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Is pain after reversal normal?

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Posted 2/9/2010 5:35 PM (GMT 0)
Hi all.  I have decided to start a new thread for this topic to see if I could get more responses.  Today I am 8 days post reversal.  I decided to keep a log of my frequency yesterday and realized that I went 19x in 24 hours, and that is without counting the couple of times that nothing came out :(  I know that high frequency is normal and should slow down but is it normal to have pain while evacuating?  I really, really, really hate to say this but the only way to describe my pain is that it felt like colitis pain again :(  which I know is impossible because he took every last bit of my colon out and there is only a little of my rectum left.  I am supposed to see my surgeon on Thurs so he can remove my sutures but was just wondering if any of my fellow j pouchers had this during recovery from reversal.  I really, really, really hope this goes away as it is uncomfortable and frustrating. 

Suebear, you said that once I started eating more then the frequency would lessen.  I had to re read that statement because it does sound counter intuitive.  I feel like whenever I put anything in my mouth, off to the bathroom I go.  It takes only minutes and sometimes less. 

Darlene

Posted 2/9/2010 5:43 PM (GMT 0)
Yes I had pain after my reversal. Not as intense as it was after my resection. After my resection the pain was just terrible. I had daily pain for 4 straight weeks.

Reversal - after begin transferred to my hospital room and coming out of anesthesia, I noticed pain. That took my breath away (as I was trying to get comfortable in bed, fluff my pillow, straighten my gown, etc.). I told a nurse and she chuckled, she grew serious and asked me "did you actually expect to be pain free?" I of course said - YES! She said my surgeon had to cut into stomach muscle and reattach my colon, with such a surgery, there's always post-op pain.

But the pain didn't last nearly as long as long as my resection did.

I didn't cooperate with nurses and walk a lot after my resection. After my reversal I walked 3 or 4 times each day, also did my breathing tube exercises. I recovered so much faster than my resection surgery.

Darlene - I cannot recommend with confidence the low residue diet to you. Not given your history but I was confined to a bathroom too and had bm's all day long, as soon as I ate I had them. I would have 3 bm's during one meal. I joked I'd be taking my meals in the bathroom from now on. Just give me a pop up TV dinner tray.

10 years later and I am still on a LRD (75% of the time). I eat plain foods. It's just simply the way I have to eat now.

But again, I wouldn't recommend you go on this diet without talking to other patients in your situation and your doctor.
Posted 2/9/2010 5:46 PM (GMT 0)
Have you tried taking imodium to slow your transit?

Sue
Posted 2/9/2010 8:28 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Marsky,
I guess I too was hoping to be pain free, lol. No, seriously, the pain from surgery isn't too awful, it's the pain I get with my bowel movements. I have been eating a bland diet s far so we will see what happens. I do hope to advance my diet as I do enjoy eating, lol!

Hi Sue, I have not tried Immodium yet. I wasn't sure how early I could introduce it. I was going to ask my surgeon. I only say this because I had to have two flex sigmoisoscopy's before my reversal to dilate my anal opening in order for things to move through. Now, I am not sure if I am too dilated or if it is supposed to be this way. Thanks for the reminder though!
Posted 2/9/2010 10:21 PM (GMT 0)
Oh my bad, so sorry I didn't realize this. Well when I was going non-stop I was raw inside and out. I relied upon sitz baths (you can add a tablespoon of either baking soda or Aveeno to the water). Very soothing, very calming. A regular bath is good too but when you sit in that position on a sitz plastic bath, you open up this area of your body, so the water can penetrate and sooth irritated tissue. Perhaps this is similar to the pain you described?

I seem to go thru about 4 stool stages - 1. formed. 2 semi-formed, getting messy. 3. diarrhea and 4. putty, messy stool, that just keeps coming and coming. My opening becomes constricted and very tight when I get into this phase (it's my least favorite, I'll take all out D over putty). I used to ask my surgeon if I was big enough for stool to pass. He said the next time I had a colonoscopy ask to be dilated again. So I would mention this to my Gastro doc. I never knew if they dilated me or not but I've only gotten into that painful, spasm like stage where the opening is almost clamped shut. And I'm not constipated, I just feel like they didn't make me big enough down there! You can do a digital massage/exam yourself, it's somewhat gross but you feel better when you're done, trim your nail short, or better yet wear thin, surgical plastic gloves (if you happen to color your hair, the type that comes in the box are perfect for this). Use KY jelly to lubricate and massage the entire outer area, going up to an inch inside. Again, I know this sounds gross and may turn people off but I figure we have swapped so many stories and experiences by now, that this will not make you squemish (sp?)!

I do hope you feel better soon.
Posted 2/9/2010 11:32 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks so much for the reply. It's really weird but I haven't gone as much today as I did yesterday! I know I am focusing too much on my every bowel movement but I am a little bit Type A, lol, which I am sure annoys my doctors! I just want to make sure that things are "working" the way they should be. I had major surgery (twice!) and want to make sure that I am doing everything correctly for the best outcome:)
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