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Colonoscopy results and surgery consult

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 7/25/2014 2:13 PM (GMT 0)
Well, my colonscopy went off pretty easily and I just got a call with results. Throughout my colon, normal mucosa with no evidence of UC, mild diverticulosis in the sigmoid colon. During my last scope in 2011 I also had no evidence of active UC, although I did have a flare up in the years between.

I've had two bouts of uncomplicated diverticulitis and two GI docs recommend a colon resection, removing just the sigmoid. I'm talking with a surgeon next week to get his opinion.

I'd love to hear of anyone with any sort of similar experience. I'm sure if my UC were active now, the recommendation for a resection might be different. I guess I'll wait to hear what a surgeon has to say.

Chinamom
Posted 7/25/2014 4:28 PM (GMT 0)
How close together were the bouts of diverticulitis and how severe?

I would be wary of resecting the sigmoid -- it can have a significant impact on quality of life in terms of urgency and frequency (this is based on what I've read about outcomes from sigmoid resection for cancer, but I imagine the situation is similar when it's performed for diverticulosis). That said, if your bouts of diverticulitis have been frequent and/or severe, it would definitely be preferable to perforating.

On the bright side, that is awesome that you have no evidence of UC :)
Posted 7/25/2014 5:16 PM (GMT 0)
I'm assuming you were actually diagnosed with UC at some point. It might be helpful to know if it was definitely 100% UC and not Crohns but in the big picture I'm not sure how much that would matter in your case. I would just personally prefer to know before having surgery.
Posted 7/25/2014 6:04 PM (GMT 0)
My original dx was UC, back in 2005, but I agree about wanting to know for sure first. I would absolutely want to know if I were considering a total colectomy, but with a resection, I don't know how much it will matter.

My concerns are: How will this impact the potential for the UC to flare and/or worsen? What will be the frequency/urgency? Is the place where they "reattach" then weaker and more prone to problems? I don't want to create more of a problem than I'm potentially solving.

I know that in the past, doctors have recommended resection after two bouts of diverticulitis. My two were 3 years apart, both managed with antibiotics. I was hospitalized the second time, but I don't think it was because it was necessarily a worse bout--I think it was an instance of one doctor making one decision that could've been a different one with a different doctor. I was a little afraid that I'd get the colonoscopy and the doctor would be like, holy crap, things are horrid and you need to do this now, but that's not the impression that I get.

My biggest fear with NOT doing this is the potential for more diverticulitis attacks and them being worse, like abscessing or perforating and needing emergency surgery, but I know no one can predict that. From what I've read, recent research indicates that subsequent attacks actually don't tend to be worse, but the same. Of course, it's no fun and I'd rather have no more attacks.

So, I have a surgery consult on Tuesday and I'll see what he says. I was so freaked out after my first bout of diverticulitis that I actually consulted TWO surgeons in 2011 and neither recommended surgery at that time. I guess we'll see!

Thanks for your input!
CHinamom
Posted 7/26/2014 12:38 AM (GMT 0)
I think a surgery consult is a great idea. I would ask him the very same questions you are asking here. Write them down so that you are prepared and don't forget a question in the middle of it all. You certainly have a more complicated case than most and more pros and cons to decide between than the rest of us. It would be nice to know ahead of time how much experience this surgeon has with UC cases as you don't want him to just answer your questions from only the Diverticulitis standpoint without factoring in the UC.
Posted 7/26/2014 1:54 AM (GMT 0)
Interesting. I don't know how I would feel about having surgery and not "curing" The uc. If I am going to do it, wouldn't it make sense to no logger deal with uc? The. Again, with no active signs of uc, it's not really a consideration at this moment. I think I would make a consult and ask all my questions. Can't hurt. Does the diverticulitis cause terrible symptoms?
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