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Posted 7/15/2008 8:30 PM (GMT 0)
Hi its me again I'm trying to learn all i can about a colectomy because there's a very high possibility that I will be having the surgery done very soon. How do u prep for surgery? I asked already if the quality of life is improved and got alot of positive feed back? Right now I can barely eat food because of the pain, I use an enema every other day because of CI, I am hopeful and the countdown continues 7 more days till my gi dr. appt!!! I am going back to wrk friday and working until I find about surgery. It hurts so bad, i didn't go to the er again becuz i knw they wouldn't do jack_ about it. Just take my money and give me some chemical to clean me out and it never works. It s very frustrating but my dr. reaasures me that I won't hv to live like this much longer. I look 8 months pregnant and alot of swelling n my face and hands. I am hopeful but at the same time hopeless 2. I'm impatient and scared as well. Other questions how long does the surgery take? What is general recovery time. Is it true that without ur colon food calories are more absorbed by the sm. intestine which has to take on the role of colon? I know u don't actually lose weight? When they take ur colon out and it's full of crap will u weigh less? Will my edema cease? Is the pain really bad? I don't even care about a scar.... well thats all 4 now hope u can help??? cya

heather

Posted 7/15/2008 10:34 PM (GMT 0)
i can relate to every complaint you have. and yes yes yes. you will feel alot better. and my swelling went down. i have lost 15 pounds and the dr told me i will loose the weight that i gained in the past 2 years . might take a little while but he said the food wont just say in you for weeks like before so you bound to loose some more weight. but i still feel i need to eat healthy or i wont loose weight. I dont know about the small intestine doing the work of the large colon. my doctor never told me that. but when i go back for my 6 week check up on aug 6th i should know more. I am so happy with how often i poop now. I go about 4 times a day and it is not runny just very soft... (perfect) and i am only 3 and a half weeks out now and i am very happy with my results. If all keeps going as well as it is with no problems I will be so happy. My dr did tell me though that my colon didnt work. so even though he left me with 10 inches that 10 inches dont work BUT there is less colon now to have to travel thru so it might just all work out ok. ( i am praying this will be the case for ever) I also recomend the open surgery verses lap. but that is from my own experience. it went well the dr can see what is going on in there better. and well i am just very pleased with it. only have a 4.5 inch cut and that is fine with me. He took over 5 feet of enlarged colon out of me. and i feel soooooooooooo much better. even with a cut it is not as bad as the CI. i was scared but had a very strong peace come over me. I know God was leading me thru this surgery. Good luck and keep us posted.
Posted 7/15/2008 10:35 PM (GMT 0)
hi I had a total colectomy done last 23May08. It was an open surgery. I am now on my 8 weeks post op recovery and I am recovering very well. I follow what my surgeon says ,not to lift more than a jug of milk, i do walking as my exercise, eat smaller meals but frequent on my first month but at present I am having 3 good meals in a day. At first you will go to the washroom 8-12 times in 24 hours but as days passes by it will keep on reducing the number of times you will have to go. At present I am around 3-6 times in a day and the way I see it wasn't that bad. After eating a good meal you'll find out that after 30 minutes you will have to go and that's okey with me. My life is returning to normal slowly. And wish to go back to work comes September.
I lost 15 lbs after the surgery.Before sx I am 130 lbs after sx 110 lbs. I gained already around 3-5 lbs by trying to eat healthy foods. You will discover for yourself were the ones that will make you go to the bathroom with no pain.
In regards to drinks, I drank warm ones at first for me to be able to pass gas easily and calm my stomach. But at present I drink and eat any kind of stuff which is good no restriction but I take it in minimal portion for me just to have a taste.
If u are going for surgery, all I can advise is to prepare yourself mentally, physically and spiritually. Think positive that everything will be fine. This forum helps me a lot to decide and understand the procedure . And no doubt, it is a big HELP. Good Luck and God Bless.
Posted 7/15/2008 10:44 PM (GMT 0)
It's me again rocky road. I am dx with FAP (Familial adenomatous polyposis) stage I colon cancer. Does anyone of you guys on this condition ? And do you know the years of survival for this case ? My cancer is on its earliest stage so I am not on any medication at all or chemotheraphy or radiation. I just had a total colectomy done to remove the polyps and the cancer part in my colon.
Posted 7/15/2008 11:24 PM (GMT 0)
no i dont know anything about that. but i do know that taking out your colon with cancer is very good. and i know that getting the cancer out you more then likely will be cured. i know some people personally who had colon cancer and after taking out the colon they were done with cancer. so i will say a prayer for you. .... God can do anything. my sis has cancer and is doing great now.
Posted 7/15/2008 11:27 PM (GMT 0)
no i dont know anything about that. but i do know that taking out your colon with cancer is very good. and i know that getting the cancer out you more then likely will be cured. i know some people personally who had colon cancer and after taking out the colon they were done with cancer. so i will say a prayer for you. .... God can do anything. my sis has cancer and is doing great now.
Posted 7/15/2008 11:59 PM (GMT 0)
mommyphotographer- thanku so much for ur input I'm feeling more hope that I will be ok with the surgery and after. I am not ok now take care and ill keep u informed.


Rockyroad- thnks for ur info as well, it's nice to be able to have support from those who have gone through or are going through what i am, i don't feel so alone. stay strong
Posted 7/16/2008 11:03 PM (GMT 0)
mommyphotographer:
thanks for your thoughts and care. hoping for the best too for your sister. I am a mom of 3 little boys so I really ask God for a long extension ,for me to be able to see them grow up. And I believe too in the power of prayers. God bless to you and your family.


hopestar: take care and i hope you will find the best way for you to be well and enjoy life again.
Posted 7/18/2008 1:00 AM (GMT 0)
I had my colon removed in February for CI. Overall, I feel so much better. No more pain and severe bloating. I am able to pass gas (something I rarely did before surgery). I will say, I am still very constipated. My small bowel was extensively tested before surgery (I had everything done at the Mayo Clinic), and I was told it was okay, but something obviously is wrong b/c I am still constipated. I am going back for tests soon. The pre-op prep is not bad, just drinking Go-lytely and the day of surgery a large water enema a nurse administered. The recovery was not too bad, mine was laparoscopic. I felt like hell the day of and day after, but after that things got better. I know I am unusual, and most people are not still constipated, but for some reason I am. But the constipation is not as bad as before, and it seems to be easier to manage than before surgery. I hope that for you, you do not have to keep dealing with the constipation. I had very high hopes that all of my GI problems would go away, but this one has not. All my food intolerances have gone away which has been amazing, I had soooooo many food intolerances before surgery. Just be positive and know that your quality of life will improve. I wish you the best of luck!
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