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Just found out I need Colectomy with Ileorectal anastimosis, SCARED!

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Posted 9/12/2014 8:11 PM (GMT 0)
I am new here so if I have posted in the wrong place, Mods please move. I just found out yesterday that I am going to have a colectomy with ileorectal anastimosis. I was so shocked at the doctor's office I couldn't even think. Now I am scared and have a million questions/fears. My biggest concern is incontinence and accidents. I know it may happen in the early stages but will time help with that? Will I be able to exercise, laugh, have sex? I am envisioning being house bound in a diaper. Any help would really be appreciated. Thanks, BD confused
Posted 9/12/2014 8:38 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Bitzidee!

I had an ileoanal anastomosis procedure (J pouch) which is a bit different. If I am to understand correctly, after your colectomy your small intestine will be hooked up right to your rectum, correct? Are you a UC patient or cancer/FAP patient?

I know it all is really scary right now. I was scared to death too. You will be able to do all the things you do now. You will have added bathroom trips per day but the vast majority of people fare very well and go on to lead totally normal lives. You won't necessarily have accidents....I never did once.

Can you give a bit more info as to why you need this surgery? I'm guessing not UC since your rectum is staying.
Posted 9/13/2014 1:22 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Marianne, I have recurrent diverticulitis (4 episodes since June) and it is getting worse, I also have had 2 bouts of ischemic colitis which has compromised the blood flow to my colon. The ischemia made the blood supply to my colon so bad that a partial colectomy would not heal. The only option is a total colectomy. I go to the bathroom about 6 times a day now and my stools are quite loose. I hope that after surgery it will not be much different. My biggest concern is accidents. Thank God I have been having regular colonoscopies with precancerous polyps removed with each one. Thank you for encouraging me about the accidents. I know surgery and recovery will be painful (I am a nurse but never did GI patients) but hope after I am recovered my life will be better than it is now. Pain and fevers and all that really is no fun. Any suggestions for comfort measures after surgery would be appreciated. Again, thanks, BD
Posted 9/14/2014 1:27 AM (GMT 0)
i had the same surgery five years ago although for a different reason, colonic inertia. in the end, it all turned out fine (i had surgical complications most people don't have-surgeon error that let to two more surgeries but unlikely that would happen to you).

the initial 2-4 weeks can be a bit trying with very frequent/liquid stools but it improves as your small intestine "learns" it's new function. stools firm up and become less frequent. initially you have to watch what you eat but now i eat anything i want including fruit and veg, nuts, mexican, etc. etc. i have no urgency nor incontinence although there was some urgency in the initial post-op period but never incontinence).
Posted 9/17/2014 4:59 PM (GMT 0)
I really appreciate the help here. Does anyone have any recommendations for "butt cream" post op. My skin in that area is very sensitive to caustic fecal material. Also, do or did any of you wear some kind of "just in case" pad in the beginning until you knew how your bowels were going to work? Thanks in advance BD
Posted 9/17/2014 7:41 PM (GMT 0)
I like to use Calmoseptine. You can find it in Walgreens or on Amazon.com. It's mostly zinc oxide with calamine and menthol in it to sooth. But some people don't care for that cooling menthol feeling so you could always just use a cream that has a high percentage of zinc oxide in it. I happen to like the menthol feeling because it's very soothing and stops any itching immediately. I never had to wear a pad....I didn't have any leakage. Never hurts to be prepared though.
Posted 9/17/2014 11:38 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks ByeByeUC. You are so helpful. I am sure I will have more questions as I go forward.
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