Hello Again???

[Jack Flash]

I don't know why but it seems my account here was deleted?
I tried the forgot password & searched for my old post, but they're gone???

Anyways I'm due my first surgery in 3 weeks. Was originally gonna go on remicade, but was since told I'd be better of having surgery as I have abscesses which would get worse if I had remicade

Scared is an understatement. I'm dreading the surgery although am looking forward to feeling normal again! Or at least I hope I'll feel normal and be able to put some weight back on.

I'm have 2 parts of my intestines removed and my abscesses drained.
Was told I'll be in hospital for 2 weeks.

I'm currently taking 20mg Predisolone, 100mg Azathioprine + lansoprazole & naproxen for pain relief.

Was diagnosed last year. Had symptoms for about 3 years. Been hospitalized overnight 4 times. Most recently for 12 days. My weight had gone from 75kg to 50kg, but now back up to 55kg.

Been unable to work due to this illness. Pains, sleepless nights, lack of concentration etc...

Just wondered how people got on with there surgery?
I'm not looking forward to it at all. My doc said I'll have 4 scars. 3 small and 1 from my chest to belly button. This is depressing me as it is. Luckily he said I won't need a colostomy which I was dreading.

My moods go from normal to severely depressed. I can't plan or do anything because I'm literally living day by day at the moment.

I'm also scared that I won't make it to 3 weeks without another hospital admittance which I'm sure will mean I'll be stuck in hospital for weeks!

 

[old hat]

There was a forum problem a while back and a number of posts were lost. Your original registration might have been lost because of the same problem.

I had my second surgery 12 days ago now (06-05-07). I got out of the hospital that Saturday. I am still recovering and will be for the next couple of weeks. The first couple of days after the surgery are the worst. After that, the pain recedes are at least it does for me. I have a bit of irritation and itching around the incision where the staples still are and some minor crampy pain where the surgery was around the ileocecal area. It's only a minor bother at this point. I don't need the vicodin any more even to sleep. Still, getting these staples out will be nice.

 

[Spring Sun]

Sorry you have to go through this! I know how scary it can be. I have not actually ahd surgery, but both my father and my sister have. My father did really well with it, recovered well and is doing great now. My sister had a bit of a hard time. They sent her home too early, and told her she could eat dairy. Her stitches split on the inside so she had to go back in. Just make sure they don't rush you out of the hospital. Hopefully healthcare is much different in England than in the states, where insurance companies try to boot you out right away.

Anyways, my sister went on remicade a few years later, and although she was the sickest of anyone in our family, she is now almost symptom free! She is doing really well. Just remember to go into it with a positive attitude. Do you trust your doctor? Do you feel good about the recommendation for surgery? Do you want a second opinion?m It is totally valid to get one for something so serious. Maybe also ask your dr how many of these surgeries he/she has done. Just knowing that he/she has done humdreds could make you feel a lot more at ease. Let us know how everything goes and what the date is, I will send you some good energy

 

[mikeyarmo]

Welcome to the forum Jack Flash!

old hat is right, and I apologize for the frustration it caused you.

I had surgery last year (a resection of my small intestine). I can honestly say that the surgery was not bad to go through at all. It is obviously not fun afterwards, but I never experienced undealable pain and while I had some stronger drugs, I found that I could deal with the pain without the day after surgery. The scar will not be fun to look at right after surgery, but each week it will look better. After one year it will not even be that noticable to others who look at it. People do not even realize now that I have the scar when they see it.

Surgery is not that big of a deal for the hospital. They do it everyday. Realize you are in good hands and that you have nothing to worry about.