Surgeries?

[Psilant]

surgeries?

OK. I'm still new to the official Crohn's world. I can read all the text books and medical statistics, but they are based off a euphoric world.

I keep seeing people comment about resections and other various surgeries. I have even seen a gentleman with 'No surgeries........ yet.' in his signature. How common are these surgeries? I'm not seeing any serious procedures being in my near future... I'm just curious. I'm a type A personality and I like to know what to expect. Thanks.

 

[kenny]

I think quite a few of us got pretty darn sick before we got the right kind of help. For me that meant 3 separate 10 day stays in hospital followed by surgery and now, disease management with Immune suppression therapy. But many other people seem to catch this thing before it runs amok with our innards and for them they stand a good chance of treatment that postpones or even makes surgery unnecessary. Hopefully you are one of the later group.

Also this disease is really more of a condition where your condition deteriorates to fit a certain set of criteria. That is the point a diagnosis is made. For some it is centered in the colon, others the small intestine, and others still a combination of places.

So It is very much all over the place and will not conform to nice neat package of circumstances. It can be a very irrational and frustrating voyage.

 

[Dustin]

Hi Psilant,
Unfortunately, surgeries seem to be quite common with Crohn's and Colitis. Part of it is, when you have a diseased section of bowel, when it begins to heal, it is all scar tissue. This scar tissue is useless when it comes to absorbing anything, and tends to slowly narrow the bowel over the course of time. This narrowing happens faster in some than others. This usually means people have to have surgeries of one type or another to keep their bowels moving. There are many people that also have a single flare of Crohn's, then never have another - I have 2 friends like this. They haven't taken any drugs in 10+ years, and have never had a problem since their initial flare. Others are not as lucky.

Good health, and best of luck.

 

[Crohn's 35]

Surgeries are common in Crohn's but only as a last resort. My first one was warranted because my bowels where looping and very narrowed. Back then Entocort was just new here in Canada, and I went on that after my surgery. Surgery two, resection because narrowing and blockages, and heavily infected, should of been on antibiotics before the second one. The biologics were not here yet either. My Gi says that the more you have surgery the faster it comes back, and since there is no cure, you are better off trying everything, natural, medications or some way to control it. It does help alot of people but if you can save your bowels from a resection it is best.

Just my take on it..

 

[alexandros8]

Totally agree that its a last resort. I went 9 years before needing it... and 9 months once they told me it would have to happen just to try a different med first. The meds help, but as you know they're no cure. Unfortunately for me a year or so ago my disease came out of remission and progressed, which necessitated the surgery.

One word of advice is to take the meds you and your doctor agree is best for you as directed. A bone head move I made after college and feeling fine was to decide that "I don't need these anymore, I'm fine!" That led to a bad flare, which I think is largely the cause of my needing surgery a couple years later. I don't think the meds were that effective once I stopped them... and then restarted them.

Alex

 

[Nyx]

Like people have already mentioned here, everyone's story is different, and everyone's disease manifests itself differently. I was only diagnosed in 2006 and my disease was aggressive to say the least. I had a colostomy in December 2009 only 3 years after my dx). Mind you, it's turned out to the be the best thing for me, as meds weren't doing a whole lot for me prior to that.

 

[CDDad]

I went 20 years with no surgeries. Then 2 in the last 2 years (1 planned and 1 emergency) and another one coming in 2 weeks. Maybe once they get their hands on you, they don't stop.
I probably should have just let them remove my colon during my first surgery, but it seems so drastic. So they just removed half. Now, after 2 years of misery, I can't wait to get the other half out! Strange how something I could not even imagine back then is now a welcome thought.

 

[CrohnsHobo]

15 years and counting with no surgeries . . . knock on wood.

 

[Nytefyre]

I made it many years before my first of two surgeries. Everybody's story is different but a good number of Crohnies will have to have a surgery or two. Welcome to the family