Small bowel resection 4 weeks ago - having problems

[Sharkgirl]

Hi all. I'm sure there is a thread that discusses this but I had a small bowel resection four weeks ago and have been healing well, there's pain but that's to be expected. It wasn't done laporascopically so I have a huge incision that runs vertically down my abdomen. I had a bowel perforation so this was an emergency surgery and there was a lot of infection and pus when the surgeon opened me up so they left a good few inches of the incision open where as the rest was stapled. After a few weeks the surgeon stitches up the open part so now I am healing well. Two days ago I started feeling this pain on the left side of my abdomen somewhat close to my incision. It doesn't hurt if I'm just laying here but if I stand up, walk, stretch, etc the pain is bad. I went to the er last night and had a ct scan then was released because the ct scan didn't show anything. I'm just really scared and wondered if anyone has had this happen before? The emergency surgery was traumatic for me and I don't want to have to go back. I'm hoping this is just a normal pain to have when you're in the healing process but any advice would be much appreciated.

Kristen

 

[eleanor_rigby]

Hi all. I'm sure there is a thread that discusses this but I had a small bowel resection four weeks ago and have been healing well, there's pain but that's to be expected. It wasn't done laporascopically so I have a huge incision that runs vertically down my abdomen. I had a bowel perforation so this was an emergency surgery and there was a lot of infection and pus when the surgeon opened me up so they left a good few inches of the incision open where as the rest was stapled. After a few weeks the surgeon stitches up the open part so now I am healing well. Two days ago I started feeling this pain on the left side of my abdomen somewhat close to my incision. It doesn't hurt if I'm just laying here but if I stand up, walk, stretch, etc the pain is bad. I went to the er last night and had a ct scan then was released because the ct scan didn't show anything. I'm just really scared and wondered if anyone has had this happen before? The emergency surgery was traumatic for me and I don't want to have to go back. I'm hoping this is just a normal pain to have when you're in the healing process but any advice would be much appreciated.

Kristen

I had a similar experience - open bowel surgery to do a bowel resection following a perforation and abscess. I did not require anything to be left open afterwards. I would say 4 weeks later I would only experience pain if I over did it - for example I went Christmas shopping which I found exhausting from all the walking and then I went on holiday to London and had to run for a train which I remember being worried about at the time as I felt pain while running. Other than that I did well. Certainly by 8 weeks later I felt the best I had ever felt in my life. I would be concerned if you have worsening pain, or pain that isn't improving day by day.

 

[sstewart09]

Could it be scar tissue? I recovered well after my surgery, but did have random pain.

 

[Sharkgirl]

I ended up calling my surgeon's office but he was on vacation so I had to speak to the on call Doctor (who was a jerk!) and he said he thinks I strained myself along the incision line. It just hurts so bad I'm freaking out a bit. Thank you for both of your responses. It's only been 4 weeks since my surgery so I hope by week 8 I feel great too. I just need to take it easy, I think I started doing too much too soon.