HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Newbie Here

Support Forums
>
Ostomies
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 10/25/2012 11:43 PM (GMT 0)
Hello from Canada!
Last May, after 3 years of telling my GP that I was bleeding every time I pooed and needed a colon examination, she finally listened to me when I finally insisted upon an examination. I told her how I was feeling nauseous after each bowel movement and she finally did an examination right there her office. Guess what? She could feel the tumor...it was that low and that big.
I got in for a colonoscopy 10 days later - it normally takes months to one of those!
The surgeon took a look and told me right away that it was a tumor, it was probably cancerous and it needed to come out asap. It was 5 cm and growing. She took three biopsies for testing and meantime, I panicked, cried, didn't sleep, wrote my will.
10 days later I rec'd the biopsy results...benign!! The surgeon wasn't convinced and scheduled me for a ton of tests which involved drinking nasty stuff and being shoved in a tube for an hour while a machine that sounded like a washing machine scanned my innards. My lymph nodes were enlarged but that was it. Still, she wanted me in surgery asap. August 3rd I went in for laproscopic surgery and a small incision. 8 inches of my colon were taken out and she managed to save a bit of my rectum and my anus....which she wasn't sure she would be able to do as the tumor was so low and large...and gave me a temporary ileostomy loop. Five days later I was released from the hospital. I lost 20 lbs from the surgery but was back at work 5 weeks later. I have been feeling great - really thirsty but great. Just yesterday I got my surgery date for my reversal - November 27th - and I am finding that I am scared. What if this doesn't work? What if I cannot control my bowels after the reversal? What if I can't go back to work??
Anyway, I have been reading people's posts here for about a month now and thought I would contribute!
Cheers!
Posted 10/25/2012 11:51 PM (GMT 0)
Man, that's crazy. It took you 3 years of telling your GP that you were bleeding while pooing and nothing was being done?

Change GP. This one suxxor.
Posted 10/26/2012 6:22 AM (GMT 0)
Yeah that's insane. First sign of blood in poo should have scored you an exam. You probably have grounds for a law suit if you are that sort of person. Thank the powers that be that it was benign, though. You could be telling a much different story right now!

Anyway, I wish you luck with your reversal. Your fears are all valid, but if she saved part of your rectum along with most of your colon, then you will most likely be in much better shape and have an easier reversal than many of us here who have had our entire colons and rectums removed. Even those with no colon or rectum at all are usually able to control bowels after the reversal with just the anus and sphincter muscles. (Haven't had my reversal yet - just know this from extensive reading and online chatting.) And even those with leakage problems in the beginning are 99% resolved within the first few months. So keep your chin up... you'll do great. :-)
Posted 10/26/2012 11:35 PM (GMT 0)
It is totally normal to be scared. You have also figured out that you need more hydration than before which is great.
The likelihood of your being permanently incontinent is very small. I have yet to meet or even hear of anyone it happened to except as a statistic.
Bootstrap is right about a little leakage in the beginning. Wear an adult diaper for a day or two or a pad for a few weeks and don't worry about it. I was nervous and wore a pad while exercising but I didn't need it. One week I did have a tough reaction to a food so I wore a diaper under my running clothes. Depends Silhouette does not show under running clothes! I ended up needing it a little so I was very glad it was there. I still finished my mileage goal that day!
The reversal is the least physically traumatic surgery but many people find their anxiety higher than for any of the other surgeries. I had no good reason for it but the day of my surgery I could not stop crying. Finally, they gave me an anti-anxiety med and I felt much better. If you are still scared before the surgery ask for one.
I was shocked to wake up from the surgery without any pain. My first week was incredibly easy and pain free. The second and third weeks were tougher but then it got much better. Everyone has a different story but I hope yours will be very positive!
Are you doing the anal and kegel exercises? I found those to be the most helpful in controlling continence. Aim for 50 times every day. The anal exercise is imaging you are clenching a stone in your mid-rectum. Hold for ten seconds or as long as you can and release. Continue to do the exercises even after the surgery. It will be hard at first. Your muscles will not respond quickly and you will not be able to flex the muscle for as long. Mine returned to normal after a week.
My assistant walking coach had her colon removed from malignant cancer. Her reversal was in July and she completed a marathon in October!!! She is probably in her 50s and looks fantastic. There are lots of success stories here. I hope people will post more so you can be comforted and inspired.
All the best,
Cynthia
Posted 10/29/2012 7:25 PM (GMT 0)
Gosh, stories of yours (w/GP) just makes me so angry at physicians. I'm glad a bit of your rectum and anus was saved, sounds like your surgeon did the very best she could do for you. I know your scared, but colorectal surgeons perform many cases like yours and the patients recover just fine. A good surgeon will perform the connection precisely as to where you shouldn't have a stricture, which is the main reason for bm complications. Wishing you all my best!
Posted 11/15/2012 4:05 AM (GMT 0)
At first after surgery you might have some trouble controlling your bowel movement (I did after my reversal) but eventually you learn how to control them again and life goes on! For the first week or so there are diapers that you can wear when you go to sleep (it's harder to control then) but once you get used to sleeping and your body is able to get used to it again you wont need them (and with part of your colon remaining you may not need them at all).
I'm sure your surgery will go great and you'll be healthier and happier than ever (plus it means you'll be healed up and ready for bikini season!) :D
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply