Incision and pain in my belly -- Seeking reassurance

Dear friends:

My colorectomy surgery has been a success. It saved my life, and I am now cancer-free. It's been three months since I left the hospital and things are working out fine. And I am happy to report that my bladder is fine. I stopped using the intermittent catheter after a month and can urinate normally. But I do have two issues. One is the "tightness" in my behind (which I referred to in another post). The other one is the pain I feel in my belly where the incision was made. When I touch my belly (the area to the right of my stoma) and press on it lightly with my finger I can feel the pain. And I feel this pain (low-grade but constant pain) day and night. I have been told by my doctor and nurse and by some forum members that this is part of the healing process, that it may take a full year for the pain to subside and go away. I am willing to accept this. I know that colorectal surgery is a very traumatic experience for the body. So no complaints. I am just wondering what the experience of others has been, that is, of those who have gone through the entire experience and can tell me what to expect. If your operation was over a year ago, what was your experience like? Did you feel pain the way I do? Did the pain eventually subside and when? Thank you all so much.

Benjamin

 

I did the hot pack thing too for a while.... I have alot of pain around the navel area too (which post surgery looks more like a bad gunshot wound than a belly button.. lol) and it made loads of difference... I also had another PT at work start doing like 5 minutes of gentle massage over my abdomen every day and it has SERIOUSLY made the difference.

The scar tissue is alot smaller, the pains are less, and everything just feels more "in place" after than before...

Hi I'm new to this forum. I have had my colon out for 4 weeks now because of constipation and aheasions. I have my small intestines hooked to my rectum. I had rectum surgery in sept because it had becames flat like a pancake because of a rectocele. It didn't help speed up my large intestions. And nothing could move my large bowels. I had dirreaha when I first came home but at 4 weeks it has slowed down so much and when I go I still have to strain. I very afraid that my small bowels will do like my large did and I will have to wear a pouch. It has been very cold here and I haven't been walking like I should and maybe that is why it has slowed down. I go to the doctor on feb 6 I will talk to him about eating some vegs and maybe that will help. My doc said I can't have vegs until all the swelling goes down. Anyone else with this problem. I didn't like the but burn from the dirreaha but I would rather have that and be able to eat food because it has been over 20 years since I have been able to have a bowel movement without taking lots of laxitives then finnally just stopped. but at 4 weeks since surgery I am only having about 3 small bowel movements a day and have to strain and the stool is soft. I don't know if this is because of the swelling but when I'm empty I feel so much better still having problems passing gas too have to strain. I would much rather have diariha because I'm scared I'm going to be in the same boat as before I like going to the bathroom without taking something to go. It was like a whole new world to me and I feel like it is slipping away. Does this sound normal to anyone and do you think I will be going more again when I get to eat vegs. I'm also afraid of the aheasions comming back for I have had 4 abdominal surgeries in the past and the aheasions have came back and caused lots of pain and problems the doctors say I'm just one of those people that make scar tissue and adheasions. I hope this is not happening and causing problems. Thanks for listening Guenevere