Total Colectomy Part 14

Hi everyone, We're having to start a new thread as we had reached our limit. So Total Colectomy Part 13 is now Total Colectomy Part 14! Hope everyone is doing well and having a good day. gogently

Gogently-
The incisions look like they are almost all healed up, no problems there. My doc told me to stay active and avoid napping. But, that I was being too active before. Oh lord! You may have been babying yourself, but I was overdoing it, but don't take it too easy. I'm confused. He still wants me to get up and out and do things, but I feel like such crap I just want to lay around all day and eat junk food! How do they drain stuff like you said? What is entailed in that?
I am going to a wedding tommorow. Maybe not the whole thing, but it is my best friends wedding and I cannot miss it for the world. My husband is dragging me to Target tonight to buy a present. I haven't left the couch since I got home from the emergency.
I have made myself eat some fruit. I am still going to the bathroom normally and have passed the barium, which is a good sign.
I just wish I knew what happened.
My surgeon also told me to quit the vicodin and only take an anti-inflamatory from now on, like ibruprofen.

Hi Gogently,

I do believe I'm getting closer to scheduling the colectomy because I'm so miserable.  I'm sure everyone on this forum can relate to having absolutely no energy and no desire to much of anything.  I am also a full-time student and will get my BS degree in May; I wanted to finish last class before I have the surgery because I have worked so hard for the past 3 years to get my degree.  I've been taking 4 Correctol every 2 days for the last few months so that I can go.  The different colors when I go also concern me; one day yellow, one day dark green or close to black and so on.  

My doctor seems to think my abuse of laxatives since my college years contributed to my colon problems and I know he's probably right.  I have been taking laxatives or some form of colon cleanse almost daily since my early 20s. I did have the bowel problems before I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia.  Unfortunately most doctors in my area don't believe fibromyalgia exist.  They seem to think it's a label doctors put on an illness they cannot identify.  This is an entirely different issue, but the pain seems to be getting much worse lately.  I'm so happy to hear your fibro symptoms are subsiding.  That's very encouraging newss. 

Thank you again for responding and I will continue to gain strength and valuable information from everyone in this forum. 

Hi Everyone,
Welcome Lisa61.

Gogently - good to hear you are doing better and that some of your other symptoms are subsiding.

Bootnoworky - Sorry to hear you were in so much pain. Hope it goes away and you start to feel better. Did your doctors figure out what it was yet?

Stuck42 - thank you for posting your results in detail. It helps to know what to sort of expect.

Actually, I want to thank all of you who have posted your results. The good and the bad. I have read a lot of articles on this, but hearing it from people who have experienced it helped more. Thank all of you.

Yesterday was my last day of work. Some of the people know I will be having surgery but not what for. My family knows. My son will take me to the hospital and stay there until I get out of surgery.

I start my prep today. I want to make sure I am clean. I heard somewhere that in areas in the United States and overseas they are no longer using preps for this surgery.

I read a few articles on the use of chewing gum after this surgery. Some of them said it helped in about 30% of the patients. Some of the articles stated it had no affect on the healing processing. There you have pros and cons. Me, I'm going to try it anyway. Can't hurt I suppose. I had bubble gum to bring, but I don't know abut the sugar content in the gut so soon so I changed to sugarless, Sparemint. I don't like Peppermint. Guess it won't matter.

Yesterday I had the worst headache I have had in the longest time. It felt like my head wanted to explored. I couldn't take anything so I had to suffer with it all day. This morning thankfully it is gone.

Monday is my day. The surgeon has me down for four days in the hospital. I hope my energy level returns. I had this since my early 30's, but it wasn't until Oct. 2002 that it really got worse. I have done nothing but go to work and home since that time. I also put on a ton of weight - not that I was ever thin.

 SURVIVING - I'm so excited to hear you're doing SO much better now!!  I'm sure KNOWING the why's of your situation is really a blessing to you!!  Isn't the weight loss WONDERFUL!!  I topped out at 30lbs and have regained five, give or take - AND not looking pregnant anymore is even better LOL!!

RESA - I'll be thinking and praying for you!!  I'm sure you're having rollercoaster emotions about now - I sure did - I'm sure everyone else here did as well.  Just know that you will feel like and be a new person in a matter of weeks (maybe several weeks, but weeks)!!  Seeing that I suffered with my condition for 43 years - the last 16 weeks have been trying and a blessing all wrapped up in one!! 

PHYLLISB - Since my total hysterectomy four years ago - I do take homone replacment via a patch.  I couldn't deal with the sudden onset of the hot flashes and severe mood swings.  I take medication for severe depression and mood disorders as it is.  I know their are risks to hormone replacement, actually there's a risk with any medication, so I opted for hormone replacement knowing I counldn't handle the hot flashes and severe mood swings anymore.

You mentioned being a hollow woman if you do indeed have to have a hysterectomy.  I had those same feelings!!  I made a statement in a previous post about the weeks of such tenderness post-op and it being some how related to being a "hallow" woman.  The tenderness was EXACTLY where my female organs used to be (I had endometriosis so bad for many years and after serveal surgeries and much pain, it continued to come back, leaving me in severe pain in the female organ area all the time).  I have noticed one improvement if it will make you feel better - I don't dribble anymore when I sneeze, cough, or laugh real hard anymore.  I can only imagine what my remaining organs were thinking after the 5 1/2 feet of colon was removed - it was probably like me walking into a mansion and trying to decided where I wanted to go first LOL!!!

LISA - I'm happy to hear you're seeking a permanent resolution to your situation.  If it helps any, many colorectal surgeons (or general surgeons) are so booked in advance for this type of surgery that you will more than likely be able to finish your schooling if you get in now to see a specialist/surgeon.

I too had to take laxatives for many years for my constipation.  My situation began when I was 15 months old and by the time I was 19 or so - I HAD NO other choice than to take laxatives.  There was absoluetly NOTHING else that worked, and up until two or three years ago, they didn't work anymore.  I was actually taking 48 extra strength Exlax over a three day span, drinking that magnesium stuff in the green bottles, Miralax, Lactalose, Zelnorm, Amitiza (all at the same time) and hardly NOTHING was moving.

I did the two day prepping before surgery, Miralax, Ducolax, and a fleet enema the morning of surgery.  Upon arriving at the hospital I was given SEVEN of those deep enemas before they cleared me for surgery.  The nurse was in awe when she saw how much of the fluid I could take in before having to take off the the bathroom!!

Sorry if I've repeated myself on anything - just like to share and help those facing surgery or those who are in recovery!!

Resa,
I just got home from my first outing with my hubby since surgery! I hope you know that you're in my prayers for a perfect surgery and a smooth recovery tomorrow. I hope you get this is time because of the time change. I'll be going to bed early tonight to try to adjust! When you feel up to it let us know how you're doing, okay?
gogently

Stuck42long and all-My outing this past weekend was fun. It was my anniversary (32 years!) and my husband wanted to get me out of the house 2 nights. We drove about 2 1/2 hours from home and stayed in a cabin on the coast. I live in Oregon and of course it did what Oregon does best this time of year...Rain! But we had a fireplace, no phone, no frills. It was wonderful to get out of the house since it's been 7 weeks today! I did real well on the drive out there but on the way back we had to stop so I could stretch. I find that if I stay in one place too long every thing seems to seize up and ache. That could be the fibro too.

PhyllisB-I had to smile about your 'energy surges'. It is too bad they can't find a way to tap into the heat we generate. We could probably generate enough electricity to power our house day to day! Have you scheduled the hysterectomy yet? I like Stuck42long response about being a 'hallowed woman'. I'm one of those too now that I've had my ovaries removed. Did you have any other surgeries prior to the TC and the ovary/tube removal? How long did you deal with constipation?

Hi Gogently,

You're not kidding about providing energy for the house and at times I could do the whole block.  Anyway, I have had multiple GYN surgeries which culminated in loss of ovary and tube...I am scheduled for preop testing on the 21st and D&C on the 28th....If I need the hysterectomy which I am sure he is going to recommend, my husband and I decided we should go back to the Cleveland Clinic to whom the colorectal surgeon recommended.  This way if there is trouble with the colon he will be there...Cleveland Clinic is just wonderful.  They saved my husband's life when he was diagnosed with bilateral kidney cancer.  They did kidney sparing surgery on him and he is now 5 years out..no chemo or radiation and he is doing fine.  Even though we live in NY I would have more confidence to go out there...So it is just a waiting came and trying not to get too stressed out (yeah sure) until the decision is made.

Glad you had a good outing...the first of many enjoyable ones

Phyllis

PHYLLIS - What a wonderful and interesting story on your husband!!  God is so good!!  I hope you two have many, many more years to enjoy life together!  Your upcoming surgery will bring you NEW FOUND FREEDOM to enjoy the years ahead!!  So, if the hysterectomy is in fact needed, will they be doing it at the same time as the total colectomy?  Like I said before, I'm doing great being a "hollowed" woman and you will be too !!!!!!!!!!!!!

GOGENTLY - What a nice outing indeed!!  Congratulation on 32 years of marriage!!  I've been with my husband going on 28 years - That's way more than half my life!!  The cabin, no phone, no frills, and the fireplace - SOUNDS PERFECT - I think both myself and my husband need a get-a-way, however, with a 13 year old - no phone isn't an option LOL !

BOOTYNOWORKY - How did your doctor's appointment go yesterday.  I do hope your pain has eased up and they find a solution that will work for your problem.  My heart goes out to you because I know what it's like to have pain that's intolerable.  Gogently mentioned the procedure for aspiration that brought something to my attention that happened to my daddy after he had his hernia surgery two years ago.  My daddy carried around this hernia for "30 plus years" and it was the size of a small cantalope.  After surgery I had to take him back to his surgeon five or six times because he filled up with fluid in the "empty" space that held the hernia for so many years.  His surgeon did tell him that it's not uncommon for this to happen, however, due to the size of the hernia, he had more of a chance of this happening.  Each repeat visit to the surgeon yeilded less and less fluid until he didn't have to go back at all.

Please keep us posted OK?

Phyllis B,

My prayers are with you.  It sounds as if you are in very good hands. Everyone is different, but if you can adapt after a colectomy, I am willing to bet you will handle any needed surgeries just fine. Hang in there.

Tracy

Hello everyone,

everything went really good at the doctor. He couldn't find anything wrong with me and said everything was normal if not better than normal. My incisions looked really good, he said I looked really good. Urine-analysis was normal. He looked at the cat scan the other hospital did and he said it was all normal. He said there was a small "kink" that might have made me throw up and cause me all that pain that night, because there is nothing wrong with me. He said the kink would settle and go away. He does not want me to take vicodin anymore, only ibuprofen from now on. He suggested I go to the chiropractor too, I might be confusing skeletal back pain for kidney pain because there is nothing wrong with my kidneys. (they looked at those too) He poked around for a little awhile and I got to go home unscaved. I was scared, there was some freaky looking tools out on the counter with some lube next to them! Eeek!

So, in less words, it was a fluke. I do feel better. I got allergies full blast all the sudden, so that is making me feel pretty crappy, but I do feel better pain wise. I went to the chiropractor today and got an adjustment so hopefully my back pain will feel better. I do have lower back scoliosis I was being adjusted everyweek before the surgery. Tommorow I am going back to the chiropractor for a back massage. They are going to pretend like I am pregnant so I don't have to lie on my tummy.

I made it to the wedding Saturday. It was an hour away, so it was a pretty long day. The food was good. I could eat everything there except for a pasta in cream sauce. I remember what happened last time I did that! They had grilled chicken on a stick thingys, shrimp on stick, salad, bread, and little roast beef sandwiches. (I didn't eat those little sandwiches either, i was too full by then!) I really do eat everything except cream and milk. I even have been eating small amounts of well-chewed salad. That was another thing the doc made sure of, he wanted to make sure I was trying foods. It can be scary, but I just do it. Maybe because I am dumb and foolish I am not scared. In the can fruit section there is this fruit sorbet you put in the freezer, it is really good. I've only tried the mango so far. Good ice cream substitute.

Hi all,

My doc's appt went well. I'm released to do whatever. It will be 8 weeks on Monday. I don't need to see him again until June unless I have problems. He said I can lift again but if it hurts it is too heavy...that is like Booty's doc telling her don't do too much but stay busy He said it will take about a year for the surgery scar to turn white. He said the lumps and bumps along the scar will dissolve and settle down. I was concerned because after surgery it looked like I had a second navel! Then after the hemotoma scar sunk in it looked like I had a third! I thought if I ever wear a two piece again I'll look like I'm an alien with 3 navels  But even with 3 navels I'm still glad I did it! How is everyone else doing?

gogently

Gogently,

Think positively about your three navels....You can get 3 belly button diamonds.....

Glad to hear all is well out in colectomy land