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Total Colectomy Part 11

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Posted 5/30/2006 11:27 PM (GMT 0)
I have heard of having a colonoscopy, I would think to check the anastamosis site and whatever amount of rectum/sigmoid colon that you have left. The weight of the colon depends on the length removed. When empty, it's like a garden hose, thick muscle tissue but hollow on the inside.

I was told not to lift more than 10 pounds for 6 months, I can't imagine mowing the lawn. Not even when I thought I was healthy. You've been doing extremely well in your recovery period, don't do anything to jeopardize that.

Cathy W
Posted 5/31/2006 2:07 AM (GMT 0)

Mom - I agree with Cathy, it probably is too soon to mow the lawn... just take it easy!  I think her 6 months was because of her complications, but I would say 6 weeks before you do heavy lifting.

Unfortunately, yes we still have to have a colonoscopy, only now we probably dont even have to fast before it... just do a quick enema for prep and that it.  I only have an anus/rectum left... so I cant imagine that is going to be hard to clean out! :)

Glad to hear you are doing so well... its a nice feeling to have your life back!

Hugs,

Emma

Posted 6/1/2006 10:46 PM (GMT 0)

Hi Everyone.....

I just can't believe what has just happened...As you know I am scheduled to start driving to Cleveland Clinic on 6-13 and surgery on 6-19......

Well I am post menopausal and started staining on Sat.  Appt with GYN today and removed cervical polyp and did a uterine biopsy...no numbing..ouch!!!!.  The bleeding is coming from past cervix...ultrasound tomorrow.....and all I kept asking her was do I have to cancel the surgery?  I hope not...

Just really down and hurting a bit.... 

Posted 6/2/2006 1:56 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Phyllis,  Dont panic, this is just a little bump in the road.   I'm sure you will not have to cancel surgery as these are 2 separate problems.  You would have to have your colon out anyways.  It could be a number of benign things.

  It's easy for me to give out advice but i'm panicking here myself, thinking something is terribly wrong as I am only going once in the morning now.  I thought it only took 4 hours for food to travel through your small intestines, so I should be going every time I eat right?  Other than that I feel great.    Please let me know how it goes tomorrow.

Posted 6/2/2006 2:54 AM (GMT 0)

I'll let you know...

Have you tried eating some foods that make you go more often...or even having more fluids...I remember reading in past notes about increased fluids make you go

Posted 6/5/2006 3:03 AM (GMT 0)

Have any of you had a hernia post op? I am 6 weeks out and have a painful hernia....do NOT want to have more surgery!

Mel

Posted 6/6/2006 12:10 PM (GMT 0)

Hi Everyone...

I just got great news...the cervical polyp was benign, sono showed a uterine polyp that is the source of the blood...GYN says go ahead with colectomy....I am going to see if the polyp can be taken care of during the colectomy.....

Hope everyone else is doing okay....

Posted 6/6/2006 6:25 PM (GMT 0)
Great news Phyllis!!!!!  Mel, I have never heard of a hernia after this surgery.  How do you get it? From lifting too much?
Posted 6/7/2006 6:03 AM (GMT 0)

I haven't posted in a while although I have kept up with the posts to gain information.  I wanted to respond to the hernia issue.   I had my sub-total colectomy on May 17 and also suffered a "hernia".  After my surgery I was obstructed when they were waiting for the small intestine to wake up.  They waited a full week and performed a CT scan that showed a "knucke" of the small instestine stuck in the facia.  They told me they didn't know if the "tear" in the intestine was there when they did the initial surgery and they missed it or if it developed after.  I was in the hospital a total of 11 days.  Of course shortly after the CT scan they took me back to the OR to repair the "hernia".  I know how sick I was for that week and hope that you will consult with your physician and maybe it can be repaired before it causes any additional problems for you.  Yours may be a much simpler hernia to fix since you didn't mention that you are having any problems like obstruction.

Mom23...thanks for your posts I've been following your progress and you've been a real inspiration.  When I went to my follow-up appt the other day with concerns about partial obstruction/complete my physician reassured me that as long as I was going at least once per day I shouldn't worry about it.  He said that I would be as sick as I was before they found and repaired the initial tear in the fascia "hernia" and I wasn't able to keep anything down or pass anything until that was repaired.  So far my experience hasn't been that I go as often as some that I've read on here.  Some times I go a lot and others not as often.  I think it has something to do with what I am eating, but I don't know for sure yet.  Still trying to figure it out.  I have found that a cup of tea helps if I feel full and nothing is passing it gets things moving fairly quickly.  I'm not a fan or lover of hot tea but think I will be drinking my share!

I appreciate all the imput that has come from the posts on this forum.  It has been very helpful to me.

Posted 6/7/2006 2:23 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Annette, I'm so glad you posted, I have been thinking about you and wondering how it went for you.  I had to laugh when I saw the time of yor post... I thought I was the only one up at that time!!!!

   I'm glad you are doing better now  and I have to agree  that what I eat makes a big difference.  It's all been trial and error for a while, but its easy to freak out when things slow down.  I have found that Welch's grape juice makes things start moving!  I have a glass every morning. It has to be Welchs though for some reason and unfortunately not the "light " kind because that is not 100% juice.   I am feeling great though and am sooooo thankful for that.!!

    Emma, how are your eyes?

Posted 6/8/2006 1:06 AM (GMT 0)

Thanks. i had bronchitis two weeks ago and I think the cough and over doing it caused the hernia. I do not have an obstruction, just pain.

Mel

Posted 6/8/2006 5:56 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks Mom23...I'm 3 weeks post the total subcolectomy and 2 weeks postop the repair.  Things are getting better slowly each day.  I have been drinking the grape juice and it does make a difference.   I haven't been able to establish a good sleep schedule yet so I am often still up with the owls.  I still wake up to quite a bit of pain so am hoping that the pain when I have to use the bathroom will let up with a bit more healing.  I seem to be waking promptly between 4:30 and 5:30 am..  I end up napping at some point and will be working on getting a bit more on schedule.  I want to return to work as soon as possible.  Did you experience low abdominal/pelvic pain when you needed to have a bowel movement after surgery?  I guess I wasn't expecting the crampy/pressure pain.  Once I empty the pain begins to let up.  Any idea if this is part of the healing process or how long I can expect it to last?  Thanks again to everyone that has been so forthcoming with information on this site. 

Posted 6/8/2006 12:50 PM (GMT 0)

Annette,

I still have some pain when I go to the bathroom in my lower abdomen area. It is not as bad as it was when I first had the surgery. That pain is minimal compared to the pain I was experiancing prior to surgery. Your body will get better through the night. I take medicine only at night to slow things down other wise I would never get a full nights sleep. I take Lomotil just one small pill every night before bed and that helps. Because I take that sometimes in the morning it does take things a little bit before they start moving again. Some nights it doesn't work depending on what I ate the night before. I am just recently starting to get a lot of bloating again which has me a little worried because that is how I was when I was constipated before. I am still going every day which I know is a good sign but I have been feeling very sick the past few days. Maybe its just a stomache bug hopefully.

Hope everyone is doing well.

Melissa

Posted 6/8/2006 4:07 PM (GMT 0)

Thanks Melissa.  The pain does seem to be improving yet a little each day.  I'm actually only having to go 2-3 times a day right now so I'm thinking some of it still being worked out with my off-beat schedule.  I hope you've just got a temporary tummy bug as you've been through enough already.  Don't hesitate to go get it checked out if it doesn't clear up soon!

Posted 6/8/2006 6:34 PM (GMT 0)

Hey Annette-

Sounds like we had something similar happen.  I herniated immediately after surgery, but it took them 2 1/2 weeks to figure out that I herniated and perforated.  I was one sick cookie.  They went back in to repair the perforation and herniation and left me with an ileostomy (temporary).  I'm now 4 months post ileostomy take down (reversal).  I too, had trouble sleeping after surgery.  Eventually it just started to work itself out.

Hey gang-

I'm in need of some help.  I need suggestions for calming or eliminating the butt burn that I get.  I have a hemorrhoid that flares up with almost every BM especially if it's D.  But the burn goes beyond the usual hemorrhoid pain.  I know that the acidity of the BM has changed due to the removal of the lg intestine, but I haven't been able to get beyond the butt burn.  No matter what I eat, the burn is the same.  What I eat decides if I have more or less D., but not if I will have burning/itching pain.

Midwest Phil- you mentioned "Barbasol cream...in a tube" once, where can you get that?  I've been looking for it and haven't been able to find it.

I'm using the witch hazel wipes, and diaper cream, but it's not enough.  Will I ever get past this????

Thanks guys/gals.  I hope everyone is doing well.

Cathy W

Posted 6/8/2006 7:06 PM (GMT 0)
Cathy, it does sound like we had similar experiences.  I was also a sick cookie by the time they found there was a hernia.  I have had good luck with a combination of a couple of products for the burn.  I quit using toilet paper after a bm and started using Pampers sensitive wipes, and I have some Preparation H cooling gel I use once in a while as well as a tube of A & D ointment that is very helpful.  The wipes and the A & D ointment help prevent me from experiencing the burn.  If I do get burning is when I use the cooling gel.  I hope this helps as it sure has helped me.

Posted 6/8/2006 8:23 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Annette.

I'm feeling much better now, I hope you are too. 6 weeks has been the magic number to get to feeling normal!?!?!

Cathy
Posted 6/9/2006 3:10 PM (GMT 0)
Cathy -

You should look into some steroid cream to shrink that hemorrhoid.  You will never be able to eliminate the diarrhhea, nor will you be able to change the PH much... but decrease the size and irritation of the hemmorhoid might be worth the investment in time.  Have you thought about a steroid injection to sclerose?

I am doing well.. I only go once every two days... I am very happy with the results..

Hugs,

Emma

Posted 6/9/2006 3:41 PM (GMT 0)
Cathy, someone told me to try eating yogurt as it changes the acidity ? Have you ever heard of that?  It might be worth a try though!
Posted 6/9/2006 9:40 PM (GMT 0)
I have heard of the yogurt for normaflora (good bacterias) but not specifically to alter the ph.

Emma- tell me more about the steroid inj to sclerose. Which steroid? Is it mixed or diluted with anything? Is it injected into the hemorrhoid?

I'm glad you're doing well.
Cathy
Posted 6/10/2006 12:35 AM (GMT 0)
Cathy - dont know what it is mixed with, just know that when topical steroid treatment are uneffective, the steroid sclerosing agent injected directly into the hemorrhoid can be very effective.  Hemorrhoidectomy is another option.. but most people dont go for that option....you could also have hemorrhoid banding procedure... which is only moderately painful... but might be worth it rather than have regular pain... lemme know what happens!

I have a dumb question for you....when a doctor gets sick, do they have to see another doctor... or do you write your own prescription?

LOL dont know why this has been bothering me

Hugs,

Emma

Posted 6/12/2006 2:06 AM (GMT 0)

Emma- you crack me up!

Well, luckily I have 2 things in my favor.  1-I have my own pharmacy in my office and 2-my husband is a physician as well.  Sometimes, I even have to have my husband do my paps.  But I did seek help through a GI and PCP due to insurance regs for coverage.  We (physicians) do however, make terrible patients.  I don't think that I was "out of it" due to illness in the hosp. , but rather purposely to shut me up and make me remember nothing.

My GI, the first time I saw him, was VERY intimidated/nervous and told me to breath deeply as he looked in my throat!?!?!?!?!  I laughed my a*s off.

We can't write for our own or our family member's controlled substances, but we can write for our own medications.

Cathy W

Posted 6/12/2006 4:23 AM (GMT 0)

Hi everyone, it has been awhile since I posted.  Things have been going good for me.  I am 5 1/2 months out and averaging about 3 bms per day.  The last two weeks have been kinda different though, some watery diarrhea and in small amounts, with a little bloating.  I had started adding more variety of foods into my diet and think that may be the problem.  However, my rear end burns and itches now too.  Started using some H - cream and that seems to help.  I have also gone back to earing potatoes, eggs, starches, etc., that I had been doing and things are beginning to settle down.  Before the last two weeks, I was even having some formed stool, not hard, but soft and less diarrhea. 

It is still the best thing that I have ever had done and would do it again tomorrow.  The recovery was not so good for me as my small intestines did not want to cooperate at first and I threw up lots in the hospital.  The NG tube did not even bother me and that was one of the things I dreaded the most.  I wore it for six days.  It was tough, but well worth it.

I try not to worry so much, but it is so great to feel good and be able to poop, so if it slows down I have to really talk to myself and try not to worry.

The thing that I have noticed is that my skin is dry and it itches some.  I put lotion on it all the time and I know I should drink more water, but that is not one of my favorite drinks. 

Take care and I have really enjoyed this forum, it has been very helpful to me.

Nonna

Posted 6/13/2006 2:34 AM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone, a couple of questions....  how much water does everyone drink a day?  Also, do you notice that when you eat red meat it really slows things down?   I would reeeeeeeeeally appreciate all your feedback..

   

   Cathy,  I have heard about two creams that might help you out. Maybe you have already tried them, but one is called CALMOSEOTINE and  the other one is ILEX CREAM.  I think I might try these also.

Posted 6/13/2006 2:04 PM (GMT 0)

Mom,

I don't drink any water at all, I drink gatorade all day long. I don't drink nearly as much as I should a day and sometimes I can really tell. I am just the type of person that doesn't get thirsty that much. I probably drink about 32 oz of gatorade a day. I have not noticed that red meat slows things down. I do know that eating a lot of fruits and veggies make my stomache bloat right up and I think that has been a lot of my problem lately with not feeling so well.

Melissa

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