Resection post op pain - Is This Normal?

[Manzyb]

It's been almost 3 months since my surgery now. I had a hand assisted laparoscopy. I'm still having a lot of pain on my right side and near my belly button incision. Nearly every day by the end of the day (I guess from moving around) it hurts. It's not a horrible pain, but it hurts enough to make me want to not do much. It's not like Crohn's pain, it feels like surgical pain... if that makes any sense! oh, and if I'm standing up and sneeze, holy crap it hurts so bad it makes me double over in pain. Is all of this normal?? I try not to use my abs too much, but crap!! You use them to do everything.

 

[Jennifer]

That's the same type of surgery I had but unfortunately mine got infected so I don't have a very good idea of how long it should normally take to heal properly.

The pain you describe sounds like the pain I had after surgery. It made me tired and I could hardly go to the bathroom let alone muster up a sneeze. Three months in sounds a bit long to still be in that amount of pain after that surgery so to be on the safe side I'd contact your doctor and or surgeon and let them know. It could simply be that its taking longer to heal because you keep moving around and lifting as you do have a little one to look after but you want to be sure that its healing properly none the less. Is the surgical site red or hot to the touch? Do you have any other symptoms like nausea, vomiting or fever?

 

[PVail]

H Manzyb
My father had this op a few years ago and very similar pain. They said this was called adhesions. basically the scar tissue has attached itself to the thing next to it when healing. Apparently this is quite common especially after appendix removal. I know he started doin regular stretching excersice and was on a few extra Meds but there was no surgical intervention. he is much better now . You should really be seen by your GI for some peace of mind.
Peter

 

[Manzyb]

Hi Crabby! No redness, vomiting or anything. Well, i do throw up some, but that is a bit common for me. It's weird because the pain is to the left of my incision, it almost feels like right after surgery the anastomosis site was unbearable, it kind of feels like that pain, but not quite as painful as that. But it's hurting daily. It feels like its in the place where they resected the ileum.

Pvail- I do have a GI appointment on Monday! I was talking to my husband about this last night, because I was thinking that 3 months after the resection I shouldn't quite have this much pain. It's not associated with food or anything like that, crazy! It's always something with me it seems!

 

[Jennifer]

Just curious, why is throwing up a bit common for you?

 

[Manzyb]

I honestly don't know. It's just something that has always been a big symptom for me. It was worse before the stricture was removed, but ever since I was diagnosed i've always had a problem with nausea and vomiting.

 

[Jennifer]

Probably a stupid question, but I'm assuming you've told your GI that you still have issues with nausea and vomiting even after your surgery? Hopefully they keep doing tests to figure out the cause. All that stomach acid is really bad for your esophagus and teeth.

 

[Manzyb]

I have told him. I'm still currently in a flare up. I've got some inflammation and ulcers in my colon and rectum. Since it is a symptom I've always had he hasnt' seemed too concerned. It really has slowed down a lot.

My teeth have suffered a lot. I'm really hoping that this Tysabri kicks in soon and helps me out with that and the cramping/diarrhea.

 

[PVail]

Funny you mention the teeth as I said to my doc a couple of years ago that my teeth where affected and he just looked at me. I've got terrible acid at the moment after having a bad week last week but using some wheatgrass tablets earlier to get more alkaline. I was told this in my local health food store. So I will try anything as I've been on a liquid diet for a couple of days now . the problem with that is its addictive because the pain is greatly reduced, NICE ! I could get used to that.
hope you feel better soon.
Peter

 

[archie]

Hi manzyb I had the same surgery last year and I was pretty much painfree by 5 weeks and back to work I suffered some mouth ulcers for a while then I had some bleeding about 6 months later which lasted about 3 months alongside a dull ache just under my right ribs. I had an ultrasound and colonoscopy and all clear except a few mild ulcers at surrey site. I am now painfree except the occasional mild ache in LRQ. I have constipation now and occasional strong cramps but not anything like the pain you are experiencing. Could it be a nervy pain from the surgery incision? Or a slight stricture? It def needs checked out and hope it settles soon.

 

[OnMyOwn]

Hi Manzyb - Any update on your pain? I'm currently 8 weeks post-op with the same kind of pain and my surgeon told me that I should feel much better at three months. It especially hurts when I have a 'high activity' day. I worry that I might have a hernia, but the surgeon says everything seems fine.

 

[Sparkle2012]

Pain after resection

Hi all - I'm also having issues. I had lower right small bowel resection surgery and gallbladder removal 3 weeks tomorrow. Last night crampy spasms lower right developing into quite the level 7-8-9 all night. Slept in the recliner and grabbed a few hours sleep. Called surgeon he said bowel probably adjusting to new anatomy -- no fever, vomiting nausea. It's lessened but still hurting....this doesn't feel right. I started steroids this a.m. which he thinks might help. Anyone feel that type of pain post op? like a knife cutting muscle which is going in angry spasms my best description. I thought appendix but no vomiting/nausea. Would appreciate feedback on this scary thing....

Update: This pain lasted 6 days. I had been using heat - switched to ice and that seemed to do it. I don't know if the awful spasms were the bowel or ab muscle. It was on the lower right side where they did a lot of surgery as the strictures and gallbladder were on the right. I had been working those muscles pretty hard getting in and out of bed. The ice cleared it up but I still feel a little non-painful tug in that area from time to time. I jokingly told my husband I thought they had accidentally sewn my bowel to my liver.:eek2: I suspect it could be the adhesions forming as mentioned above. I'll chat about it with my GI next visit. Thanks for listenining.

 

[NatalieM]

It's been almost 3 months since my surgery now. I had a hand assisted laparoscopy. I'm still having a lot of pain on my right side and near my belly button incision. Nearly every day by the end of the day (I guess from moving around) it hurts. It's not a horrible pain, but it hurts enough to make me want to not do much. It's not like Crohn's pain, it feels like surgical pain... if that makes any sense! oh, and if I'm standing up and sneeze, holy crap it hurts so bad it makes me double over in pain. Is all of this normal?? I try not to use my abs too much, but crap!! You use them to do everything.

Wow! I am almost 3 months post op and experiencing the exact same thing. It has gotten ridiculous. Just my clothes rubbing along the left side of incision is uncomfortable. I recently notice little white bumps on incision and in the middle its very red and puffy. I know everyone is different in healing time but I would love to laugh out loud and sneeze without tearing up(feels like someones cutting me straight across)
I see my surgeon on the 27th, my GI has not been very helpful and surgeon is upset with him. He seemed to be on board while helping treat me in the hospital and now he is keeping to himself and I can't get in to see him until next month. My work needs me back next montg but will understand if I need more time. Something doesn't feel right. I have a 2 yr old I ccare for, I rarely can lift her(21lbs)
I'm a preschool teacher with a class of 8 almost 3 yr olds to myself. I can't lift without ruining myself for the rest of the day.. What is the deal? What do I do? Call my surgeon to be seen sooner? It's been 3 weeks of this and it gets worse bu the day.

 

[Sparkle2012]

Wow! I am almost 3 months post op and experiencing the exact same thing. It has gotten ridiculous. Just my clothes rubbing along the left side of incision is uncomfortable. I recently notice little white bumps on incision and in the middle its very red and puffy. I know everyone is different in healing time but I would love to laugh out loud and sneeze without tearing up(feels like someones cutting me straight across)
I see my surgeon on the 27th, my GI has not been very helpful and surgeon is upset with him. He seemed to be on board while helping treat me in the hospital and now he is keeping to himself and I can't get in to see him until next month. My work needs me back next montg but will understand if I need more time. Something doesn't feel right. I have a 2 yr old I ccare for, I rarely can lift her(21lbs)
I'm a preschool teacher with a class of 8 almost 3 yr olds to myself. I can't lift without ruining myself for the rest of the day.. What is the deal? What do I do? Call my surgeon to be seen sooner? It's been 3 weeks of this and it gets worse bu the day.

Time for a new GI....I'd get one soon and get checked out. I still feel twinges here and there but nothing like this.

 

[Sparkle2012]

Natalie: I think my experience was muscle spasms. I had been to a doctor appt and as she was pregnant, she pulled me up from a flat table with very little assistance and I think I pulled something a week after surgery. It was very very painful but no one seemed too upset about it but me. The ice and a pain killer and moving around more seemed to clear it up with a few days. Whew. I thought my bowel was falling apart but the doc said "you are all healed up in there." If you have an unresponsive GI, you need to transfer your records to a new one or get another in the group. Don't be shy - it's your body! I"m on GI-3.
Best wishes!

 

[Sparkle2012]

Hi Manzyb - Any update on your pain? I'm currently 8 weeks post-op with the same kind of pain and my surgeon told me that I should feel much better at three months. It especially hurts when I have a 'high activity' day. I worry that I might have a hernia, but the surgeon says everything seems fine.

Remind him "pain is not normal." So everything isn't find and he needs to pursue further. You really have to take charge of your own care these days....the docs aren't that much into their patients. Talk to a lot of folks on this forum and ask questions then go back to him with research and ideas for tests. Thank God for the internet as you have access to some really good medical info. Best wishes.

 

[Riley]

It's now been 5 weeks to the day and I'm still in pain after my small bowel resection (small piece less than 10 cm) I still have post surgical pain, they couldn't do a key hole surgery (or so my surgeon said) and I have pain right at the incision site.

But what is really freaking me out is I'm having cramping pain, above my belly button, just under my ribs where I always have Crohn's pain. It's mild but it still hurts and I'm scared I have another stricture somewhere. I had the ultrasound on Monday where they tried to drain some fluid from a sack outside my bowel...but the doctor said it was a hemotoba and couldn't get much blood.

Any advice/support is appreciated!!!

 

[superzeeman]

I was pain free pretty much after three weeks or so and back to work after 8 weeks. Your pain sound a little unusual.

 

[NatalieM]

Time for a new GI....I'd get one soon and get checked out. I still feel twinges here and there but nothing like this.

I'm in the hospital now. Got a hold of surgeon when the area around my incision started turning red and I had a large hard mass at the top and to the left of my incision- at almost 3 months out of surgery I have an abscessed infection!!
Went and saw my surgeon in her office Monday, she sent me home with no answers and wanted me back on wednesday. Called her back on Tuesday when I npticed the area changing rapidly, painful and thenthe top of incision was looking gray and pus filled. She instructed me to go to ER for Cat Scan. I was admitted and the next day she came into my room and decided to cut it open on the spot in my room with out sedatives or numbing agents. Later that evening I could feel a huge relief from pain and pressure since she drained abscess- YUCKKKKK.
I am still in hospital getting IV antibiotics but feeling MUCH better. So glad I stopped thinking it was a normal surgery pain- it was so awful I knew it wasn't normal.

 

[Sparkle2012]

Natalie -- My God didn't those idiots drain the abscess? I swear you have to almost be your own doctor these days. I hope you are doing better. I had a very scary attack 2 weeks post op and thought my bowel was coming apart. It was terrifying. Turns out no one was interested and I finally took the pain killers I had never used during surgery....and walked around until it went away after a few days. I think it was a bowel or muscle spasm near the most traumatized area. Very scary when you have something like that going on and no one to help.

 

[Riley]

Natalie I'm so sorry for what you are going through!!! I hope the abscess will resolve quickly and you can go home soon.