16 days post surgery

[SusanWellmann]

Hello everybody
I am home, 16 days post surgery. Had laparscopic resection, (50 cm. and appendix). Was in Hospital for 8 days, had severe pain, had to have the NG tube for 5 days, NOO food, just ice chips. Finally was able to tolerate broth and jello, day before released, I had BM and had a bit of solid food. Since I am home I think I am doing OK, down to one Hydromorphone every 6 hrs. and Tylenol. I am walking around, eating low residue diet, so seems I am doing great. The last few days I have been experiencing diarrhea. Every two hours or so I HAVE to go to the bathroom for a BM. It was painful, but yesterday and today, the pain seems less but still very uncomfortable. Has anybody else experienced this after surgery?

 

[CeeCeeGo]

You can have diarrhoea and loose bowel movements for some weeks/months after surgery. My surgery was 9 months ago and at times I feel like my bowels are still recovering. I did have a large abscess removed as well so it may be slightly different to your surgery.
My doctor did say that it can take a year or more for your insides to get back to normal.
Just remember not to overdo it for the next couple of months and please be careful when lifting things (even quite light objects) and stretching. I probably tried too soon to get back to normal.
Take care.

 

[Jim (POPS)]

Yes, I had the samething as you after surgery. It takes some time to get to your "new normal". Because that is what it will be. "NEW". It took me about 2 months to get to my new normal and that was 2-3 bm's a day. Not much "D" but sometimes.

I hope this helps.
Jim
(Pops)

 

[SusanWellmann]

The D has subsided a bit today...thank Goodness..had to get Anusol for the pain in my you know where. The pain was unbelievable, and I am used to pain this made me yell out loud. It seems to work. Wish I had some of that from the start. I am really watching my diet, afraid to eat anything but toast and arrowroot cookies. Had a baked chicken breast today, seems to be settling ok. Recovery is a slow process, takes patience FOR SURE.

 

[carlysy]

Hi Susan,

I'm nearly 7 weeks post surgery and am still having these type of problems! Having a lot of trouble eating (tiny quantity at a time and low-residue) and still getting digesting/abdominal pain and D (I never got D as a part of my Crohn's before surgery). It can take a long time for your intestines to recover. Hopefully yours won't take as long as mine - very frustrating! - but everyone is different. All the best with your recovery

 

[angiemitch]

Hi all;
I am 10 months post-surgery for a re-section and for me it took months before I ever saw even a semi-solid BM. And even now, I seem to rotate between liquid and semi-solid, and then sometimes for a week or two I'll have normal solid ones. It doesn't seem diet-related, for me it just seems to go in cycles. Not sure why. Right now I'm in the middle of a cycle where everything is D. And often too, like about 6-7 times a day. I'm starting to question whether the Crohn's has returned, not sure. I'm thinking of posting my own question right now about that.

But remembering back to my first several weeks and the early months after surgery, I did have lots of loose BM's, with cramping, and they crept up on me extremely suddenly. I'd be driving, and then all of a sudden realize that if I did not find a bathroom IMMEDIATELY I'd be having an accident. Fortunately I work in an office and I'm here alone most of the time, so I always have quick access to a toilet, but when I was in the car was the most nerve-wracking. I raced into a donut store bathroom with no time to spare more than once!

I still don't really know what "normal" is for me. I had a partial-to-full obstruction for months before I ever had surgery and pretty much was living on a liquid diet in the end. So I rarely had D ... this is very new to me. I think I was having all the D back before I was diagnosed, before I really knew what was happening, and by the time I sought treatment, my scar tissue and inflammation were so bad that a re-section was my only choice. I was almost always obstructed and puking ... hardly ever suffering with D. I'll take this any day over that, but it still is annoying because it's so unpredictable. Don't hesitate to ask if you have any other questions, I'm happy to share my experience.
Angie

 

[carlysy]

Wow Angiemitch you are still having issues with D 10 months post-surgery? I'm scared of driving (especially on long drives) or being in public somewhere without a toilet close by as even at home sometimes I run to the toilet. Is it something that gradually improves as time goes on (I'm on 2 months post surgery) or did you find it comes and goes in cycles but is much the same as early days post op? I never had this problem before my surgery (same as you) and my inflammation and scar tissue were so bad I also had no choice but resection. This problem is new and scary (and embarrassing) for me

 

[angiemitch]

carlysy -- yes unfortunately I do still have problems with the D ... even now. I wouldn't say it's the same as it was immediately after surgery, but it has been pretty unexpected. I usually find that I wake up needing to go ... and then again right after I eat something .... and then usually one or two more times. Most of it is during the morning. And then after that I'm ok. But it hasn't been like this all along ... I have gone on vacations and long trips and I drive 30 minutes to work every day, and have been fine. I've had week after week where I had solid bm's, and then some with semi-solid, and also less frequent than this too. Like 1-2 times per day and I could actually hold it for a bit if I needed to. This latest round seems to be worse than it was in the beginning and that's what has me wondering if the disease is back. But I'm not sure as I have no gut pain and no other symptoms other than the D. I called yesterday to schedule a follow-up with my GI as I haven't seen him since a month after surgery. I'm guessing that they'll want to do a scope to see what is going on in there. The only reason I didn't have one sooner is because I have been trying to get pregnant. One of the driving forces behind me getting a re-section was to get me healthy enough to carry a pregnancy. But I've been trying since the surgery and have not become pregnant, so I figure I might as well get to the doctor and get checked out anyway, no sense waiting any longer as I might never get pregnant. This was our last-ditch effort for one more baby before it was too late. We have two little ones, and we've wanted another, but I've been sick non-stop since the last one was born and was fiercely warned against getting pregnant before we got the CD under control. I'm much better now health-wise, but now my DH's sperm count is low for the first time ever, and we're having challenges getting pregnant. I'm already 40 years old, so it looks like I might be done with babies. I've spent the last 2-3 years trying to get myself well again. We're still trying on our own, but our chances aren't much better whether we do fertility treatments or not. So we're just kind of taking a break from it all and seeing what happens.

I wish I could tell you for sure that the D will subside and stay away for good, but that has not been my experience. But like others have said, everyone is different. This might be happening to me because the Crohn's is back ... who knows. Hope you have a better experience than me!
Angie

 

[carlysy]

Thank you for sharing your story with me angiemitch. It is nice to know that you are still able to cope with things like driving and going to work and that you don't have major problems with D all the time. I am still only 2 months post-op so I know its early days. I too mainly get D after eating and usually morning or night so these are the times I am more conscious that I have a toilet near-by.
All the best in getting pregnant, you are so blessed to 2 children already. Many women can't even have one so count yourself very lucky. I completely understand how it feels to have crohns hold you back from what you want to do in life (I've had to defer uni and quit a few jobs already and I'm only 22) so I really feel for you. I wish you all the best and remain positive - having CD makes us stronger and wiser and we can get through anything!

 

[superzeeman]

I had surgery last year and had to go on cholestramine and I still have loose stools but just twice a day. That is my new normal I guess.