Rectal pressure/pain 6 weeks after surgery

[B Baker]

Hi everyone,

I had 30cms of my bowel removed just over 6 weeks ago. It was for endometriosis and included the last part of my large bowel and part of the rectum.

It had all sort of been going as I had expected but 10 days ago I started rectally bleeding and getting a lot of discomfort in the rectal area. The last 2 days have been a bit of a nightmare the rectal pain/pressure can get so bad I don't know what to do with myself. I can go to the toilet up to 20 times a day then only 3 times a day with many times feeling that I need to go and can't!

I also suffer from Crohn's disease and wonder if maybe I could be flaring at the join? What do you guys think? Has anyone else experienced this after an op, all seeming to be going in the right direction but a few weeks later things get worse?

Any help or advice would be really appreciated.

 

[DJW]

Hi.

I'd suggest getting it checked out. It could be crohns or simple inflammation from surgery.

Hope its nothing.

 

[B Baker]

Thank you for responding, I'm due to see the surgeon on Wednesday. Just feeling a bit desperate with it all and hoping its something simple to fix!

 

[2thFairy]

Oh no! I was expecting to hear all sorts of wonderful after your surgery, not that you are now having discomfort! You might have a hematoma at the incision line. If so, that might have a simple fix that can be handled in the office. Hopefully it is nothing more than inflammation.

Big hugs to you!

 

[B Baker]

Thank you 2thFairy, me too!!

 

[Muppetgirl]

I had some rectal pressure after a low anterior resection for endo, but I'm not sure it lasted six weeks. I didn't have any bleeding either (or crohns), so I agree you should definately get medical advice.

All the best for the rest of your recovery. I hope it's helpful in the long term.

 

[B Baker]

Saw the surgeon yesterday and he said there's narrowing at the join and I have to have a general anaesthetic to stretch it. I said is it balloon dilation and he said, no it's easier than that, do you guys have any idea of what it is they do?

Thanks for responding muppetgirl, how have you been since the endo bowel surgery? Has it improved your life/symptoms?

 

[DJW]

Glad its been checked out. I've never had it done but I know their are people on the forum who have.

 

[2thFairy]

Since it is a rectal issue, I imagine they will just use regular dilators. There are a series of rectal dilators that go from small to gradually larger.

 

[B Baker]

Oh right, I have never heard of them, thanks. Do you have to have a general anaesthetic because it's hurts? He said I'd be bleeding after it, thanks again

 

[2thFairy]

Yes, for pain and relaxation. Be glad for the general anesthetic! I've not had it done myself, but have heard it can be quite painful.

 

[Muppetgirl]

Saw the surgeon yesterday and he said there's narrowing at the join and I have to have a general anaesthetic to stretch it. I said is it balloon dilation and he said, no it's easier than that, do you guys have any idea of what it is they do?

Thanks for responding muppetgirl, how have you been since the endo bowel surgery? Has it improved your life/symptoms?

Yes absolutely. Prior to the resection my ability to work and socialise were in bits. Knife pains in rectum were every day, and as the biggest mass was there I couldn't really sit without hopping up again because of pain, plus lots of D. It took the longest time for me to get a proper work up of the bowel but it probably made the single biggest improvement out of all the surgeries. Right now I am struggling with complications from it but I still would not change it because it gave me my life back. (I suppose I should add that I had other procedures done at the same time, so they made a difference too).

I don't know much about your situation but I hope that it can be the same for you. I'm sorry you are facing complications so early, and especially that you are facing another painful procedure. But I am optimistic that in the long term you will feel the benefit. I will have my fingers crossed for you. Keep us updated with how you get on.

 

[B Baker]

Thanks everyone, do you guys have any tips on how to relieve the pain/ pressure until I have the 'stretching' done?

Muppetgirl, what complications are you having? What part of the bowel did you have removed? Your the first person I've met to have bowel surgery due to endo, do you have crohns also?

 

[Muppetgirl]

I am dealing with a partial obstruction and pretty miserable with it to be honest. A low residue diet has helped reduce episodes where it appeared to block fully, but I still struggle to eat and have pain and D. My main bowel surgery was a few years ago though, so its not been bad going till now. I had a sections of my rectum and sigmoid colon removed. I can't remember exactly the way it was put to me at the time, but as I understand it the remaining rectum has to relearn and reconfigure and this can take time. So I'd expect some teething problems even without the added complication of the narrowing you have. Will your surgeon wait until the join is healed?

I know a few people who have had bowel surgery for endometriosis. A friend of mine who had extensive bowel surgery has also had complications (a fistula which has made reversing her ileostomy impossible), but she is the same in that she still wouldn't change things because the surgery gave her life back. I think things are improving for women like us but it can be hard to find others who've been there. That is why I joined here as I don't know anyone else with these specific complications, so it's been really helpful to talk to others who have similar issues. Do you have a good team treating you? Do you have lesions elsewhere? How were you before the op? Must be tough with the crohns alongside it. I don't have crohns, all my bowel disease is endometriosis.

 

[B Baker]

I had what they call 'radical excision' of all the endometriosis they could find and said they hope this is the last op I have for it. But I also have adenmyosis and to fix that is a hysterectomy and stil hoping somewhere Ill be able to have children. Before the op I would have pain on and off throughout the month but on my period it was excruciating, I couldn't move and I would pass a lot of blood rectally. What were your symptoms before the surgery? I think I have a good team, he said he'll do it soon, just wish I'd asked how soon!! Like you pretty fed up with it all too. I had the op to make things better not worse!!

What's causing your partial obstruction? Is it at the join? Are they planning anything to help/fix it?

 

[Muppetgirl]

That's good. I hope it makes a lasting difference to you. I had radical excision / hysterectomy as well. Funnily enough I had adeno too. By the time of the op pain was every day. Glad you have a good team. It's so important with this disease. Could you ring & ask? Might make it easier if you knew what you were working towards. Don't lose heart :hug: It's crappy now, but I really believe surgery is the best for deeply infiltrating disease. Have you noticed differences or is it hard to tell at the moment?

We are fairly sure its adhesions. No obvious new lesions showing. I have a small recto-vaginal lesion but that is not the cause. Yeah it's just not letting up so surgery is planned.

 

[B Baker]

Thanks for your words Muppetgirl it means a lot. I called on Friday but they haven't got back yet. I can't say I've noticed any difference, my period was slightly less painful but this pressure and spasm from the narrowing I think is upsetting the nerves in the rectal/vaginal area, which is giving me pretty much a continual deep ache down there and I'm having more toilet trips then the endo & crohns together!!

Sorry you've got adhesions, I hear they are a nightmare to deal with, do you have a date for your surgery? Would you say before these adhesions you had been symptom free since your surgery?

 

[Muppetgirl]

I hope they get back to you & clarify things soon. It is still really early days in terms of the healing that needs to happen. I guess the trouble is that some of its from the op & some the narrowing & how are you supposed to know which! Oh its horrible the nerve pain with rectal,lesions. I have to say I braced myself that this pain would continue due to the nerve damage but that wasn't the case, at least not daily. If you can, try and set your sights on getting through the stretching & then reevaluate.

I've always had adhesions but they've never bothered me much. But the last pelvic op was so huge & the bowels get comfy were the womb was post hyst, so I think it's just a tangled mess. No, despite the misery I actually want to put it off as it's really impratical right now.

Now that is a hard question! Impossible to sum up the last few years neatly. Symptom free? No, not at all. Less pain? Yes. More ability to work? Yes. Able to do a bit more? Yes. Basically I have had complications in almost all the areas that disease has affected, bladder, bowel, hormones, nerves & then some. So its a different set of 'issues'. But at the risk of sounding like a broken record, the bowel surgery was one of the biggest gains. I couldn't sit & had disabling pain every day, and that bit of my troubles did go away. And I can second others who've had our surgery who would attest to that. Keeping my fingers crossed for you.

 

[B Baker]

Thanks again Muppetgirl for your kind words. I hope I feel like you and the others about this op in the very near future!! Sorry you've been through so much too and I really hope that you can manage without having another surgery. Your advice and experiences are really appreciated :hug:

 

[Muppetgirl]

You are more than welcome...anytime. Thank you for your own kind words. I hope that things come good for you in time and good luck with the stretching. Keep us posted :hug: