Is surgery really that bad of an option?

[maaria]

Hi everyone,

So I was diagnosed with Crohn's in 2008. after taking steroids (prednisolone) the symptoms went away completely. For about 5 years I felt as if the hospital had got it wrong and I didn't have the disease because I was completely fine. But then in january during my exams (maybe because of the stress) I had extremely bad abdominal pain and cramps. After my last exam I couldn't stop vomitting and was kept in hospital.

The hospital kept me in and out for over a month until finally they carried out an MRI scan showing a had some kind of nodule in my intestine due to Crohn's, but they didn't know what sort of nodule it was and why it was there. Since then I have been put on various liquid diets which really didn't help. Until now, whilst I am awaiting surgery, I have been given a NG tube by which I am fed Elemental, in order to put on weight.

However, whilst I was in hospital, me and my mum were shocked and scared to death by a surgeon who said that surgery was a bad option because it could mean I could "have half my gut taken out" as well as "if they start operating now in your life they may have to carry out procedures all of your life." But i have no other option then to have surgery, so really scared! :/ And I have had to take the year out of college when I had all my offers for university and now can't go!

 

[Clash]

maaria, I'm so sorry for all you are going through. My son hasn't been faced with surgery yet so I don't have any experience but I'm going to tag Dustykat as both of her kids have had surgery as teenagers and are now in college.

Also, awmom has a son that is much younger than you but he has had surgery as well.

Hopefully, by tagging them they will stop by and give their experience when their children had surgery.

Sometimes, when the meds are doing the trick and the intestines are being damaged then surgery is an effective option. If you fell uncomfortable you could get a second opinion from another GI.

Click here to get to our surgery forum.

 

[Mehita]

Hi Maaria...that surgeon simply has a terrible bedside manner! Statistically speaking, yes, this probably wont be your last surgery, but at the same time many GI doctors do not recommend surgery lightly. As far as "taking half your guts out", most surgeons do say that but usually with a little more tact. Sometimes there are surprises and they simply have to prepare patients for the possibility of ostomies, etc. My son had surgery in January and we were told the same things you were... just in a nicer way.

That being said, surgery has given my son his life back. He had a 6" stricture that left his small intestine at only 3mm in diameter. Somewhat similar to you, he was vomiting and continually on a liquid diet. They ended up removing 10" of his small intestine and now he's the happiest, fastest growing kid on the planet. So, personally, I don't think surgery is really that bad of an option.

I hope you feel better soon. Keep us posted.

 

[Lisa]

Did they say WHY surgery is your only option? Have you even been on any medications other than the pred? I had a few years where my doctor tried talking me into surgery (when I would be flaring and in the hospital) - and I always refused.....30 plus years later and I ~still~ have not had any surgeries and am doing well with medication alone.

Do you know if you have a stricture that they might be considering taking out? I would also try to get more information on the 'nodule' you mentioned....

 

[DustyKat]

Hi maaria and :welcome:

Good grief! Talk about scare the living the daylights out you and your Mum! :ghug:

Sometimes if you have complications with your Crohn's then surgery is indeed the only option. That is what happened with both of my children, the surgery saved their lives and they have both done wonderfully well since. They had surgery in high school, my daughter in Year 9 and my son in Year 12, and both are now at university and will finish their bachelors this year.

Where is your Crohn's located?

What type of surgery are they talking about?

The nodule that they found...have they said much about it? Is it a suspicious growth?

:hang: hun!

Dusty. :heart:

 

[Jim (POPS)]

Don't let that Dr. scare you. If you have surgery now that don't mean you will have them again. Some people only have one and are fine for many. many years.

Jim (Pops)