After two surgeries, new issue? am i doing something wrong?

[nkrrrz]

Hi.

I had a partial colectomy (25") on June 5. Everything went well until I developed an abscess. A JP drain was put in, but fistulized to my intestines. On August 19, my surgeon went back in and did a small resection to remove the fistula.

My surgeon said that when he was in, he saw no active crohns disease. My BM started to form, then last weekend it turned watery and foamy. I saw my surgeon this week and he felt as though everything looked good, but he ordered a test for c. Diff. I haven't heard back, so I'm thinking it came back negative.

I started remicade Wednesday, but ever since I've felt a lot of pressure or bloat in my very low abdomen. When I feel it, it feels like I need to go to the bathroom. I go and try and barely anything comes out. I'm very confused because there's no active crohns.

Am I not getting enough of something? Too much of something? This is worse than right after my surgery. Otherwise, I would feel good.

 

[Charlotte.]

Hi nkrrrz,
did you talk to your GI about these issues already? Probably the bloating is a side effect of Remicade, I always experienced bloating one day after the infusion and it could last for two days. Did you change anything else, did you eat something you did not eat before you started Remicade?

 

[nkrrrz]

When I saw the GI surgeon, I wasn't having any of the current issues. I was having a bit of an ache in my lower right abdomen, but he thinks that was due to the biologic mesh.

That ache has gone away and has been replaced with this weird pressure that makes me feel like I have to have a BM almost constantly. When I try, i don't really have to. I may have a small BM.

It's bothersome because I keep running to the bathroom and uncomfortable. It was my first remicade infusion, so I wasn't sure what to expect. Maybe that is it and tomorrow it will be gone. I was just concerned because supposedly I have no active crohns

 

[Ihurt]

I wonder if the surgery could have caused your intestines to get irritable? Also, were you on any kinds of antibiotics lately? They can really wreck havoc with the gut Flora and cause all sorts of GI issues. I hope you start to feel better soon..

 

[nkrrrz]

I was on flagyl and augmentin after surgery but finished those on 8/23. I have been on a probiotic constantly since July.

About a week and a half after surgery, my BMs started to form, and then they went watery all of a sudden. I told my surgeon this and that's why he checked me for c diff.

I haven't been eating differently. I've been avoiding fried foods and trying to eat small portions.

My surgeon didn't seem concerned about anything, but I'm starting to get a little concerned. I go back to work Monday. I figured after 3 weeks I would start to regain some normalcy, but I'm still struggling.

 

[Ihurt]

Did you ever get the results of the C-diff test back? There has to be an explanation for the worsening diarrhea. I would definitely call the surgeon and tell him that you are concerned that it is not calming down.

Also, I would ask him to run stool tests to check for any other bacterial infections just to rule it out. If all the tests come back clean, maybe you can add like a soluble fiber to help bulk things up? I know you have to be super careful with Fibers because they can make things worse. I would try soluble though. NOT insoluble as they tend to makes things worse. Soluble fibers are more gentle and do not cause all the bloat and cramping.

Hope you start feeling better soon and can figure out what is going on...