Surgery date

[Khaley]

So, a couple of months ago I naively asked, "Who would elect to have a resection?" I've since learned that "elective" doesn't mean I can elect whether to have it, just somewhat when I will have it. My surgery date is this coming Friday. I'm having an ileocecal resection.

I'm not thrilled about it but I'm resigned to it. And I'm looking forward to eating normally again. I've been on a strict low-residue diet for several months with intermittent liquid diets. I've been on clear liquids through the weekend. Hoping the doc will let me start eating tomorrow so I can keep my strength up for surgery. I'm also on Prednisone trying to kick the inflammation back a bit, along with the azathioprine and remicade. I just hope I can achieve remission so I don't end up doing this again. My surgeon said I will most likely have to have another one.

But for now, I'm just focusing on today and keeping my eye on the prize: a sweet, tender, grilled ear of corn slathered in butter, salt and pepper - sometime before summer's end!

 

[UnXmas]

You might not want to rush back to normal food too quickly, tempting as it is. A low fibre/low residue diet is often recommended after bowel surgery while the intestine is healing. Build fibre back in gradually, starting with very small amounts until you know what your newly resected system can handle. Often the standard time frame seems to be six to eight weeks before adding in foods that are harder to digest. I'm on a permanent low-fibre diet, and don't find it overly restrictive (at least, not when I'm at home, the low-fibre here in hospital is terrible), so I can try and give you some suggestions, even if you'll only need them for a short time. (Corn is one of the most difficult things to digest if you're not so good with fibre - so go careful!) Was the liquid diet for a specific purpose?

I've had seven surgeries, and they've been very successful. If you do need more, you may find they get easier to handle emotionally as you learn what to expect, and physically as you learn how to deal with recovery. How major is your surgery likely to be (i.e. how long will you be under anaesthetic, or how long a recovery time have they predicted)?

I hope it goes well for you - post if you have any questions.

 

[Khaley]

Hi UnXmas. Thanks for the reply. The liquid diet is to try to get my inflammation down. The last solid food I ate was a danish Thursday morning and then my doctor put me on full liquids because I was having so much pain I had to go to the ER. By Friday I couldn't even take a single step and the on call doctor put me on clear liquids through the weekend with instructions to call my regular GI doc this morning. I scrambled myself some eggs to bring to work with the hopes he'd let me eat today but the nurse just returned my call and said he's stepping me back up to full liquids but no solid food until after surgery! Surgery is not until Friday!

And then I woke up this morning with pain in my chest and coughing up pink mucus. I'm so immune-suppressed by now my body doesn't stand a chance of fighting anything off. Not what you want going on with surgery four days away. And my doc doesn't want me to go off the prednisone. So I have an appointment with my primary care doctor this morning to see if I have a respiratory infection and get it treated.

I appreciate your comments about reintroducing fiber. I'm just keeping the dream alive. Corn is the last thing I want to put in my body so I kind of see it as the pinnacle of where I'd like to get to. Perhaps by the end of September. We'll see. I certainly don't want to hurt myself. I'm so food adverse at this point I'm really okay with sticking with liquids even though I'm dreaming of solid foods.

I hope you continue to do well. Seven surgeries is more plenty for anyone.

 

[UnXmas]

Sorry you're still on the liquid diet. I know that kind of thing is hard. But you may appreciate it come surgery day, especially if they want you to do any kind of bowel prep to clean your system out before hand.

Keep us updated.

 

[Khaley]

Thanks, I will.

 

[DJW]

Sending you my support.

 

[hawkeye]

You might not want to rush back to normal food too quickly, tempting as it is. A low fibre/low residue diet is often recommended after bowel surgery while the intestine is healing. Build fibre back in gradually, starting with very small amounts until you know what your newly resected system can handle. .

I was on low res for 8 weeks following the surgery (had to limit the fibre to about 10 grams/day.

 

[Khaley]

Okay, thanks, hawkeye. That's what I was doing before I started on liquids so I'll know how to do that afterward. That's the same thing my dietician told me: under 10 grams/day.

When was your surgery and how are you doing now?

 

[hawkeye]

Surgery was in February for a left hemicoloectomy they took out about 20 cm (8 inches) of large intestine.

Glad I did the surgery. I feel great now, I'd recommend it. The pain of dealing with the stricture was worse than the post surgery pain (except for the obstruction).

My gastroenterologist told me "it's not a question of whether you need surgery, it's a question of when" -

 

[Khaley]

Hawkeye, I was told the same thing by four different doctors: my GI doc, second GI doc, my primary doc and my surgeon. I guess I'm stubborn. It took me getting to the point where I couldn't even walk before I grasped the reality of it. My surgeon thinks there may be an adhesion from my intestines to my abdominal wall and that's why I'm having such bad pelvic soreness on top of the stricture pain. I have a 15 centimeter stricture in my terminal ileum.

I'm glad you're doing well. The success stories are so important to those of us dealing with our first surgeries. I so appreciate you taking the time to share with me. Thank you.

 

[Khaley]

Well, I had surgery yesterday and I'm feeling pretty well today. Unfortunately, my surgeon went on vacation today so I wasn't able to talk to him after and get the details. The doctor who did his rounds said she didn't know much but it sounds like my one long stricture was actually several little strictures so he did a small resection and some strictureplasties. I'm just waiting to pass gas so I can have something to drink. That's not easy to do when your abdominal muscles have been cut through. It seems pretty impossible at the moment so I guess I'll just have to suck on my little sponge. If anyone has any good farting tips, pass 'em on!

 

[DJW]

Walk, walk and walk some more.

 

[UnXmas]

I hope your recovery is going smoothly. My surgeon always let me eat solid food right after surgery, but I've had to wait to pass stool or for my stoma to start working, wait until I could pee, etc. before I was allowed home. I agree with DJW - get up and walk if you can and if your doctors have OKed it. Don't bend or lift anything though.

 

[Khaley]

Yes, they've had me up walking. I will ask them to get me up more. I have cramping in my lower abdomen so I have something to pass, it's just not quite there yet and obviously my muscles are quite sore. It’s hard to push it out. Thanks to you both for the advice.

 

[Khaley]

The doctor sent me home today after four days even though I still hadn't passed any gas. I had gone on full liquids yesterday and a general diet today but nothing had come out yet. I was growing quite uncomfortable and was surprised when she told me I could go. Within about two hours of getting home I took care of business and am now feeling quite good. There's no place like home!