Recovery Time

[ThatGuy2006]

Hey guys,

I am going to see a surgeon on Tuesday. I was just wondering if anyone who has had surgery can give me some kind of ballpark figure as far as recovery time goes.

 

[GoJohnnyGo]

Depends on what kind of shape you are going into it, as well as what all you all get done.

Took me a good three months back when I had the resection/gall bladder/appendix taken out, but I was in really rough shape previous. The incisions healed pretty fast, but it was a good three or so weeks before I could get out of bed for anything more than five minutes.

 

[ThatGuy2006]

cool, thanks for the responses guys. I am so scared about all of this but I am trying to keep a positive outlook on it.

 

[crohnsmom]

My son had resection surgery in spring 07-10 days later he was back to his regular routine with the exception of no heavy lifting. 10 weeks later he took a trip to the U.K. touring Ireland and Wales and Scotland. He was 19 at the time and had a quick and smooth recovery-wishing you the same!
Sincerely,
Ramona

 

[ThatGuy2006]

thats awesome. Is he doing well now? I just hope it doesn't come back for a bit after this is over. This whole ordeal is pretty overwhelming, to me and my family and friends. I don't think the recovery will be that bad because of my age and because i take vitamin C every day.

 

[jed]

i found my recovery really pretty easy, 6 days in hospital after surgery, then 4 or 5 weeks off work after that.

only time i felt like hell was when i had to have a Nasal Gastric Tube inserted for a few days. its not painfull or anything, i think it was just really annoying and that made me pretty down.

and yeah, surgery was the best thing i ever did for this disease. best wishes.

 

[crohnsmom]

You asked if he was doing well now-he is doing great-21 now and finishing his senior year of college. Except for having to take B12 nasal spray beause of the portion of the terminal ileum that was removed, he remains in remission. We pray for a nice long one!
Sincerely,
Ramona

 

[ThatGuy2006]

wow, its good to hear that he is doing well crohnsmom.

- Jed
Why did you have to have the tube?

 

[jed]

it was 2 days after surgery (large intestine removed, small intestine joined to colon, no bag yet) and i sneezed....

thew up this bizzare red/black stuff, about a litre (eeeek!) docs said it was just bile and blood from the surgery.

then it started to happen over and over again (which can be normal after that kind of surgery), problems was i couldn't breath for up to 30 seconds after each throw up. was gasping for air.

sh*t you not, i thought they were going to have to do one of those hole in the throat things, was scared as hell!

but a NGT was done instead, that way it just flows out through that without throwing up.

seriously, everything else about surgery was totally and utterly fine, but the NGT was just crap.

but, we do what we have to, and we're still here today

 

[jed]

heh, i was just dreading whatever they were going to do at that point, and the surgical intern that was looking after me was this big goofy lookin italian guy.

whilst the nurses were inserting the NGT (thru a double blosked nose!!!!!), he just sat there and had his hand on my shoulder comforting me. i will never forget that moment.

"dont worry Jed, you're gonna feel like hell for a couple of days, but you're not gonan die. you might wish you do, but we'll look after you"

i think one of the worst parts of the NGT is its the last place they can stick something. i already had a cathater out my pee pee, IV's going in left and right arms, drainage tube coming out my stomach, heaart and BP monitors coming off my fingers, and now you wanna stick almost a meter of tubing down my throat thru my nose????? come on man, gimme a fricken break!

by this time, your not moving anywhere. cords and tubes everywhere. frustration is the killer. was the only time i let loose and just freaked. even wifey couldn't help me.

but the all come out, soon as the nurses came in saying time to get them out, i started pulling

 

[MaskdMarvl]

One of my surguries I lay in the hospital bed for 10 days. Couldnt move it hurt to much and my god dont sneeze. You really dont know how much you use your stomach muscles until they have been cut. The important thing to remember is when the doc says to walk you have to try. An active body heals faster. Once the operation is all over and youve recovered youll be glad you did it.

 

[aquagirl900]

I had surgery May 21 this year. I was in the hospital a month prior to that and in horrible shape- 7" abscess...couldn't walk...throwing up constantly...trememdous pain...anemia (had to get a blood transfusion) etc...I had a NG tube for 24 hours, was up within 2 days (very short trips) had cathetor out in 3 days...and home within 10 days...was fully recovered to the point I *could* work within 4 weeks, but then I had some urinary complications (kidney stone, followed by a nephrostomy tube) so I ended up taking the whole 8 week estimated recovery...

My sis had a resection in early August...she was out of the hospital in 5 days...and working within 3 weeks...and is doing well now.