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Posted 9/26/2007 3:34 AM (GMT 0)
Hi all,

Well, I had my two week postop appointment today and things look good. I had planned on driving myself (it's a 90 mile drive) but for some reason I got the shakes, was nauseous, and then finally threw up. I was afraid to drive, so hubby took the day off and took me. It was strange because I felt fine in the morning and then things started happening.

The doc came in and checked my incisions and said they looked great. I was done laparoscopically but do have a three-inch incision where they pulled the colon through. Then the doctor put on 'the glove'. nono   My new rectum is only two inches long, so I knew that he'd probably want to check to see how the anastomosis felt. He said the anastomosis is about the size of his index finger and that right above it I have stool that's too large to pass. That's why I was feeling crappy. He broke it up a bit while he was there. Yick!

He told me that I'll never be normal and will have good days and bad, with today being one of the bad days. I did tell him that I feel 100% better than I did and that I treasure every BM I have. He chuckled.

I'll be going back to work on October 8th; two days shy of being out a month.

Posted 9/26/2007 3:48 AM (GMT 0)

I am glad you are doing well.  So is that common for bowel to be to large to pass once you have a TC?  Will you always get sick like that everytime it gets stuck?  Will you have to manually break it up yourself like the doc did?  Sorry I am asking a lot of questions, just curious.  Did you feel any pressure down there?

Lindsay

Posted 9/26/2007 4:04 AM (GMT 0)
Terri,
I'm glad he found out why you were feeling crummy and hope you're feeling better now. I hate 'the glove' too! I must admit, that's one benefit to not having a rectum anymore! tongue Did I read somewhere that your doctor is also your boss? If so, does that mean you drive 90 miles to work?

I hope you continue to improve and feel great by the time you have to start back to work on October 8th.

Take care,
Cecilia
Posted 9/26/2007 6:31 PM (GMT 0)
Lindsay

 

When you have the TC, your anastomosis is small at first and then gradually opens as time passes. Some of my stools are formed and at a normal size, but they're just too large to pass at this point. He said over the next three to four months that the anastomosis will open more and more. I'm now taking FiberSure to see if that will keep them softer and easier to pass so I don't end up in that situation again.

Yes, I did feel pressure. Sometimes a small piece of the large stool would pass and then there was diarhhea right in back of it. It would be funny because I'd get the small piece out after sitting there for awhile and then when I'd get up to leave the bathroom, I'd have to sit right back down because the diarhhea would be coming. He did tell me about the ten minute rule. Sit for ten minutes and if nothing happens to try again later. He also told me not to try forcing it out; to just let nature take it's course.

Cecilia

Thanks for the reply. My surgeon is in the Bay Area which is 90 miles from home. I work at my PCP's office which is five miles from home. My husband does the commute over the hill to the Bay Area.

Posted 9/28/2007 12:00 AM (GMT 0)
Terri,

A 5-mile drive to work is much better than 90! I thought of you yesterday when I was at my gastro appointment. She put on 'the glove' and I secretly giggled, because she had nowhere to go with it! :-)

I hope you're feeling good today.

Cecilia
Posted 9/28/2007 1:54 AM (GMT 0)
Cecilia

 

Yes, today was a good day! I finally passed the stool that was above my anastomosis and feel much better. I went to take my husband's car downtown for an oil change today. I was sitting there talking to the girl that owns the shop when I all of a sudden 'got the urge'. I didn't want to seem panicked, so I calmly asked her for the bathroom key. As soon as I got out of her view, I ran and barely made it. I had a cup of coffee before I left the house, so I'm thinking that's what caused it.

Glad you got a chuckle about 'the glove'. I'm sure I'll never look at gloves the same way again. LOL

Posted 9/28/2007 1:45 PM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone,

Irish - nice to hear you are doing so well and that you are going to return to work on Oct 8. I personally felt good enough to return to work after three weeks, but decided to take all six weeks before going back. For the first six months post op I had watery, loose stools all the time. Just recently they are beginning to form. I will be 7 months post op on October 12. From 9/14 until 9/26 I had the feeling I had to go but not much was coming out. I had to push. This felt terrible, I felt very uncomfortable. It did feel like somthing was stuck. On Saturday, 9/15, I actually passed a hard stool, which kind of scared me. I drink a lot of juice and water so I don't know what caused that. Then on 9/27 I sat down to try and have a BM and all of a sudden it all just shot out like a bullet. Felt better. This morning my stools were formed and on the big side. So maybe I am at that stage where the small takes over for the large. When I went to biofeedback before my TC the nurse told me not to sit for more than 3 minutes. She also said not to push and to let it come out naturally. Of course, at that time, nothing came out naturally. Not even with all the crap I had to take to try and go. But now after the TC it does come out naturally. Except for the past week. I had to push. My belly on the left side and low down in the pelvic area is sore. I massaged the area for about 10 minutes this morning before getting out of bed. For that week I kept thinking the anastomosis site was shrinking or a blockage was forming. I don't want to call the surgeon at this point. If it should get worse then I will. I don't want to go into panick mode. As long as it comes out and I am going on my own I am happy.
Posted 9/28/2007 3:50 PM (GMT 0)
Resa

 

It's great hearing from you. I was wondering where you disappeared to but figured you were just busy. Your 'feeling like you gotta go' situation sounds just like what I was going through. Maybe you had the same problem I did; large stools above the anastomosis site? I think the strangest thing is when I'm in the bathroom and all of a sudden my body goes into a spasm-type of thing and does the pushing all by itself. Creepy! Have you had to have a colonoscopy since your surgery?

I'm going to get another box of wipes and some spray to take back to work with me. I'm also thinking about throwing another set of scrubs in my car just in case, but then again, if something that bad would happen I'd have to come home to get a shower. The employees have their own bathroom, but occasionally a patient will use it. I also told the office manager that I'll probably be spending a lot of time in the bathroom and he of course said no problem.

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