Just had surgery...need help

[Leannez]

Hi,
I'm new to this forum, happy to have found you guys!
I am 43 years, diagnosed with Crohn's at 27. Just had my first resection 3 weeks ago, they took out 3 inches of large colon and 13 inches of small intestines. I am recovering pretty well from the surgery, still having pain though. The thing that is worrying me is that I am having pain at the resection site (anastomosis site) nothing terrible but painful, it also feels very sore there when I push down on that area and a little hard. Is this normal? I'm just so worried that its the Crohns that has come back Or that there is an infection or something there, or its coming undone:sign0085:
Also, diet....when did you guys start eating normally again?
Thank you so much!

 

[ronroush7]

I was in the hospital for five or six weeks when I had my resection. The first food was popsicles I was allowed to have. It was a while before I was allowed solid food. My wife thinks it was three months before I could have solid food. Let your doctor know about the pain.

 

[eleanor_rigby]

Hello, I think if it was coming undone or you had an infection you would have other symptoms apart from pain, namely a high fever. Particularly if it was coming undone I think the pain would be extremely severe. 3 weeks is still not long and you should be recovering and not doing much. I would let your doctor know about your pains. I think the most likely cause is that the pains is a result of your bowels healing from the major trauma of surgery.

 

[DEmberton]

I was able to get back to more or less normal eating after a week. Different for everyone though.

But I remember getting pain like you describe a few weeks later, and that being a little bit of a worry when you're busy telling yourself you're better now. Worth asking, but don't panic. It won't be the Crohn's coming back, that wouldn't happen that fast; much more likely it's just part of the healing process. I remember being anxious about "something coming undone", but making sure nothing has gone wrong is why they keep you in hospital for a few days.

 

[shamrock15]

As someone who has had something come undone, I can honestly say that if you are busy typing here it hasn't happened. Your abdomen would start to swell well past its post-surgery size because you essentially start bleeding into your abdominal cavity. Very not nice.

I had several spots go just as you described above. It takes a considerable amount of time for surgical swelling to diminish. That should account for the hardness you feel when you push. Some scar tissue will likely form and that will keep it from becoming completely supple again. As Ron stated, let your doctor know on your follow up visits. Aside from possibly supplementing some vitamins I would think you should eventually see a return to normal functions. I was told recovery could potentially go to a year for pain to disappear. Give yourself time. You should be fine. Do check with your doctor for a follow up plan though to try to prevent recurrance.

 

[SteffieB]

This is very normal. ..they cut through all your muscles too, so it will hurt for a good month or so, but eventually, you will heal! Hang in there!

 

[satterae]

@Leannez I hope you're doing well. I was wondering if you could share how your recovery went.