Need advise on Ileosecectomy

[LylahJean]

Has anyone recently had one? Also, how are people doing that had one last year? Or ten years ago?? I had my appointment at OHSU today and the doc wants to put me on Cimzia and Methotrexate for 2 months to reduce inflammation in my ileum so he can do a scope with biopsy and determine a need for surgery or not. I'm scared to be on these meds, almost to the point of just wanting surgery instead..

 

[DustyKat]

Hey Lylah...:ghug:

I know the drugs are scary hun but I personally think that if they work they are preferable to surgery for 2 reasons:

1. You may be left with a legacy's from surgery like diarrhoea from bile salt malabsorption, B12 deficiency and other absorption issues.
2. Once that piece of bowel is removed it is gone forever.

Now having said all that both of my children had complications from their Crohn's so surgery was the only option and this may well be the situation you find yourself in. They have both had the surgery you may have and both have had very good outcomes thus far. They have been in remission since their surgeries so 7 years and 2.5 years respectively.

Also bear in mind that it is normally recommended that you take maintenance medication following surgery to maintain the surgically induced remission for as long as possible. So you would be facing the prospect of taking medication in the same classes of drugs that they are recommending to you now. Both my children take Imuran which is in the same class as Methotrexate. Neither has had any issues with it, they are regularly monitored for any side effects.

I know these decisions are difficult and heartbreaking, thinking of you. :heart:

Dusty. xxx

 

[highlandsrock]

Hi LylahJean

I had my terminal ileum and valve removed almost exactly 3 years ago (11th October 2010). I was warned that I might need a temporary stoma to give my guts a chance to recover and that is what happened. The reversal was in June 2011. Since then I've been on no drugs for Crohn's except for a capsule of Loperamide morning and evening. I make sure I get 3 monthly B12 injections. There is a bit of aching around the anastomosis (join) but my GI is not concerned as I've had two colonoscopies since the surgery and both showed clinical remission (Rutgeert's Score i0). (It's all recorded in detail at www.crohnoid.com)

I look back upon the whole surgery experience very positively and have wondered if I should have had it done much earlier.... but there's no point in dwelling on "what-if's" and I really have got my life back on track. It might all happen again but I'll take my chances!

Regards, Nigel