Question: I had a bowel resection done in February, removed approx. 1 ft of small bowel and 4 inches of large. I am still experiencing a lot of inconsistencies. My bowel movements are all over the place. Some days I could go just once but then the next few days it may be 15 times. There is no rhyme or reason as to why or what is causing it. It is always very loose, and at times one bowel movement could take 20 minutes and can be extremely uncomfortable where I will go through feelings of nausea, lightheadedness, sweats, etc before it is all said and done. I don't really have much of an appetite, eat because I know I have to. Still get some pain in right lower quadrant but for sure WAY better than where I was before surgery. Is all of this normal?????? Should I be worried?????? I am supposed to be going for a colonoscopy in August to have a recheck to make sure no signs of recurrence. Need advice !!!!!
5 months post op FRUSTRATED
- Thread starter MichelleE
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Hello, 'they' say it can take the body one full year to fully recover from bowel surgery. Everyone might be a bit different with after effects. With a resection some foods and even liquids can aggravate symptoms. High sugar content items can produce more 'D' even in juices. Certain foods/liquids can have a laxative, gas producing effects. Diet can be a challenge. You are smart to know that you have to eat. I don't think others understand the lack of appetite, nausea, fullness that can follow in some resections.
Also many times when a resection is done they only remove the most severely damaged part(s) a bowel preserving approach. That can leave inflammation behind, so it may not be that the illness has returned, it is/was what was left in. It also sounds like you lost your ileocecal valve. You might want to ask your Dr. about bile salt loss. There are medications for the symptoms (bile salt binders). Also scar tissue can form and cause abdominal pain that can mimic some of the CD symptoms, so it can be confusing.
A talk with your Dr. will most likely shed some light on what is happening.
Hang in there
It takes time to fully recover.
Also many times when a resection is done they only remove the most severely damaged part(s) a bowel preserving approach. That can leave inflammation behind, so it may not be that the illness has returned, it is/was what was left in. It also sounds like you lost your ileocecal valve. You might want to ask your Dr. about bile salt loss. There are medications for the symptoms (bile salt binders). Also scar tissue can form and cause abdominal pain that can mimic some of the CD symptoms, so it can be confusing.
A talk with your Dr. will most likely shed some light on what is happening.
Hang in there
It takes time to fully recover.Hi,
Found things very inconsistent after bowel resection some years ago too. You need to rest your bowel as much as possible, low residue diet, nothing to aggravate it. I was given Questran, little sachets of salts you mix with water, one before and one after breakfast and it made all the difference. I got ten good years with no meds after similar resection.
Good Luck
Found things very inconsistent after bowel resection some years ago too. You need to rest your bowel as much as possible, low residue diet, nothing to aggravate it. I was given Questran, little sachets of salts you mix with water, one before and one after breakfast and it made all the difference. I got ten good years with no meds after similar resection.
Good Luck
Thanks for your words of advice and support. I am going to go back to my soups, mushy (bleh) diet for the next week until my apt with doc and see what he says. Had a really bad day today for pain, cramping and diarrhea... I am very hard on myself when it comes to what I eat as I like to be eating as healthy as possible, unfortunately fresh fruits and vegetables are not the best. I have likely been doing more of this stuff in the last month as it is the season to buy it fresh. Anyways, I may have to forego thinking about what is healthy and focus on what doesn't hurt! If I try the soups, etc for the next week at least I will have something to tell the doc as far as what I have tried.
Thanks again for support.
Thanks again for support.
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Unfortunately, although most of us would like to eat "healthy", what is most healthy for us is what will provide us with most in the way of nutrients. It doesn't matter how "healthy" food is, if it goes straight through without being digested and causes other problems on the way, it isn't of benefit.
After I had my proctocolectomy, my GI (a lovely, caring, knowledgeable man) said that it would be best if I turned all my food into "baby food" so that I could get the most nutrition from it - he didn't seriously expect me to do that, of course, but I understood what he meant.
After I had my proctocolectomy, my GI (a lovely, caring, knowledgeable man) said that it would be best if I turned all my food into "baby food" so that I could get the most nutrition from it - he didn't seriously expect me to do that, of course, but I understood what he meant.
