First set-back post surgery

I had my colectomy with end-ileo on Thursday. I was eating mushy food on Saturday. Today I rode three hours from the hospital to my home (my mom is staying with me). I knew my stoma was not acting correctly this morning. I put out only liquid, and quite a bit of it (probably 500cc). I ate breakfast, then had some more liquid output. Then...nothing much...a tiny bit more liquid output. I ate lunch and then after nothing happened a hour later, I called the dr. They put me back on an all clear liquid diet :(. Instructions to go to the ER with vomiting or severe pain. I just feel a bit overly full right now. I'm a bit disappointed with this slight set-back but I really don't want to end up back in the hospital :(.

     Be careful.  I had my total colectomy with end ileo on the 28th of June, 2010..it was a Monday.  That Wednesday, the surgical resident told me I could eat...not a good idea.  I did not eat mushy...I ate chicken, mashed potatoes and green beans but chewed thoroughly. The piece de resistance...lemon cake for dessert !  MMMMM...sooo goooood.  A few hours later....not so good.   Projectile vomiting and had to have that nasty ng tube stuck back down again.  My surgeon was a tad PO'd at the resident for telling me to eat.  He told me only listen to my body and it will tell me when to eat.  Well, my body said, "no, no" but my eyes said..."yes, yes!!"  Needless to say, it was a set back.  I spent 11 days in that hospital.  A few days after the NG tube came out, while checking vitals the nurse could not get my BP reading, I had a temp of 105 and heartrate of 150.  Long story short....they have no idea what happened, but may have been either dehydration or sepsis.  Either way, I did survive. The nurses and doctors at Pennsylvania Hospital are tops.  Worked on me all night and I am here today as proof.  Would I go through it all again?  You betcha!  That operation gave me my life back.

Yay. Had some more movement!

could be post op ileus this soon out. They always advance those diets way too fast. AND we are hungry. Stick to clears. Be sure you are getting real output. Good luck. Rosemary

I look at it this was- would  you rather be hungry or be back in the hospital. I learned quickly.. after my first of many colon/ostomy/jpouch... surgeries... advance slowly. And never listen to the residents and fellows when they tell you  what, how, and when to eat. If you are eating anything besides liquids... you should be moving and walking.. a lot. If you are recent post op, and you are eating and not walking.. you are asking for trouble. And when you advance you diet.. go to full  liquids - cream soup stuff and make sure that works then go gi soft - cottage cheese, scrambled eggs,etc. And only eat a very little each time until you know things are ok. After each advancement make sure things are chugging away consistently before eating anything else.

I have spent many days  in a shared hospital watching and listening to a various roomates who refuse to get  out of bed and walk but continual stuff their face with the entire meal only to have them end up getting NG tubes later. Definitely not something that is fun to listen to either.

Thankfully, I had a very talkative stoma today!

I'm glad things seem to be clearing up. Definitely take your time with the food, I know it is hard to do when you feel hungry.

Just incase you have further issues: I'm about 2 1/2 hours from the clinic and when I was going through a potential blockage they told me to go to my local ER if I ended up vomiting or in severe pain. They said the local ER could do IV and NG tube but not to let anyone operate on me there. They said if it came down to that then they would get me up to the clinic via ambulance or helicopter of it was emergent. So, don't feel like you need to go back up there if this comes up again....though definitely let them know so they are aware. Hopefully you are done with that part of it though!

Thankfully it sounds like you are getting over that episode. Yeah definitely go slowly for awhile until things get back in shape for you. Slowly introduce a little...very little...here and there and jot it down and see how it reacts for you.

Oh, also wanted to add. It might have been the pain pills making me nauseous, even though I was only taking them in the evening.

Thanks! I think things are going really well (knock on wood). The nausea is gone and I'm actually hungry! The best part is I feel like drinking again. Time to hit up the Jack and Diet ;) J/K - water and G2 seem to be the drinks of choice right now.