Recovery Questions

[Rob17]

I'm new to the Forum. I've had crohns disease since age 11 and I'm 32 now. I just had resection surgery and I'm at my 4th week after the surgery. I have the incision just below my belly button and it runs to right about my pelvic area. I don't feel much pain at this point. I just feel some discomfort at the incision point. If I sneeze or cough I still feel a bit of pain. I had about 6 inches of my terminal illium removed and about 5 inches of my colon removed. I also had a very large fistula that ran down that area which they removed.

My concerns are that I'm running to the bathroom everytime I eat. Sometimes I havnt finished eating and I have to run to the bathroom.

My stool are always loose. I go to the bathroom often and I've lost a lot of weight. I've always been skinny and just before the surgery I was weighing 124 lbs. I now weight 110lbs. Mind you for my age and height I should be at 135-145 lbs.

I'm scared because I'm at my 4th week and I havn't gained a pound and my stool continues to be loose and watery. Is this normal? Will I see the light at the end of the tunnel. I'm scheduled to go to work in 2 weeks but I feel I won't be ready. Is there anything I can do to help my situation? Please help

 

[SarahAnne]

I'm not really sure, Rob. Maybe ask your surgeon or GI?
I am still having diarrhea and sometimes the urge comes while I'm still finishing a meal as well, but I am only one week out from my surgery and still trying to progress my diet. Have you been able to add anything that would bulk up your stools some? You also might want to try some weight gain supplements like Boost or Ensure.

Good luck!

 

[Carrie]

I had my surgery nearly two months ago, and my body is still adjusting. I use the loo four to five times a day, and the poo seems to get looser as the day goes on, but overall, it has improved over the past few months...I'm actually capable of having at least one normal poo a day.

Do you think there is anything in your current diet that could be causing problems? Perhaps you should contact your GI and see if they could recommend anything.

 

[stevereds]

Hey Rob,
I already had 2 resections done.. one about6 or 7 yrs after the first one.
In my experiences you will have loose stool alot after eating, you eventually get use to it, and know to be nearby a bathroom etc. It does improve over the months....4 weeks is still early in the recovery period. Weight should come back little by little, until you might actually get heavier than you were before.
But eating and being by bathrooms is key. planning your meals around places or times of the day where you know you can get to a toilet fast are key.

Because of the type of surgery you had, which was like mine, you colon cannot hold feces as good as it use too and your body will readjust over time but most likely it will never be like before, but if it helps everything else and you feel healthier , being by a bathroom after you eat is a small price to pay, you will get use to it. Best of luck to you, keeep on healing.....
I wasn't back to work until about 3 months after my 1st surgery.