My first surgery is coming up on Tuesday!

Crohn's Disease Forum

Help Support Crohn's Disease Forum:

T

Txgirl

Joined
Apr 25, 2011
Messages
36
Yes, it's going to be a wonderful valentines day for me lol! They are going to remove part of my smalle bowel because of a fistula that won't heal! Been on Humira for awhile now so this they say is my next step!

Don't know at this time how much they will remove or how long surgery is going to take! All I know is they will try to do it laparoscopic but they may not be able to once they get in there, he also said about 5-6day stay in the hospital!

So I am just wondering what to expect after surgery? How long before they start letting me eat, and what kind of food do they start me out with? Once I get home what can I eat? How long before you felt well enough to say go out to eat with friends or to the store etc?

Would just like to know what to expect from some that have had resections done!

Thansk
 
Hi Txgirl!

After surgery expect to be quite sore, though everything is managed pretty well through pain killers. I had a Epideral in and once that was out I was on Oxycodone. I woke up with a catheter, which is a very strange sensation. You will probably be encourged to eat jello or something that is very easy to digest almost right away, for me it was the morning after surgery. And I was given a piece of toast which I was so afraid to eat. This is because they want to make sure your guts are working again after being rerouted. A nurse will be coming to listen to your belly with a stethoscope often, to make sure its rumbling. The more noise the better! This means everything is up and running again. You will have diarrhea for quite some time maybe weeks, also normal. The worst part for me was the really bad cramping after surgery, this is because they fill your bowels with air so they can see things better, all that air just has to reabsorb into your body. The best way to get rid of those pains is to get moving. I walked around the hospital hallways. its very tiring and u don't always feel up to it but it does help with pain. And fart! Don't hold anything in, it will feel so good. you'll see!

Once you're home you will want to eat things that are easily digested bread, rice, potatos ect. Just make sure you eat slowly and take your time. For me it was a good week before I even felt like going out. Just listen to your body it will tell you when it's ready.

I hope this helps, sorry for rambling on. Good luck with your surgery~Niki
 
Thank you Niki for taking the time to respond. Gives me a little insight on what's to come. Still scared and getting pretty nervous as the day gets closer !!!
 
Hi Txgirl :)

I had my first surgery about 5 weeks ago. When I woke up from surgery, I had an NG tube to get rid of the drainage that was going on in my stomach, as well as a catheter. I was also hooked up to a PCA pump which administers pain meds as needed. I wasn't allowed to eat anything until my bowels started moving and my NG tube was not getting much output anymore. This only took 2 days. My bowels moved within 36 hours of the surgery and as soon as they took the NG tube out, I was finally allowed to have something to drink. I was on a clear liquid diet for a day, and then they said I could eat what ever I felt like eating. But... I didn't feel like eating much for a couple of weeks after.

I had a hand-assisted laparoscopic resection done. So it was partially laparoscopic, but the main incision was big enough for the surgeon to put her hand in it.

To be honest, I wasn't quite prepared for the amount of pain I was in. I was very ill before surgery so I thought it would be a breeze, but I was in recovery for almost 6 hours as they were trying to get my pain under control. I didn't have an epidural like a lot of people had, I really wish they would have done that for me. The anastamosis site hurt pretty bad as well. Just make sure that when they switch you to oral meds, and or you go home, that you keep your pain meds on a schedule. The worst thing I tried to do was refuse pain meds, and I got myself into some serious pain and sickness from it.

It was probably about 3 weeks before I really felt like getting out and doing anything. I was in the hospital for about 7 days. Now, 5 weeks in.. i'm bored to death because I still can't work and I can't even take care of my baby by myself!

The whole surgery thing is scary, but it will make a difference in your quality of life. Just give yourself a break and don't be too hard on yourself. That is my problem I'm having! I try to do everything for everyone and I just can't right now.

I hope your surgery goes well!! Keep us posted!
 
Actually I just had my 3rd surgery the other day, it was a resection of my colon to remove a fistula and the first time I elected for surgery as the first two were emergencys. I opted for the epidural as iv had a pump before and was hoping for a little better pain control this time around. It has worked great and the discomfort is managable, I never would have imagined I'd be walking the next day but sure enough less than 24 hours after surgery and I'm already moving around. I have an NG Tube in currently and am only allowed clear fluids. The surgon mentioned that if I start passing gas (which I have) I should have it out tommorow and be starting a low residue diet. Keep your hopes high and remember to think positive, life will be so much better after your healed.
 
The best thing going in for the surgery is to have a positive attitude. I know this sounds kinda rah, rah, and pom poms and all but its true. When i had my resection , I had never spent a day in hospital for anything major, so it was all quite interesting. As it turned out ,my anesthesiologist (who looked 18 ) had taken some seminars from my brother who is also one, so that eased me a bit. Epidural, good meds, the only thing i wasnt keen on were the anti clot stockings which inflated every few mins just as I was drifting off to sleep. And as mention you gotta fart like crazy....so do it ! good luck ,cheers
 
Thank you all for the replies! I guess I was being foolish thinking I wasn't scared of the pain and more scared of the operation itself and what's to come down the road such as scar tissue, strictures etc! But now I'm kinda worried about the pain!
 
Me again, I can honestly say the only discomfort during the 8 days post op hospital stay was when i had the gas pain ,and it was somewhat my fault , because i was trying to hold it in a bit (duhhh!) the nurse came by and said to let it out , "music to our ears" she said . I think of the years of real pain I had leading up to the surgery , and there's no comparison. so when its time ..toot loud and proud !
 
Good luck with your surgery, I had my first surgery 1 year ago this month. I had an epidural in for 3 days and I ended up staying in the hospital 7 days. I had clear liquids in the hospital, I went to soft foods for 2 weeks, when I got home. My GI doctor always says his Crohn's patients know what they can and cannot eat, be careful of and take it slow. I waited a couple months to try eating out, but you are your best judge. I hope every thing goes smooth feeling better soon..... :)

:hug::goodluck::goodluck::goodluck::goodluck::goodluck::hug:
 
Lol ok I'll make sure not to be shy about tooting! I lost all modesty with this dreaded disease and my last hospital stay. Which was my first ever and due to an abscess. had to have surgery to cut it open to drain and clean it out! I thought the daily packing of that nice wound on my butt was very painful!

It sounds like an epidural is a common option with this surgery! Not to sound dumb but is it the same as they give for labor?
 
Yes it is, and it actually is not a painful procedure ( just dont look at the needle, its quite long !) I got a nice "cocktail " in the iv in my hand , and thats all I remember til after the surgery. it stayed in for 4 days and got hooked up to a self serve pump. Just dont let them remove the catheter before the epi , or you wont be able to pee. happened to me and they had to put the catheter back in ! no pain,still frozen , but watching a foot of tubing going up my ..you know , was kida weird. lol
 
simon47 said:
Me again, I can honestly say the only discomfort during the 8 days post op hospital stay was when i had the gas pain ,and it was somewhat my fault , because i was trying to hold it in a bit (duhhh!) the nurse came by and said to let it out , "music to our ears" she said . I think of the years of real pain I had leading up to the surgery , and there's no comparison. so when its time ..toot loud and proud !
Click to expand...

So true about the farting. My nurses were so funny about it. I'd never been so encouraged to fart and congratulated when I did!:ybiggrin:
 
Lol y'all are not helping ! But I want to know what to expect so thanks for not sugar coating it!

Today starts my liquid diet then tomorrow more liquid diet and bowel prep ugh! I don't understand why I can't eat today since everything is going to be cleaned out tomorrow ugh!
 
I didn't have a problem with the epidural when I had my baby. They numbed my back up pretty good before putting it in.

Are you going to get an epidural?? I wasn't given the choice, I did not have one for my surgery. I really wish I had though. There isn't anything to really be scared about. I know the whole thing seems really scary, but it is just a little rough. They do keep you pretty well doped up so you are not in much pain at all.

I hope everything goes great for you!! It WILL be okay :) Keep us updated!
 
TX Girl,
I have had two crohns surgeries and now two hernia surgeries due to my last resection. My advice stay positive and make sure you ask for your pain meds. Also the quicker you get up the faster your Bowell will start working, which may shorten your hosp.stay. I was in for 4 days with my abdominal destruction for an incisional hernia, getting up and around was hard but the pain meds will help.

I wish you the best of luck, get well quick...
 
I didn't mean to scare you about the epidural, it was well worth it and you will be fine. Manzyb is right, they do keep you doped up so don't worry! :)

I had to have another surgery 9 months after the first one, last November (they didn't fix everything). I didn't get the epidural the second time, and either way I made it just fine! They will keep you comfortable, just ask if you aren't.
 
Thanks every one! I'm really getting nervous! I don't even know what part of my small bowel he is removing! When he told me in his office that he recommended surgery I was in shock and crying so I didn't ask all the questions I should have ! I guess I'll find out tomorrow ekkk!
 
You'll be ok Txgirl:ysmile:..Just think of how many of us have had the same surgery and survived to tell our stories. You will be in good hands I'm sure:thumleft::thumright:..Keep us posted!..
 
For those of you who have had a bowel resection, how long did it take before you could actually go back to work? I was told today to plan on six to eight weeks.
 
Thanks all for the well wishes! Surgery went well! He removed 10" of small bowel, he said just a little of the colon and my appendix since it was there and attached to part he was removing! OK lol! Surgery was Tuesday, I went in for surgery around 12:30 in the afternoon and was rolling into my own room around 4-4:30 that evening! I got to come home yesterday(Saturday)!

I have three incisions, one on my lower left side, down by my pubic area and one right thru my belly button,which is the largest of the three! He said that's where they removed the bowels through. It is the only ones that hurts! I don't even know I have the other two!

The first night was very painful! I did not do the epidural,just opted for morphine pump, which I was able to hit every ten minutes as needed, plus they gave me a shot for inflammation and pain every 6 hours which helped more than morphine!

By the evening on Wednesday I was feeling ok all but the guts rumbling with gas
pain! Thursday was my first day to pass gas and had 3 nasty BM's(diarrhea)! But I was happy thing were awake and working! Friday they removed the IV, and foley! I was walking the halls quite a bit on Friday and able to eat normal! But had little appetite but ate a little and easy foods! Had a couple BM's but had trouble fully emptying my bladder! Had to be straight cath'd twice!

Now home and still not emptying bladder all the way! I can urinate but it's not much! They said my bladder just hasn't waken up yet and sometimes it takes a few days! I could have gone home with a cath but I said no way, if it gets bad I'll go to my local er to get a cath done!

Had some D last night that kept me up most of the night but I am eating more so I guess that's why! Doctor said I could use Imodium to help firm things up, one in am and if needed one afternoon and evening as needed but not to get myself constipated!

Belly is sore but not sore enough for any pain meds or even Tylenol! Staples coming out Wednesday already! Now if this bladder would just wake up I'd be happy! It has me stressing, ugh if it ain't one thing it's another! :)
 
Hi Txgirl!

Glad to read that you're back home. You must be relieved to have surgery behind you.:ytongue: Don't worry too much about your "sleepy" bladder, you're body will sort itself out. Happy healing! ~ Niki
 
Hi Txgirl,

Glad you're home and sounds like everything went really well!! It takes time for your body to get back to normal, so try not to worry to much. Wishing you a speedy recover.... :)

:hug: :getwell: :hug:
 

Similar threads

N
Never Give Up - Keep Trying
Replies
0
Views
161
Northwinds
N
Maya142
Surgery questions and experiences
Replies
9
Views
2K
Maya142
Maya142
K
So confused after apparent relapse
Replies
6
Views
2K
Opieshuffle13
O
N
Loose stool 6-months post-op and diet questions
Replies
0
Views
593
NeverBeenEasier
N
M
Muscle weakness and pain
Replies
2
Views
1K
moose185
M

Latest posts

Back
Top