# who here has had colon resection



## Zoee (Jun 28, 2007)

HI just curious as to who here has had colon resection. My doctor started talking to me about it for my diverticulosis, just wanted to here some post operative stories, and pre operative stories. How is your life now that you have had surgery and can you eat solids, and what changes to your life did you need to make.. How strong is the conection the doctor made between the two parts of the colon..(that part worries me).. Thanks any input related to his matter will definitly help me..Thank you


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## Johnny D. and C. (Feb 21, 2002)

Hi Zoee This is just my opinion, I think you should seek other alternatives to surgery. Once you are cut open there is no going back. The nerves that help your bowel to peform peristalis sp, to push fecal matter through in a controled and systematic way could be damaged forever. Again I'm just a layman I have no medical experince other than self taught. At the local health food store where I go, I got into conversation with the clerk, he was recovering from taking too much fibre. He was still fibre crazy and yet the year before he almost died. In hospital they removed a two foot impacted plug from his lower bowel, not sure how they got it out since he told me, he would not let them operate on him. Moderation is the key to fibre. Diverticulosis is caused by too much constipation, drink lots of water and don't count tea as a liquid it is a diuretic (removes water from the system through bladder) not much use to the bowels. You would be better off having diarhha sp for a few months like alot of us, to give your bowel a chance to heal and shrink the pouch or pocket. If you are young you will heal faster. I have a friend at work who's brother years ago had part of his lower bowel removed, atleast that how it started, several more operations later, I think he was left with approx six inches of lower bowel. His brother told me, he now sh*ts like a bird. An operation should be a last resort. I hope I haven't been too graphic. Our bodies are amazing and if we help them they can heal us. And as a friend once said " There is a cure for everthing, we just haven't found it yet"


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## Rosie (May 9, 2002)

Hi Zoee, I had 12" of my colon removed. Before the surgery I became very ill, was admitted to the hospital. Long story short, had emergency surgery, believe its approximately a 3 hour operation. After surgery was in the hospital a month (this is not the norm), it took over 2 years to get over the operation. I was D before the surgery, am now bowel incontenant. The reason I was so ill, had a diverticular pouch that burst, didn't have any pain or sign of diverticulitis. The surgeon removed the dieseased part of the colon, told me I only had the one diverticular pouch which I am guessing is unusual. Before you decide to have the operation I would ask a lot of questions.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

The parts they sew together from people I know with an intestinal resection usually heal together quite nicely so they don't just pop apart later. They do tend to get you back on food very slowly to make sure it has healed enough before they let you out. Often a damaged part when fixed actually is a bit stronger than usual as the healing process tends to overshoot.It is always good to get a second opinion on surgery. The problem with diverticulosis is some people have a portion of the colon that is structurally just much weaker than the rest so can get lots of pouches and ones that aren't likely to heal up or get better. This is different from the regular diverticulosis that almost everyone gets if they live to be elderly which often doesn't cause symptoms. At some point the risk of infection and death from the pouches (or the risk of the damaged part from any other disease that can require a resection) is high enough that the risk from the surgery is worth it.It is hard to know how an individual will do. Most people do just fine, some people won't. Scar tissue is always a concern when having something like this done. The doctor should be able to tell you the risks and probability of the risk from doing the surgery and not doing the surgery.Sometimes you don't have much choice and it has to come out. I think if you wait until one bursts you will have more problems as then not only do you have the surgery to heal from but the infection and what it does once it is loose in the abdomen.K.


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## Zoee (Jun 28, 2007)

Thank you both for your replies, I will definitly ask alot of questions before going through with any procedure.Rosie..why 12" if you had only one diverticular pouch? How long ago was your operation did they operate on you laproscopically (sp), or was it an open procedure? Why was you stay in the hospital so long?? How are you bm's now? Do you have any pain? Sorry so many questions, just need some answers.I have been diagnosed with diverticular disease a few months ago I am 28 years old (kinda young I know). It is mild to moderate I was told and it is located on the corner part between the transverse colon and the left colon a little more then 2 inches on each side of it. I do have pain from in while sitting, since that is where most people's muscles bend, standing up I have no pain, I have a secretary job so I am uncomfortable most of my day. My doctor also has told me I have Ibs in my lower left colon. My family doctor thinks if and when I will need surgery they will only remove about 6 inches and the Gi doctor said if and when it will be the entire left colon. I go see another gi at the end of november. So I am trying to understand what it is all about. How will the recovery be, and will I have problems for the rest of my life???Thank You All.


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## Rosie (May 9, 2002)

Zoee, when I went into surgery was told I would have a bag when I woke up. When the Specialist operated he took out the part of the colon that had burst that had the one divuticular pouch. It was an open procedure, had lots of staples. The reason I was in the Hospital so long was because the divuticular pouch had burst, my system was being poisoined and I wasn't getting any nutrition, hence had a feeding tube, many ivs etc. I don't have any pain (never did), my bm's are very watery, 24/7, can be as many as 30 bm's a day. They have tried different meds with no luck, at the moment am taking 2 strong Codine a day which only slightly helps. I have asked to have a bag but that won't be considered at this time due to the seriousness of the operation I already had. Zoee I am pretty sure I am not your typical patient having part of the colon removed, but this is the outcome for me if this helps you making your decision. I did see a similiar post on the BB quite ahile ago, some people said they were 100%, others were like me.


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## Johnny D. and C. (Feb 21, 2002)

Hi Rosie I'm sorry to hear you had a rough time of it! I'm here because the dentist gave me antibiotics and I've had the shits eversince, 10+ yrs. Have you tried a little fibre on a daily basis. I found that helped me with my diarhhea. Also bananas are the only fruit to cause constipation, perhaps a small amount of banana with your meal might help. Good luck and God bless! Zoee you said "My doctor also has told me I have Ibs in my lower left colon." I wonder how he came to that conclusion. If you had a colonoscopy and the area is inflamed, that doesn't mean the IBS is there. It means this an area more succeptable to the stronger than normal bile salts. My colon was also inflamed, it's not now or aleast not as bad as when I was scoped when I first became ill. The slury of bile and stool settles in this area until you can get to a bathroom asap. This is how I see it. Also you might change jobs, if possible, ask if you can do a more mobile job within the company, since sittin for long periods is causing you distress. Maybe your body is trying to tell you this. Good luck and God bless!


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## Zoee (Jun 28, 2007)

Thank you All..Johnny, the doctor that did the scope found that my lower left colon was irritated and that is why he said I have IBS there. As for the resection, I am honestly confused some people I have spoke with over the months say it was the best thing they have done for this condition, and others say it is one of the worse decisions they have made. I will be speaking with my doctor at the end of November, my gastro doctor is also a surgeon, so I will ask him what he thinks. I am just scared if I do not get it done things will get worse. I am figuring he will want to wait until my 2nd colonoscopy in 3 years to see if the condition has gotten worse or stayed the same, if it has gotten worse I am thinking he will want me to have something done about the matter. I am just worried how my life will be after the surgery. Will my bm's be uncontrollable of will they be D or C. I know it is something that is different for everyone, but other then having Diverticulosis and a little pain on the lower left colon I am rather healthy, and have normal bowel movements. Thank you again All.


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## Guest (Aug 13, 2017)

I had my sigmoid colon resected 5 weeks ago. I have a great deal of discomfort in the area of the resection, internally, near my lower left pelvic bone. My incisions are all healed.
I was wondering how long most of you hurt inside where they re-attached the "2 pieces" -sorry to be so graphic-to the rectum? (I may be using the wrong terms, please forgive) Is it normal to still have significant internal pain after 5 weeks? If so, how many months did you still have pain? I really appreciate any responses.


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

i'm sorry you are having so much pain.

about four years ago i had a right hemicoloctomy. i had the normal amount of post op pain for a few weeks afterwards but not as much pain as you are describing. i think the best thing to do is to talk to your surgeon about this.

good luck. i hope you fell better soon.


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## shadytree (Oct 6, 2017)

Ok,not quite the same thing,but a polyp resection.

I developed pain.discomfort and bloating after said resection and was diagnosed with IBS. I take probiotics,which make things much more normal,plus I use the ketogenic diet for inflammation.

I suspect the insult to my bowel aggravated my mild case of IBS,which i did not know about and made it much worse.


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