surgery
Tue, March 16, 2010 12:00 AM
What have people's experiences been with surgery? My doctor wants me to have a large amount of colon and a little bit of upper intestine out.
Did you feel better? How long did it take for you to feel better after surgery? How long before you had another surgery?
I have been having hunger fits, and cannot eat much without a few hours of cramping, because I have areas of stricture. I have had three partial bowel obstructions in less than a year.
I fear hunger fits might continue after the surgery, I'll have even more trouble eatting. The surgeon, on the other hand, says that after a few months I will feel better and be able to eat more.
I had a surgery 28 years ago, and swore I'd never have another, but,,,
I also fear I'll need diapers after losing so much colon/
Tell me our experiences . Thank you
Joined Mar 12, 2009
Sun, April 25, 2010 12:00 AM
Reply posted for ebko.
I'm going to make this simple. If there is no medication that can help you and your symptoms are ruling your life, which it sounds like they are, then it's time to consider it. Forget what you swore. I swore that I'd never get sick after I was initially diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis at seven. I swore never to take any semesters off because I have a condition. Didn't happen that way. You need to act based on what's going on, not what should be going on. I waited to have surgery until I was too sick to live outside the hospital. I required a blood transfusion, IV antibiotics for oral thrush, and was lucky I wasn't placed on a feeding tube because I had been throwing up daily (and ate like a bird otherwise). Don't wait until you're in this condition.
Because of the possible complications of surgery, patients are afraid of going that route. Surgery entails pain. And, for a few weeks, lots of it. And fatigue. And an irregular going pattern. And you still might not be able to eat the way you would if you never had surgery. But if you are a candidate and your medication isn't working, you are ultimately hurting yourself more by not having it than a well-trained surgeon will with his or her scalpel.
Then again, it's your call. There's always Remicaid and Humira, if you haven't tried those already.
Joined Oct 19, 2009
Wed, March 17, 2010 6:17 AM
Reply posted for ebko.
After my first surgery to remove a stricture, I nearly bled to death. Had multiple transfusions and a re-do of the anastomosis. Also, a nerve had been caught in a retractor, and everytime anything touched my abdomen for months afterward, it felt like a hot poker was being held there - that had to be injected with anesthetic under ultrasound guidance to get that to resolve.
A few years later, had a partial obstruction, surgery for that, went home and completely obstructed, another surgery, then an abscess. It took an entire month for me to get through that mess, in and out of the hospital 6 times. Had to change jobs and move due to the amount of time I lost from work because my colleagues thought I was faking it, somehow.
I don't type this to scare you - I type it because each time the surgeon told me the (first) surgery would be "no big deal", and it always was complicated. I decided that no matter how much pain I have, if I can eat some, stand and walk, and get to work, then I will not have another surgery. If/when it gets worse than that, then fine, I won't have a choice.
So I guess I'm saying you need to decide how much you are willing to put up with symptom wise before you put yourself in a surgeon's hands, no matter how confident that surgeon might be, because they'll always tell you things will go fine. (Both of my surgeons were experienced GI surgeons at respected hospitals, btw - not fresh out of school or anything!). I'd just hate for things to get worse for you.
nickrystalJoined Nov 7, 2008
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