For Everyone Who Has Had Colon Surgery....

I had a total colectomy, no bag, and I am still having problems.  When I try to move my bowels I can feel things getting stuck and ripping me inside.  I have only been able to eat jello for the past 5 days and I have been in the hospital several times because I have poor nutrition.  I am going to see my GI specialist (for the 9th time this year) on Wednesday and I am going to BEG him to fix this problem.  I truly think that my rectum has shut down and is not allowing things to pass.  I rip and tear just trying to pass the liquid jello and I have to use about 30 suppositories a night.

 

Ok, so here is my question.  What should I ask my GI doctor to do?  Should I ask him to put me on a bag?  For those of you who have bags, does this eliminate the need to a rectum and keep things moving? 

 

Or, should I ask for a J-Pouch?  Does this also help with rectal problems? 

 

I do not know anything about any other surgery other than the one I had (a Total Colectomy).  So, are there other surgeries that could help me? What is a colostomy, an

 

The hospital attending told me that if I cannot find a way to eat more solid foods then I am going to kill myself.  I cannot keep starving myself because my defective rectum (gosh, I cannot believe I am even writing about something so personal, but I really need some help).

 

Any advice about your personal surgery, what your surgery means and how it affects you would be FANTASTIC.

 

Thank you,

Amey

 

Indersonu,

Indersonu, my hubby is a lawyer ....LOL. Too bad he knows nothing about medical malpractice. He is an assitant state attorney.

Glad Bag, I have been begging my GI specialist for 9 months to help me and he has only offered me medications. When I go to him on Wednesday, I would like to say to him.."How do you feel about a _________________ (colostomy, J pouch, rectal surgery .....) My GI specialist is the gateway to a surgeon. I cannot see the surgeon without the GI's referral. When I called to see a new GI specialist, the office said that new patients would have to wait 9 months to see one specialist in the office and 8 months wait to see another specialist.

I do not want to start all over with another doctor and have to explain my whole story again in hopes that he will send me to a surgoen. It would be so much faster if I can get my GI specialist to believe me about this problem and refer me directly to the surgeon.... (Oh why does it all have to be so complicated????)

Thank you for your help...

Glad Bag,

I have offered to pay cash for a GI consult. It would be between $175-$250. Personally, the money means nothing to me compared to my health; however, the office said the wait time to see the doctor would be the same because I am a "new patient." As far as why I had the surgery, I was told that I had a lazy intestines and I would go 12 days without having a BM. When ever I would eat, I would vomit. So, now since my colectomy, I can feel things moving through my intestines (yippie), but I can feel them back up at my rectum. In 2001, I went to my surgeon 9 days after my surgery and told me about this rectal pressure and constipation. He told me that I was impatient and I needed to heal more. However, 3 weeks after surgery, I still could not go and my life has been this way ever since....

Thank you for your kind words and for your suggestions.. It means a lot to me that you are willing to post these messages on my behalf.

Mortisha,
Here is a little synopsis of my history, I hope this answers your questions.

In 2001 I was told that I had a "lazy" intestines with no motility. A Total Colectomy was preformed in which case my large intestines were removed, except for my sigmoid, and my sigmoid was connected to my rectum. Immediately after surgery, I went back to the surgeon because I did not have bowel movements. Periodically I would vomit; I developed painful rectal fissures, and constipation. I insisted that something was still wrong and again, none of the doctors where able to help me. They recommend a liquid laxative similar to Latulose called Sorbitol solution which I have been using ever since.

For the next five years, I sought many physicians and specialist seeking help, most concluded that I was anorexic and had an eating disorder because I could not eat solid foods.

Finally, in September 2005, I was rushed to Brandon Region Hospital with small bowel obstruction. The attending surgeon noticed my anastomosis was extremely narrow. In fact it was too narrow for any stools to pass through and move into my rectum. This explained why I could not eat solid foods. The surgeon did not fix the narrowing instead he sent me to another surgeon.

In June 2006, I underwent a "revised colectomy" where the surgeon widened the anastomosis and cut away some scar tissue.

Since this surgery, I continued to struggle to have regular bowel movements without laxative assistance. The laxatives are so depleating that I keep ending up in the hospital because my eletrolyes are too low. Further, it causes dehydration which has lead to kidney failure and heart failure.
When I do not take Sorbitol, my stools will not come through my rectum. I can feel them and the pressure is so instense that my body will shake and quiver, but nothing comes out. When I do get something to pass, it is soft and mushy. For some reason, even soft and mushy stools cannot pass through my rectum.

Arudinaria,
I appreciate you saying this to me. I have been telling my doctors that I feel like I have blockage but they say that I am fine. (Note, that no x-rays or tests have been done to rule out blockage) There opinion is based completely on looking at me and saying "Oh Amey, you're fine, go home." I always leave the office in tears. I am going back to you GI specialist today and I am going to BEG for a surgery consult referral. My surgeon is wonderful but he will only take patients who have a referral from a GI specialist stating that surgery is needed. I believe that I need another surgery.

Again, thank you for your comments.

Amey

could someone answer me why did my surgeon have me do this test surgery is inevitable but what kind she said on my 1st visit with my surgeon she said she is cutting me vertically and my belly button ring will be gone someone please answer me

Amy, I would look for a colorectal surgeon other than the one that needs a referral. Also, if you still have your small intestines, why don't you look into an ileostomy? You could have your rectum closed up. Just a thought. I certainly didn't need to go to a GI Specialist before seeing a colorectal surgeon. What type of insurance do you have?

Ohio43