Surgery is 7 days away...

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erin_j78

Joined
Aug 7, 2008
Messages
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Hi Everyone,

I am just trying to get prepared - mentally - for my impending surgery next Tuesday. This is my first Crohn's related surgery. I'm not so much nervous - as I am looking forward to just feeling better. I have Crohn's at the ileum - and I've tried 6mp for a couple years now and I did 3 balloon dialations last year - all of which didn't work at all. They are uncertain if I am going to have to have a resection or a stricturplasty. My surgeon said he won't know till he gets in there...

So anyone have any advise for me? What to expect, recovery, eating after....

Thanks!
 
Good luck, I think that staying positive has alot to do with recovery. My only advice would be to walk around when they tell you to, because it helps get the bowels moving along. Keep us posted on how things go, you will be in my thoughts.
 
I aggree with Mommy,
I was told to walk as soon as I physically could. They couldn't stop me up and down the corridors.

My surgery was a looped illeostomy with a pouch. They used Laproscopy on me too. It was only 3 small incisions, less than 10mm long (1/2inch for our American friends), so I was up walking the next morning.

Good luck for next week.
 
all the very best for next week, Erin.

re: recovery etc.. it depends on what surgery you end up having, and by what means ie laparotomy or keyhole. all my ops were done by laparotomy, so i had stitches or staples and a longish scar. the worst of the pain will be dealt with by strong meds such as morphine/pethidine, then they'll gradually bring you down to normal analgesics over the first few days. everyone's different in the way they react to surgery, so i would just say go along with what the doctor and ward staff advise you. tackle the stages at their suggestion & don't try to do too much too soon.

you should be sipping fluids then going onto soups then solids quite quickly, in a matter of days.

don't be afraid to ask for painkillers if you need them, or something to help you sleep if you're struggling. wards can be noisy at night (weird noises sometimes lol) so i did used to ask for a sleeping tablet just so i could get a good night's sleep.
 
I did the same Ding, I only got a half a sleeping tablet, but it was enough to send me to sleep.
 
Good luck for your surgery next week Erin.

Last November I went in for a resection and came out having stricturplasty. I was really groggy/sleepy the first few days out of surgery and don't remember much but it doesn't take long to get back on your feet. I just took all the pain medication offered to me and I was fine. A little awkward to move around at first but recovery was pretty quick considering I was opened right up.

You have nothing to worry about and here's hoping that it will bring you much relief! Stay positive and good luck.

Amanda
 
Hi everyone,

Thanks for all your well wishes. Yesterday was the 1st day I felt like going online - so I am finally getting caught up on things. It went....well I guess the best it could. I am very sore. I ended up with a resection. I had a foot removed and also my appendix. I guess it was "really diseased"....whatever that means. They are sending it in to see if I had chronic appendicitis. The hospital stay was awful - I had a rough 3 days in there...threw up all night the 2nd night and had REALLY bad diarreah (sp) the 3rd night. Oh well...I lived.

Anyway, more than what I expected but glad it is over. I hope it is all worth it in the end. I obviously can't tell too much of a difference since I am very sore...but I have passed gas and a recent bowel movement. The gas hurts the worse..

Anyone have similiar experiences?
 
Damn they took your foot???? thats gotta suck, i'd say kick their ass for that but it might be hard to do... hahahaha just kidding, i really hope you ment length of insides, otherwise i'm gonna feel horrible for making a stupid joke, Glad you are feeling a little better.
 
Mark33180 said:
Damn they took your foot????
Click to expand...
:ylol2:


hi Erin :D glad to see you posting - and am really pleased to hear you're home & on the road to recovery. it is painful during the first week or so when gas or BMs start travelling, but i promise you that discomfort will subside.

sorry you had a rough time of it though..... hopefully those few days will soon become a distant memory and you'll have reason to be glad you did it all. wishing you a speedy recovery, take it easy :)
 
hey erin!
i just found out that we had surgery on the same day so we are surgery buddies lol!
i had an ilieostomy done on tuesday and im home and getting around a lil better each day, just like you it seems.

im really glad to hear that you are recovering well! oof sorry to hear about your rough time in the hospy though, i got lucky with no vomiting. was pretty scared of that myself. i know what you mean about not being able to tell much of a difference yet either. its like, there is so much pain from the surgery itself that you cant tell how the crohns pain is doing! and oh boy i agree about those gas pains. they are definitly the worst as they put pressure on the already sore incisions.
keep getting better!

@ mark- LOL! but hey, dont you know better than to make jokes to someone after surg?? mark says "dont watch funny movies, kello..." haha
 
lol Mark. That was exactly my reaction when I first read it, I was trying to figure out why they'd take a foot - damn empirical system.

It's good to hear you're recovering Erin, I'm sorry to hear about your troubles in hospital, hopefully it'll be worth it and you'll get relief in the long term. Get well soon.
 
erin_j78 said:
How are you doing with your recovery? Are you in pain...or just normal recovery pain?
Click to expand...

lol im gonna assume youre asking me here...

my recovery is going well. i think its just normal recovery pain, you know? the pain from the incision and cutting through muscle and what not. like you mentioned before though, it is hard to tell how the crohns pain is doing when the pain from the surg is present. but i have been moving around more and more each day. actually cooked myself a breakfast today :)

but ditto what Pen said!! what about you erin? how are you doing?
 
haha lol i didnt realize that was just yesterday that she updated either
i thought it was a few days ago
 
Well I am on day 10. In the morning I think I'm doing great - then as the day goes on I take 2 steps back. BUT, has anyone ever experience incredible cramping/spasms after their surgery? I'm sure it is just srugery related - but damn, these cramps knock me down. they have been on for 2-3 days now

Any insight?
 
i remember the pains immediately after surgery, and them subsiding as the days went on, Erin. i also remember a weird spasm type feeling when i lay down to sleep, as if my tummy muscles were contracting.. but i don't remember a new pain setting in days after. maybe it would be an idea just to check this out with someone, either your gp, or telephone a nurse on the ward you were in...?

hope it goes over soon!
 
Aww, erin, I hope you are feeling better soon.

i haven't had a surgery yet, but I did go through three c-sections.

My thoughts are with you.

((hugs))
 
Glad to hear your doing great Erin.

Can't help you with the cramps though I didn't have a resection. Perhaps if I bump this up, Pen or one of the others may see it.
 
Just realised, I hadn't read this page when I bumped the thread...:ybatty: :ybatty: :ybatty: :ybatty: :ybatty:
 

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