How long in hospital

[boussole]

Sadly, after many years and many treatments, I will have a surgery this summer to remove my colon and rectum.

I agree with my GI about it and I know that my life can't be worse than it is right now so I am okay about it, even if I'm 20.

Though I wonder, how many days do we usually stay in hospital for this surgery? And my GI told me the recovery is about 6 weeks. But is it 6 weeks when we can't barely do anything?

Thanks a lot! It's a bit stressful lately but I'm confident my life will get better after this surgery..!

 

[lgpcarter]

You may have better luck posting in the Stoma forum. I don't have any advice to offer beyond that I imagine hospital stay will depend on how well the surgery goes and how you recovery progresses.

Definitely by the end of the 6 weeks you will be able to do stuff - probably getting close to normal.

 

[UnXmas]

If all goes well, you should only be a few days in hospital. You stay until your stoma - I assume you're having an ileostomy? - starts working. But there can be minor complications, like infections, or difficulty getting your digestive system going.

The magic numbers seem to be six to eight weeks for a complete recovery. You shouldn't feel awful this whole time. Your pain, energy, and general feeling of being unwell should gradually improve. It takes around six to eight weeks for your digestive system to settle down so you can resume a normal(ish) diet. For six to eight weeks you shouldn't bend, lift or do strenuous activity. And by this time your inciscion should be healed (sooner if laparoscopic).

Again, complications can arise at any point and delay things, but if you're in good health besides Crohn's and things go well, you could be feeling human again after a couple of weeks.

 

[boussole]

Thank you very much for your message!! I'm glad to read that if everything's fine it's not a long time in hospital. I don't like this place hehe

Yes, it's an ileostomy, I didn't have the word in mind in English. About the laparoscopic, do you know if this way is more usual? Who decides if it's laparoscopic or not?

 

[UnXmas]

I think your surgeon will decide. Usually they will try to do a surgery laparoscopically, but it's not always possible. Your surgeon should tell you before the surgery what he/she plans to do.

 

[boussole]

Alright! Thank you again so much. I feel like I will have a lot of questions in the next weeks. Surgery is coming fast.

 

[SupportiveMom]

My kid is also having surgery for rectum & colon. We have been told 5-9 days in hospital (some say 5-7, others 7-9). If you are on prednisone or are prone to infection it can take a bit longer to heal. That's where the 9 days come in I think. No lifting anything more than 10 lbs for 6 weeks post op. Everyone I polled said you start feeling better about 2-3 weeks post op, month at max.

Us, we will see! Good luck!

 

[boussole]

Oh I never heard about prednisone and taking more time to heal. It's good to know.

Good luck for your kid's surgery, SupportiveMom!