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Posted 6/2/2010 10:15 AM (GMT 0)
Jules,

I was exhausted all the time before surgery, because the disease caused me to be anemic, malnourished, and I never slept through the night (due to chronic diarrhea). Many times during those years, my hemoglobin (red blood cell count) would drop down to 6, when it should have been 12. I had more blood transfusions than I care to remember. Everything I ate flew right through me, because I was going to the bathroom 20+ times a day. Yeah, I was tired.

Has your doctor checked your blood to see if you're anemic? It sounds to me like you probably are.

Now, I have lots of energy, because I'm not sick anymore. For me, surgery has been the closest thing to a cure, because I do not have any disease in my digestive system anymore. When I was sick, I had no desire to have sex. Now, well... that's all changed, and my husband couldn't be happier! wink You could always treat yourself to some nice lingerie that covers the pouch, so you're prepared for when you meet Mr. Right.

The best type of bathing suit I've found is a one piece with a skirt. It looks like a mini dress and is made in two pieces - the one piece suit underneath and the 'dress' part on top. That type seems to hide the pouch the best.

If you have a lot of anxiety to the point of feeling tightness in your chest, you can always ask your doctor for a low dose prescription of an anti-anxiety medicine, like Xanax, just to get you through the surgery and recovery.

I knew the moment I woke up from surgery that the Crohn's was gone, because the stabbing pain I had felt in my abdomen and the butt pain was gone. I felt a different kind of pain from the surgery, but I knew it was temporary and was not near as bad as what I had felt with the disease. Hope that helps ease your mind a bit.

:-) Cecilia
Posted 6/2/2010 4:32 PM (GMT 0)
I like the tankinis, its a two piece, where the top is like a tank top and the bottom is a skirt, kind of looks like a tennis dress. Although if you wore that bottom with a bikini top and made sure the bottom stayed pulled up noone could see the bag,just the scar.
I always safety pin the two pieces together, on teh opposite side of the bag, so they dont fly apart, but i did that before, lol
Posted 6/7/2010 9:23 AM (GMT 0)
hehe i like the dance like a fool.

So my surgery date is set for the 28th of this month. My mum(as fantastic as she is) is still kinda hounding me about the food. 'Maby its what ur eating?' she keeps wanting to"save my colon"my Grandma is on the same case. shes been saying this for yrs & iv neva been able to find any diet that stops the pain. She wants me to try a no carbs diet from a book that is called Breaking the Vicious Cycle. Intestinal Health Through Diet. it cuts out all Carbs. Iv told mum that i thought building up to my surgery i prob shld be eating alot of carbs to keep my strengh u weight up!! she wants me to try it, i said no & walked out. Been there, done that.

Have any of u guys tried diets & found they work at all?? i jst think im behond that.. especially since nothing is going thro my colon??? & im still in pain.
Posted 6/7/2010 11:07 AM (GMT 0)
Jules,
I tried every diet (including the no carb "Breaking the Vicious Cycle" one) and nothing helped. Crohn's is an autoimmune disorder that will not go away by eating or not eating certain foods. If it were that easy, we'd all be in remission with healthy intestines!

My father and brother (both doctors, mind you) tried to talk me out of surgery the night before I was having it done, so I know exactly what you're going through. They did not suffer for years with chronic diarrhea, fistulas, and abscesses. Bless their hearts, your mom and grandma are just scared and do not understand that you will live a healthy, long life without a colon. You're just going to have to do it without their support and show them later that you and your doctors were right. That's what I did and have never had any regrets. smilewinkgrin

((Big Hug))
Cecilia
Posted 6/7/2010 11:29 AM (GMT 0)
thankyou cecilia. i really need all the suport i can get.
my mum is sitting in the room next to me reading the book now. shes become a bit obcessed with diet books and saving my colon. I luv her, i know she jst dosnt want to see them cut me open again but shes not listening to me!! she thinks that jst cos its not going thro the colon its still going thro ur blood strem/intestines so its affecting everything? my grandma is forever saying "maby its somthing shes eating!?" i feel like pulling my hair out. then they make me question if iv given the diets enough of a chance?cld i help myself without the surgery? siiiiigh.
I jst dont want ppl douting my decision. i need them behind me. not on the side line reading other ulternatives. its making me cry as i type.
im suprised ur bro n father were against it.. did that bother u? i jst want them to suport me n stop with the douting.
Posted 6/7/2010 4:54 PM (GMT 0)
You're welcome, Jules. I understand how frustrating it is. They think they're doing what's best for you, but don't understand that surgery is what's best for you and what you really need from them right now is their support. Have you told them that? Maybe they need to hear it from your surgeon, since he's the expert, not some book author.

My brother is a dentist and my dad was a retired OB/GYN. Neither of them had ever known anyone who had a proctocolectomy due to Crohn's, so even though they were doctors, they really didn't know how much surgery was going to help me. It did bother me that they were trying to talk me out of surgery the night before I was scheduled to have it done, but I told them that it was my only option left. I had tried all of the drugs and so-called "cure" diets, and nothing worked. I was sick and tired of being sick and tired and was going to go ahead as planned.

It was tough to go against their recommendation (especially since I'm the youngest in my family and don't have a M.D. after my name). But, I made the right decision, and they couldn't be happier to see me healthy again. You just have to stand by your decision, and they will turn around once they see how healthy and happy you are to be disease free. :-)

Hang in there. We've been in your shoes and are here to support you!

Cecilia
Posted 6/9/2010 4:33 AM (GMT 0)
thanku cecilia. ur words help alot. i jst pray that it works as well for me as it did for u.

thought id jst post a diet link i see wat response i get. i dnt know why im bothering..i guess my mum has a way of making we wonder. am trying to stay positive, im sure im doing the right thing but it is really hard when others question it.
i did tell her to back off later that nite. n she was very apoligetic n told me shed be behind me..but, i know shes still struggling with this alot more than i am! i guess she is a mother after all.
Posted 6/9/2010 11:49 AM (GMT 0)
That's really good news that your mum said she'd support you in your decision. She just wants you to be healthy, which is what surgery will do for you. It will not taking anything away from you, except the disease. If you think of Crohn's like a cancer, would you want to leave the cancer in you or have it removed? Because the unfortunate truth is, those of us with digestive diseases are at a much higher risk of getting colon and rectal cancer than the general population. But, you won't have to worry about that after surgery.

You will be amazed by how much better you'll feel once the disease is gone. No more pain in the bum, no more bleeding. You will finally feel like a young woman is supposed to feel, which is healthy and full of energy! I felt like an 80 year old sick woman before surgery, and now I feel young again. It has given me my life back. It's also wonderful to not have to take any medicine or see doctors anymore! :-)

Hugs,
Cecilia
Posted 6/12/2010 11:18 AM (GMT 0)
am a little confused cecilia. Wats the diference betweeen a Colectomy aaaand a protocolectomy? which one am i having? lol. i jst say colon removed.
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