New Member

[warge]

:sign0085:Hi

I have known I have Crohns for a few months now but could have had it for years. Everything is going so fast I am a little shell shocked. Apparently mine is typical and I have 50cms of the small intestine that is scarred and inflamed and needs to come out before I get a blockage.

Just been to the surgeon and he is going to do it with keyhole surgery. Has anyone else been through this? I would love to hear from someone that has had it done and get a bit more insight into this awful disease! I am having to accept this and learn very quickly.

My husband is very shell shocked and not very helpful, he is coming to terms with it himself.

I have read about it but would appreciate any input on actual experience.

Warge

 

[David]

Hi Warge and welcome to the community!

I can understand the shell shock

That's great that your surgeon feels like they're able to do a keyhole surgery. That should help with recovery a lot. To connect with others who have had a keyhole resection, you may want to create a thread in our surgery forum.

Please keep us updated as to how you're getting on.

Best of luck to you!

 

[Angrybird]

Hello and welcome to the forum

I am sorry to hear you are having to now have surgery. I had a resection done via key hole last year and for me it did go a lot easier than I thought it would, surprisingly I was given no prep to take to clear the bowels and was just given some high energy drinks to have the day before the op which also helps give nutrients to the body to get through the it. I was in the hospital for 4 days and was back to work after 6 weeks. After the op I was put on a soft food diet for a little while and was given a gentle laxative so not too much strain would be out on the join inside. I found that I was a bit sore (felt I was a 5 on the pain scale most of the time) but living with the stricture was a lot worse. You can now hardly see the 3 small scars that the op has left behind. I feel that I have done well that this is my first and so far only op for crohn's in the 10 years since my diagnosis, some are even lucky enough not to need surgery at all.

Out of interest are you on any meds for your crohn's? Has a date now been set for your surgery?

AB
xx

 

[warge]

hi

thanks for the info. I have been researching on the web but it is better to hear from someone that has had it done.

It is only a couple of months that I have known positively that I have Crohns and may have had it for years, quite a shock! I have had budesonide, lansaropazole, and I already take tacrilimus (immuno suppresant) as I have so many allergies! At the moment on the immuno suppresant with zantac. I also have high blood pressure, take anti histamines, and amitryptiline (anti pepressant for migraine) So they have quite a job with me:-( I have had allergies for years and Crohns is another immune problem.

I have private health form work so as i go on holiday on 1st oct and then again 4th Nov it will be after that.

I have some idea of what it will be like after as I had a hysterctomy in 1991 with a rather large cut but this will be different as i understand that you have a nasal tube, intravenous and cather in for a couple of day which will be new to me and not looking forward to it. The sooner I can get back on my feet and get rid of the "tubes" the better. I am already on a low residue diet which seems to be helping so that should help. I dont know what they will do about "cleaning" me out but hopefully they will be good to me

 

[prettypolkadot]

I'm also having the same surgery next Friday and I am quite anxious.

I hope it all goes well for you.

 

[warge]

I will be thinking about you and hopefully everything will go well and you can tell me all about it

 

[Tamara]

Hi Warge,

Like Angrybird I had this surgery about a year ago - I agree it is definitely better than living with a stricture! I was really anxious before I had it done but

I didn't have a nasal tube, but my catheter came out the next day so I barely noticed it and after a short while you don't even notice the intravenous tube especially as it is where you get your pain meds from

 

[annawato]

Hi Warge, I've had 3 resections but all full cut down the middle. I would imagine keyhole would be a lot easier to recover from. As to IV's and catheters, they are nothing to worry about, you barely notice they are there - its more the thought of them than the actual devices so don't be worried about them. I would be very surprised if you had to have a nasogastric tube - this would only be necessary if you were very poor nutritionally and were unable to start eating after a week or more due to complications so again don't worry about that unless it happens. All the best with the op and let us all know how it goes.

 

[warge]

I am really grateful for all the information and support, I am on a very sharp learning curve and need all the help i can get.

 

[annawato]

ask away, any questions, we're happy to help.