Scared of surgery

[MelonyB]

I had an appointment this morning with the surgeon, who has said because I have 2 strictures one ilium and one in the transverse colon I have to have that whole section removed. I’m so upset as I was hoping to have strictureplasty and wasn’t expecting that so much needs to be removed. I’ve had Crohn’s for 27 years and the only pain I get now is the strictures. Can anyone give me comfort that it’s all going to be okay! Is there any alternatives? Thank you

 

[stupidbody!]

I noticed no one has replied yet. I don't know anything about strictures, but you should definitely push your surgeon to give you more information and more explanation. Surgery is a big deal. Some questions you should ask yourself: Are you comfortable with this surgeon? Does he/she answers questions and seem to genuinely care about you? Do you have time to consult another surgeon? A good doctor genuinely cares about their patient and is happy to answer questions about treatment. If you're comfortable with this doctor you can usually call the front office, ask to speak to the surgeon's nurse and tell them exactly what you are uncomfortable with and need to know (be prepared to leave a message). The nurse should call back and tell you how to proceed. If you want a different doctor I recommend looking up reviews for colorectal surgeon's.

I wish you the best in finding the best surgery option for you and a good recovery. I know most of us face at least one surgery in our Crohn's journey.

 

[MelonyB]

Thank you so much for you advice I’m going to get a second opinion to discuss if there’s a a way of not taking so much of the colon away. I’ve discovered juicing so my stomach seems okay at the moment so hopefully that can buy me some time!

 

[stupidbody!]

Be careful please! I don't know how long it's ok to put off surgery and I'd be concerned about you losing too much weight so quickly. Did the surgeon say how soon you need surgery? It would be worth still calling their office to ask your questions in the mean time. I don't know anything about the surgery, but I would imagine they would want the least amount of wound sites in your intestine as possible. If there are two strictures I'm not sure how well the middle portion that has been cut on both ends would do. Good things to ask a doctor. Maybe you should call your regular GI and run this by them too.

It might be good to poke around in the surgery section of the forum more. It's good to hear from people who have already had surgery. You might need to start mentally preparing yourself for losing more intestine than you wanted. Please be careful. Don't put this off too long if you're on a juice only diet.

 

[MelonyB]

Thank you good advice. I think I just want to hear it from another surgeon then I won’t ever wonder if there was another option. I’m still eating a low residue diet but juicing in order to get the nutrients. Stomach seems happy at the moment but I know it’s an op that needs to be done you’re right it’s the mental preparation I need to work on! I’m a mess at the moment and can’t stop crying. Thank you again x

 

[JessicaGrace24]

@MelonyB I just had resection surgery 8 weeks ago also for strictures, one in the Terminal Ileum and several short ones higher up in the ileum. I had two anastamosis sites and luckily didnt require a stoma. I have recovered very well and am back to a fairly normal diet - still am careful about vegetable and fruit peels and seeds for the most part though I have been able to be more experimental again in the last few weeks. Was also doing a lot of juice, smoothies, broth etc before surgery. If you are in remission other than the strictures, I would say that is the best time to do the surgery because it gives you the best chance at a good recovery with no complications. My strictures would get inflammed easily causing blockages and I would have to be put on prednisone. When my inflammation was finally mostly under control (fecal cal at 56), they finally did the surgery to prevent any further problems. All in all I lost 35-40 cm of bowel and haven't had any problems due to it. I would definitely ask how much they would be taking. Short Bowel Syndrome isnt usually a problem until you get to 100-200 cm. My stools took about 3-4 weeks to really firm up so be prepared for that. Low fibre diet for about 6-8 weeks to ensure the bowel heals well. I should also say that they did take my ileal cecal valve and my cecum and appendix because one of the arteries connected there was really thin and they were wanted to reduce the risk of bleeding and leakage at the anastamosis site. Wishing you all the best as you process all this. Remember that you have to do what is best for you! Its ok to gather as much information as you need to feel comfortable before making a decision.

 

[MelonyB]

Thank you so much this is so good to hear from someone who’s had the procedure and doing well! The Crohn’s is in remission so I guess that’s why the want to proceed now. Good luck with your recovery and thank you again for taking the time to reply. You’ve been a great comfort x

 

[JessicaGrace24]

Thank you so much this is so good to hear from someone who’s had the procedure and doing well! The Crohn’s is in remission so I guess that’s why the want to proceed now. Good luck with your recovery and thank you again for taking the time to reply. You’ve been a great comfort x

Glad I could help! Let us know how everything goes.