Bowel resection survivors help!

[wisfulthinker]

Hi Guys, Im 25 And Had My First RssectioN Six Weeks Ago. I Had 8 Inches Of My Ileum, A Portion Of My Large With Appendix And A Pouch In My Colon Removed. I Was Readmitted A Week Later For A Horrible Flare. I Just Want To Hear From Someone Who Has Been Here That Eating Foods Wont Bother Me Eventually. I Am Seeing That Acidic Things Hurt Me The Next Day. My Bms Fluctuate Depending On How Much I Eat. So FarThe Max Is Four The MiNimum Is Two. Does It Get Better? My Doctors Cant Answer My Questions And Told Me I Can Eat Anything. I Feel Like This Surgery Was A Bad Idea. Much Rather Would Have Lived With A Stricture.



Crohns Pt For Two years

 

[twokatmew]

Hi, first post here, sorry I haven't introduced myself yet.

I had a resection in 2004, and I had complications resulting in several more surgeries and finally a temporary ileostomy due to complications. But ... once I found a more experienced surgeon who put my guts back together in 2005, I started doing better. My terminal ileum and most of my ascending colon were removed (or so I'm told, as the first surgeon didn't fully document what he did!).

Anyway, it took a couple years for my body to adjust to having no ileocecal valve and a shorter colon, so I was never far from a bathroom. For several years I found I really could eat most everything: raw and cooked veggies, fruits, even some raw nuts, without issue. Over the last few months, however, I've begun to find I have to be more careful what I eat depending on how my guts are feeling ... I guess my semi-remission is ending. :frown:

Although eight surgeries and horrible complications due to an inexperienced and all-too-arrogant surgeon nearly did me in, I'm fortunate that my GI doc found me a great surgeon who was able to repair the damage and put my guts back together. Although it was an awful several years, surgery was ultimately well worth it. I couldn't have lived any longer with strictures. My TI was down to 2mm, and despite living on chicken soup and Ensure, I had many severe bowel obstructions before they finally operated. I think had the second surgeon done my original resection, I wouldn't have had all those complications ... and recovered much more quickly!

It does get better, but we're all different, and six weeks out is really not very long after surgery. Your innards are still healing ... and will be for several months, so hang in there, listen to your body ... and please keep in touch with your doc, especially to make sure there are no complications.

Take good care!

 

[wisfulthinker]

Thank You So Much, I Needed To Hear That Someone Has Survived This. You Take Care As Well!

 

[twokatmew]

Thank you! :smile:

 

[Jennifer]

I had my resection 14 years ago and was in remission the entire time until very recently. I'm now in a flare again but its really mild. I have some inflammation that's causing a narrowing at my resection site. I was put on Entocort to get the inflammation down and its worked very well (all my symptoms I was having are gone, I was dealing with a partial obstruction). I had the same amount and section (minus the pouch) removed too. If you want you can read about my success story here: http://www.crohnsforum.com/showthread.php?t=19406 Yes things can get better. Living with a stricture is not fun and can lead to a full blockage which can be life threatening so best to be rid of it. Hopefully your GI can get this flare under control quickly so you can start feeling well again.

 

[xxjemmamxx]

I survived and I'm doing so much better than before surgery (even though I had complications). I felt like the way you do now after surgery but you need to give it time to heal before you can figure out where you truly stand.

Also have to agree with Jennifer in that strictures should always be taken seriously. You do not want to go through the pain of a partial of full blockage, trust me! Probably best that you had surgery for it, even though it might not seem like that now!