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6 months post op problems

Tue, September 01, 2015 9:29 PM

I had a bowel resection last february to remove 3 feet of small intestine and colon. Then I had a blood clot in march. Major bleeding complications april-june. Finally thinking I'm on the road to recovery after my colonoscopy at the end of July when my biopsies came back negative for active Crohn's. My GI told me I was in remission but she was concerned about my anastomosis. It's still bleeding, has severe inflammation and looks like a cinched drawstring bag, but she told me we could fix it when I am forced to have another operation 5-10 years from now. A few weeks later my GI had my surgeon look at the pictures and now they're both super concerned and want me to have another operation. I'm not having any pain, but i have diarrhea most days (5ish) a week, crazy bad night sweats, head aches, light headedness and nausea. Do you think these symptoms could be related to the disaster of an anastomosis? Something else? The symptoms come on with varying intensity and frequency but the night sweats have gotten worse and worse. Has anyone else had this happen before? No one seems to be giving me straight answers about having the operation right now, waiting until it gets worse, etc.

Meds: entyvio, venaflaxine (migraines), colestid, depoprovera

akr008
Joined Sep 2, 2014

Wed, October 14, 2015 4:45 PM

Reply posted for akr008.

First off I never want to be the one to tell someone to have surgery because I waited almost 16 years before I had my first big surgery. I knew it was going to change me and doctors kept telling me I would feel better but it took 3 years. I am still recovering as my body adjusts to life without a colon or rectum. I went through several minor surgeries over the years for analstomosis and fistulas/abscesses until finally about 3 years ago I became so sick that I couldn't go to the bathroom at all. I went in for my normal dilatation procedure but when I woke up in recovery my surgeon told me that there was so much inflammation and scar tissue that it was no longer possible. So I was taken back up to my hospital room and given the ultimatum of having surgery for a full procotecomy (I know that's not spelled right but I can't think today:)) or be miserable and eventually become septic. My advice is don't be pig headed like me and wait years and end up causing yourself more harm. I suffered from a lot of the same symptoms as you and can tell you they will only get worse and more often. However I do urge you to seek out all your options, weigh your pros and cons and think about getting some outside advice to help prepare you because it's not easy. I didn't get help before my surgery and now I am struggling with adjusting to life after. I just started seeing a therapist and wish I had done it sooner in life. This is just my experience but I wish you the best of luck in whatever you decide!!

jenniferdavis
Joined Oct 11, 2015

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