Is surgery right for me just now?!

[plook38]

I am relatively healthy at the moment (in my terms) and have been advised to have a resection from my consultant and surgeon. My surgeon would much rather carry out a resection when I have two healthy ends of bowel to reconnect as she states that the recovery period and surgery will be much more successful this way. Although I understand where she is coming from I also feel like it would be a stupid move to put my body through this when I am feeling ok!
I have recently finished a high dose of steroids and the surgeon would like to proceed before I need another dose. She also states that my inflamation is quite concentrated in one area which is also a bonus for a successful resection.
I suppose I am just very wary of a) the pain involved, b) requiring so much time off work and c) the fact that I am doing ok at the moment! I am a bit of a believer that if it aint broke don't fix it!
Reading these threads have also put many more doubts in my head but I have learned to ask for an epidural! Also to expect more sick time from work than previously mentioned by my surgeon!
The main reason why the surgery is looming is because we have kind of run out of medical interventions to try. I know people are very clued up on this site so bear with me- I have been on Azathiaprim, Infliximab, Methotrexate (currently taking but have taken for three years and kind of come to end of shelf life) I cant even remember any more.
Does anyone have any words of wisdom for me?
Thank you for your time

 

[chrisnsteph1022]

I have heard that recovery is much easier if you're healthy before surgery, but I'd have a real hard time consenting to surgery if I felt fine. I would probably wait until I felt like I needed it.

 

[Switalski]

plook38,

The problem is that it is broken. You need two good ends of bowel to connect. If you don't have two good ends, you get a bag - not much fun. Before my surgery, I started Remicade, in part, to increase the chance of having two good ends. It reduced the inflammation, which is exactly what the doctor wanted.

While surgery is a very personal choice that a lot of us have had to make, undergoing surgery when you feel relatively good is much better than going under the knife when you're in bad shape.

I'd talk to your GI and surgeon a little more to reach a good decision for you. Good luck.

 

[plook38]

Thank you for your reply. I think the main factor for me is that I am not exactly "ill" at the moment. However I may make myself ill staying up all night looking for info on resections!

 

[plook38]

Switalski,
We must have been posting at the same time as my reply was for the post before!
I sat like a nodding dog agreeing with everything the surgeon stated and stayed quite positive for a week. However, doubts are not slow in forming especially when I start thinking about recovery time, new academic year away to start, moving house all at the time of surgery. But then as I read this I know I am just making excuses because I am scared of the pain!!!

 

[Switalski]

Plook38,
It took four weeks for me to recover to about 95%; six weeks to reach 100%. The pain was not too bad. I was off pain meds, with the exception of Tylenol, seven days after surgery. The only problem I can foresee for you is the moving. You will be restricted on the amount of weight you can pick up and carry for about two months. Will your surgery be laproscopic?

 

[plook38]

Switalski,
Yes, it should be laproscopic. I am not too worried about the move as such as I can prepare and pack in advance if needed. I also have a good support network but I am not the best at doing nothing when sore! I will just have to try hard. The move will be more aggravating and annoying than a practical problem so I suppose that is my issue to deal with!
I am just going to have to go for it, ask for an epidural and be sensible afterwards (including listening to my pain levels during the move and not rushing back to work).
Four to six weeks is a short time to pay if the benefits are going to be for five years!