intestine down and attached it to the rectum but he has been complaining that sometimes when he sits he gets pressure in the rectum and pain in the gut down low, he thinks about where he is getting the pressure at only in the front. I would think this would be normal since he is only 3 weeks out but thought maybe others have had this issue. Thanks for any help you might be able to give.

best of health to you all.

donna

Posted 4/7/2009 8:45 PM (GMT 0)
Grammy,

I had the same surgery on March 18, and I have the same rectal pressure...and pain in my lower abdomen. It's not unbearable, but is definitely there.  I thought the rectal pressure might be from going so often, and sometimes I feel like I'm not empty.  I have pelvic floor dysfunction, which makes it difficult for me to always empty completely.  Maybe the pressure is just normal after surgery though.

How many times a day is your husband going, and is it still liquid mostly?  If I take fiber to firm it up, then I feel like I can't get it out!  I know it's just got to work itself out, but I'm still going between 15-20 times a day, although very little each time.  Other than that, I'm doing well....am up and around but so so tired all the time!!  Does he have his energy back yet?

Janie

Posted 4/7/2009 8:58 PM (GMT 0)
Janie,
Thank you for your quick reply. My husband does not have his energy back yet, he complains about being so tired all the time. He is going about 6-7 times a day and maybe only one is really watery the rest have some consistency, will even be in a pile but when he flushes it all breaks apart. We never expected for him to be doing this well this early.
My husband's surgery was on the 16th of March and it was done laperscopic (sp.?) What part of the country are you from?
Best of health to you.
donna
Posted 4/8/2009 12:35 AM (GMT 0)

Hi Donna,

Sounds like your husband is doing really well!  I think the energy thing is normal; my doctor said to give it a good 6 weeks....my surgery was a little over 6 hours long and I guess it takes awhile for the anesthesia to get out of your system, too.  I did have a laproscopic surgery, with hand assisted.  I only have 2 small incisions, but then a bikini cut where the doctor used his hands to do the attachment of my small intestine to my rectum.  My colon was 8 feet long, which made my surgery a little longer than he planned....he said normal colons are 5-6 feet long!

I had my surgery because of colon inertia....I could never go without taking laxatives, and sometimes they didn't work well at all.  I lived over 30 years like that, so I really don't complain about going 20 times a day, although today I've gone much less.  I take a lomotil to slow things down, and then I feel stopped up, but when I don't take them I go all day....I'm sure it will work itself out.  I just am so afraid of not being able to go again though!

I live in Florida and had my surgery in Orlando.  Where do you live?  Tell your husband I'm jealous of his "piles"!!!  Hopefully I'll have them one of these days!  LOL

Janie

Posted 4/8/2009 2:38 AM (GMT 0)
Janie,
We live in Penna. and my husbands surgery was in Rochester, New York about 2 1/2 hours from where we live. His surgery was in a teaching hospital and the care was wonderful. His also went 6 hours, we don't know anything yet about the colon we see the surgeon next week. They did say that it went about 3 hours longer then it should have. Due in part to the fact that he is overweight (but has lost about 20 pounds since surgery). They said that they took a lot out so we are waiting to see how long his colon was. My husband has 7 incisions 6 about an inch long and one that is about 3 inches. The bigger one is the one they brought the colon out through. At one point all of his incisions were weeping but all but one have stopped. It is so amazing what they can do and the fact that you can live without your colon and still lead a somewhat normal life. I just know that my husband will not have to hear that he has colon cancer. So we were very blessed with the outcome of this surgery.
We wish you the best and hope you someday soon get to have little piles of your own:)
5:30 comes early so I need to go to bed now, I will check back in tomorrow. Thanks for the chat.
best of health to you.
donna
Posted 4/10/2009 8:58 PM (GMT 0)
Donna,
I finally had a little "pile" today!! LOL Still going about 14 times a day, alot are still liquid, but took a lomotil and some fiber and it's firming up a little. Is your husband taking any meds to slow him down and firm his stools up? I'm just having a hard time figuring out how much to take because if I take too much, I feel stopped up again! Other than that, doing ok. Just still very tired!!
Janie
Posted 4/11/2009 2:35 AM (GMT 0)

Janie,

Wow a pile, did you ever think you would happy about a pile:)  My husband (Steve) does not take anything. It's hard to believe how well he is doing. He goes tops 7x times a day. The surgeon asked him to  keep a diary of how many times a day he goes. I think the surgeon is going to be very happy with his progress. We are waiting to find out how long his colon was because his stomach is half the size it was before surgery. They made a comment about taking a lot out (joking that it was twins) I was shocked when I saw him right after surgery. I was not expecting his stomach to look that different. He lost about 24 pounds but has put 4 back on. He wants to keep it off so he is trying to eat right.

Have you been depressed at all. This seems to come and go, I don't think he is giving himself enough time. It has only been almost 4 weeks. Are you able to pass gas without any problems? Things are going well here in that department also. Thanks for the talks, it's good to talk to someone that is at about the same point as Steve is. We will be seeing the surgeon this coming Wednesday. 

Take care

donna

Posted 4/11/2009 2:54 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Donna,
I'll be anxious to know how big his colon was...my doctor said I had enough for 2 people. I've lost about 10-12 pounds, which is great. I don't want to lose any more, but I've been trying to lose those 10 pounds for about 5 years, so I'm happy!

I'm not really depressed, although I do get a little tired of not being able to go out if I've eaten anything....I do all my errands in the morning before I eat, and then I come home starving! Once I start eating, I really need to be near a bathroom. For some reason, it's evening when I go the most. After breakfast, I might go 2-3 times, and the same for lunch. After dinner though, I will be running to the toilet from the time I eat (usually no later than 6) until I go to bed--as many as 10 times. Once in awhile I get up at night to go, but not always. I'm keeping a diary, but it doesn't seem to matter what I eat, it goes through me. What is your husband eating? I love ice cream, but found out that's a big no no for now! I can pass gas, although tonight I had alot of lower abdominal pain until I passed gas, and then went to the bathroom about 4 times. My abdomen and rear end seem to be more painful than right after surgery...maybe the abdomen because it's healing? Is your husband's sore as well?

Thanks for chatting..yes, it's nice to have someone to talk to who had surgery when I did. I'm still jealous of the 7 times, though! Is your husband able to go out? I really miss going out to dinner with my husband. He keeps asking if I'm ready to try, but I'm just not ready yet!

Take care, Janie
Posted 4/11/2009 12:21 PM (GMT 0)

Good morning, Steve is able to eat pretty much whatever he wants, Doc gave him no restrictions. The doctor said he would be able to tell what was going to bother him and if it does don't eat it. So far sesame chicken and wings, he needs to go sooner and more often after he ate these. I'm sure he will try these again since he like them both so much. It's strange but his system is really the same just more often, he goes the most in the morning and then it slows down. He would go 3-4 times a day before the surgery. I know he has been blessed with a really good outcome and I am sure the doctor will be pleased. I pray your system will settle in and become a little more bareable so you can go back to doing the things you enjoy. When he needs to go out for a while he gets up early enough to use the bathroom a few times. We went out to breakfast and shopping yesterday, he needed to use the bathroom twice but it was not urgent and after the two times he was good for a while. Do you work? If so will you be going back soon?

Enjoy your day, praying you go a little less today then yesterday:) baby steps, I always try not to ask for to much at  one time then I can't be dissapointed, so if we pray for a few times less maybe we will at least get one:) Silly but it works for me. enjoy!!! donna

Posted 4/11/2009 3:54 PM (GMT 0)
Donna,
Not sillly at all....I do the same thing. My kids say I'm the optomist in the family, so I'm still sure this will be fine. Honestly, I feel so much better than I did when I only went once a week with laxatives, that I'm not going to complain too much. I took a lomotil to slow me down this morning, and will take more today. I've been playing with the meds and fiber to see what works. My greatest fear is that I can't go again, so I'm probably not taking enough...but I'm babysitting my little 4 month old granddaughter tonight, so I'm going to try to stop myself up a little for this weekend!! haha

I do work, but only 20 hours a week, and I don't have to go back for another 6-8 weeks, and if I need more time, it's not a problem, so at least I don't have that pressure. I'm sure by June I should be on a much better schedule.

Have a wonderful weekend and a Happy Easter!

Janie
Posted 4/11/2009 5:36 PM (GMT 0)

Janie,

What kind of fiber are you using? Maybe trying a few different ones might help until you figure out what one works best for you. Steve used citrasil (sp?) They say they can work different for some people. might be worth a try.

That's great that you have all the time you need to recover. Steve has been on disability for 10 years now so he has all the time he needs. We had to stay in a hotel in Rochester where he had his surgery, we were there for 8 days. Were you close to the hospital were you had your surgery?

A granddaughter how nice. Is she the only one you have? We have 4 grandchildren. Jacob 14 and Kyle 11 (oldest daughter) and Hannah 10 and her brother Nicholas 6 (our youngest daughter). What a blessing these four are. We took our lap top with us and we were able to see and talk to the kids every night on skype. We see the kids everyday so it was hard when we had to go out of town. 

Have a wonderful Easter! Do you have warm weather? We are in the mid   40's here. At least the sun is shining.

donna

 

Posted 4/11/2009 8:09 PM (GMT 0)

Donna,

The fiber I'm taking is cholestryramine, which is also a cholesterol medicine, but I don't have cholesterol problems, so that's strange.  Anyway, that's what I surgeon prescribed.  He did say at my appt. last week I could try something else.  I may do that.

My little Julia is my only blood grandbaby, but my husband (we've been married 24 years) has 3 older boys who all have children.  They live in VA, so we only see them a few times a year.  My son lives in Florida about 45 minutes from us, so I get to see my "Florida grandbaby" every week...in fact, I usually keep her at least one day a week while they are at work.  I haven't been able to for the last few weeks, but I think a couple more weeks and I'll start again.  Tonight my son and his wife are going to a birthday party, so they'll drop the kids off (my son married a girl with a little boy) and I'll keep them.  My son and his wife will come back later and spend the night and we'll have Easter together tomorrow.  I love all the grandkids, they are older and come visit us in the summer, but it's so nice to have a baby close by!

My surgery was done in a hospital about an hour away, but my husband just stayed the entire 8 days with me.  Our hospital has a hospitality house where family can stay for $40 a night, so he did that, but actually stayed with me most of the time.  The room just gave him a chance to get out a little.   My son lives nearby, so my hubby was able to get out and have lunch with him too.  I didn't mind at all, and it kept him from going nuts!!  I just really liked having him with me at night.

Off to hard boil some eggs so Felipe (step grandson) and I can color eggs tonight!  I also got a couple movies, so we should have a good night.  My little Julia is the best baby I've ever seen in my life; she's always happy, never cries, and goes to bed at 9:30 and sleeps til 8 am.  I told my son not to expect that from the next one!!

Janie

Posted 4/12/2009 2:46 AM (GMT 0)

Hi Donna,

So glad to hear that Steve has done so well with his surgery; you all must be very happy.  After my surgery I had the same type of pressure that you described.   My GI dr described it as the stool gathering into the rectum and causing pressure/pain at the attachment site; this lasted for about 4-6 weeks. 

I wish you a wonderful, healthy Easter.

Judy

Posted 4/12/2009 12:27 PM (GMT 0)

Judy, I'm glad you posted , I have been going to send you an e-mail. Do you have e-mail at home or is it at work. I know your computer was leaving with your daughter last time I wrote you at home. I still have your e-mail address, I will try an e-mail. donna

Janie,

Grandkids are the most awesome little people. Our children both live next to us, family land. My brother-in-law and mother-in-law live by us also. No our last name is not Walton:) I would not want to live anywhere else. I love our children being so close. Sound like you are going to have a great night.

My mother-in-law was in Rochester with us, it made it difficult to stay all night at the hospital. I was worrying about her overdoing. I felt bad because Steve wanted me to stay with him but mom couldn't drive back to the hotel alone. He had one really bad night so I sent mom back to the hotel with some cousins that had come for a visit and I stayed with Steve for the night. To do over I would send her home after a few days. Steve takes care of his mom since his dad passed away, it has been a very long time that he has been gone and he is close to his mom and I know she really needed to be there. She is 78 and I swear somedays she has more energy then I do. Couldn't love her more if she was my own mother.

Enjoy your day with your family and have a very blessed Easter. donna

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