I'm in the hospital now trying to recover from surgery. Those of you who have had surgery, how long did it take for you to pass gas and/or have a bowel movement? Also, any tips or advice are welcome. I have no idea if I posted this in the right area. I hope someone can see this.
Surgery-Small Bowel Resection
- Thread starter Ckk4
- Start date
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Hi!
I've had four small bowel surgeries - resections and strictureplasties. Time to pass gas and first BM varies but for me it was usually two days until I first passed gas and somewhere from 2-5 days for a first BM. It's different for everyone though so don't worry. Chewing sugar free gum and walking help to get your bowel working again after surgery.
When was your surgery?
Good luck!
I've had four small bowel surgeries - resections and strictureplasties. Time to pass gas and first BM varies but for me it was usually two days until I first passed gas and somewhere from 2-5 days for a first BM. It's different for everyone though so don't worry. Chewing sugar free gum and walking help to get your bowel working again after surgery.
When was your surgery?
Good luck!
Also, this is the 5th day after surgery. I have been on ice chips only the entire time. They just did today allow me a clear liquid diet. They have had me on a ton of anti biotics as well. Have no passing of gas or bowel movements. I almost feel it's because they wouldn't let me eat anything.
Have your doctors explained why they've kept you on ice chips so long? No food until after you've passed gass is an old school way of doing things - unless there is a particular reason to worry about bowel leaks. Normally these days surgeons will let you drink pretty much straight away and eat as you feel able to.
Have you been up and walking? That really does help get the bowel functioning normally again. And if you can get someone to bring you some sugar fee chewing gum then there are some studies that show that it helps the bowel function resume. Do check with your doctor though that they're happy for you to do that.
Hang in there!
Have you been up and walking? That really does help get the bowel functioning normally again. And if you can get someone to bring you some sugar fee chewing gum then there are some studies that show that it helps the bowel function resume. Do check with your doctor though that they're happy for you to do that.
Hang in there!
Hi
I also had a resection,in my jejunum. Hopefully the walking will help,I believe it helped me. The wing I was in actually had maps of 'hiking trails' and the distance of each trail.
When you get home don't push yourself too hard. We all recover at different rates. I encourage continuing the walking. Let us know how you are doing.
I also had a resection,in my jejunum. Hopefully the walking will help,I believe it helped me. The wing I was in actually had maps of 'hiking trails' and the distance of each trail.
When you get home don't push yourself too hard. We all recover at different rates. I encourage continuing the walking. Let us know how you are doing.
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I agree with the advice given: drink, chew gum, walk (when allowed to), eat (when allowed to, and soft foods at first).
But sometimes what you do doesn't make that much difference: I had one surgery when I was eating and walking by the evening of the surgery day itself, but my stoma took a week to start working. My last surgery, my stoma started working two days after, despite me being on both bed rest and bowel rest (not walking or eating).
But sometimes what you do doesn't make that much difference: I had one surgery when I was eating and walking by the evening of the surgery day itself, but my stoma took a week to start working. My last surgery, my stoma started working two days after, despite me being on both bed rest and bowel rest (not walking or eating).
Thank you all for your input! It was very appreciated! Especially while I was in the hospital. The walking did help!
My bowels finally got moving! Took like 5 days. They had no idea what they were doing. I knew it wouldn't be great, because it's a small hospital and I've had trouble there before. This surgery is pretty common though so I thought let's just do it.
I only had ice chips for 7 days. I won't go into it, you can probably relate, but I feel like I've been through hell! I am on the road to recovery now though!
24601, really 4? That's awful! I just hope and pray none of us have to go through this again!
My bowels finally got moving! Took like 5 days. They had no idea what they were doing. I knew it wouldn't be great, because it's a small hospital and I've had trouble there before. This surgery is pretty common though so I thought let's just do it.
I only had ice chips for 7 days. I won't go into it, you can probably relate, but I feel like I've been through hell! I am on the road to recovery now though!
24601, really 4? That's awful! I just hope and pray none of us have to go through this again!
So good to hear an update! That first BM is cause for celebration after bowel surgery! Sorry you were asked to go so long without nutrition. How are you eating now?
And do feel free to vent about your experiences if you'd like! Sometimes it helps
Very glad to hear you're doing better. Keep us updated and let us know if there's any aspect of recovery you're wondering about - that is the only real bonus for those of us who've had lots of surgeries, that we have experience to draw on to hopefully help others!
And do feel free to vent about your experiences if you'd like! Sometimes it helps
Very glad to hear you're doing better. Keep us updated and let us know if there's any aspect of recovery you're wondering about - that is the only real bonus for those of us who've had lots of surgeries, that we have experience to draw on to hopefully help others!
Haha, yes, I'm well aware I'm a Crohn's underachiever! I am busy attempting to document just how much of an underachiever I am in this respect lol
Glad things got moving again!
My nurse gave me a high five after my first one post surgery. Take it slow,my first day home wacked on dilaudid,I moved something and a inguinal hernia was a result. I had to recover enough from the resection before it could be tended to. Just an FYI. Follow your restrictions and keep walking. Thanks for the replies! I am recovering nicely now. Still taking it easy on the eating. I'm making smoothies and drinking warm lemon water to help heal.
My mom is here helping me thank God. I have 2 little ones.
I'm going to strictly stick to drs orders because I don't need any more trouble!
I don't want to ever have this surgery again! This is my 2nd. Sorry you guys have been thru this so much! Thinking about that gets me teary eyed. It's awful what we have to go thru!
My mom is here helping me thank God. I have 2 little ones.
I'm going to strictly stick to drs orders because I don't need any more trouble!
I don't want to ever have this surgery again! This is my 2nd. Sorry you guys have been thru this so much! Thinking about that gets me teary eyed. It's awful what we have to go thru!
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A lot of us oldies have had many surgeries, I've had 18, but that's because back when we were diagnosed there were no treatments and no literature. My first diagnosed crohns surgery was a duednal by-pass in the 1980's and I had to send away for literature. When I had my final check up the doctors had no medicine to give and just said "good luck". The point of all this is that now there are medicines and treatments and you will probably never get as bad as we have gotten. Over the last 25 years I've gotten lots of advice on diet and the one thing that's true is that if you put 20 people with crohns in a room no two would have the same advice on what to eat or how much exercise to do...so listen to your doctors but more important listen to your body. Take advice and try it on but if it doesn't fit move on. There is life after surgery and with a little time you'll figure out what's good for you.
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No, ten abdominal and pelvic surgeries of various kinds. Some very minor though. And I have other medical conditions which complicates things. The pelvic surgeries weren't to do with Crohn's. I don't regret them though. I'm much happier having had surgeries. I honestly don't know how I'd have coped without my stoma surgeries, and my last surgery literally saved my life. Recovering from surgery is hard but surgery is not a bad thing.
Yep, agreed there are many more treatment options now! I think the future looks very much brighter!
I was diagnosed in 1996 but there still weren't many options then - steroids (prednisone, of course, and budesonide was just introduced), Exclusive Enteral Nutrition (if you were very lucky and had an enlightened doctor) and azathioprine and 6mp.
I never responded well enough to those treatments but perhaps if I'd had infliximab or adalimumab earlier in the course of my disease it would have made a big difference and reduced my need for surgeries (3 small bowel resections with numerous strictureplasties and 1 for multiple strictureplasties, all over a period of 13 years, 3 of them very much life-saving, the last a little more optional IMO, though my doctors don't agree).
I just wanted to point out, because I'd hate to adversely affect the way anyway thinks or feels about their own situation, that I was just joking in my post above about 4 surgeries being an underachievement. We're all different, our diseases will behave differently and our need for surgery will therefore be different. And I know that none of us here are in competition over what we've been through and our experiences can't be measured by mere numbers (of surgery, hospitalizations, years of symptoms or anything else).
I just wanted to make that super clear so that no one feels like they need to minimize their experiences or that they are less deserving of help or support.
Ckk4 I hope you never need surgery again either! :ghug:
I was diagnosed in 1996 but there still weren't many options then - steroids (prednisone, of course, and budesonide was just introduced), Exclusive Enteral Nutrition (if you were very lucky and had an enlightened doctor) and azathioprine and 6mp.
I never responded well enough to those treatments but perhaps if I'd had infliximab or adalimumab earlier in the course of my disease it would have made a big difference and reduced my need for surgeries (3 small bowel resections with numerous strictureplasties and 1 for multiple strictureplasties, all over a period of 13 years, 3 of them very much life-saving, the last a little more optional IMO, though my doctors don't agree).
I just wanted to point out, because I'd hate to adversely affect the way anyway thinks or feels about their own situation, that I was just joking in my post above about 4 surgeries being an underachievement. We're all different, our diseases will behave differently and our need for surgery will therefore be different. And I know that none of us here are in competition over what we've been through and our experiences can't be measured by mere numbers (of surgery, hospitalizations, years of symptoms or anything else).
I just wanted to make that super clear so that no one feels like they need to minimize their experiences or that they are less deserving of help or support.
Ckk4 I hope you never need surgery again either! :ghug:
I hope so too!!
All of your comments have been very helpful. It helps to know there are people out there who have been through what I'm going through.
April 30th was my actual surgery date, I BELIEVE. After I heal, I'm going to have to start some kind of treatment. I've previously been on Humira. I believe I was too far gone for it to help.
I would lIke to not take the Humira anymore. It gave me nothing but trouble. Countless infections, pink eye etc.
Is there a drug with very minimal side effects that you guys know about? I would like to be on a good maintenance plan that does not include awful side effects from the drugs. Is this even possible? Also I am seeing a naturopath Dr to help with diet etc.
I definitely understand the desire to not be on meds but I do think that a lot of us who have this kind of track record of surgery for strictures simply can't afford to take the risk of needing more bowel removed - especially small bowel!
The only maintenance treatment without side effects that I know of is the Japanese protocol of going 50/50 with enteral nutrition and a normal diet. This reduces your chance of relapse. The similar European EN protocol is a 4 week course of EEN every 3-4 months. Neither are easy but you do avoid the side effects of the other Crohn's meds.
Have you tried immunosuppressants? While there are side effects, I think quite a few people do well on them with minimal side effects. And it can be worth trying a different one even if you've reacted badly to another in the past. I had severe reactions to Aza and 6mp but tolerate methotrexate well - in fact I've had no side effects.
How are your levels of inflammation now? Or how were they prior to surgery and what did your surgeon say about how much active disease was seen and what (if any) was left after the resection?
I believe it's good to resume treatment quickly after surgery. After my last surgery in August last year, my doctors had me back on humira and methotrexate two weeks later.
Also there are studies that show taking metronidazole for 3 months after a resection reduces the chance of active disease returning at the join in the bowel. The original paper is here. It's not a very long-lasting benefit but my doctors felt the decrease in risk of relapsing within 1 year made it worthwhile and had me do this with my last surgery.
There are other interesting reviews of post-operative management of Crohn's here and here.
If you're interested in diet, then there are beginning to be some studies done - links here for the IBD-AID diet (based on SCD with some adaptations) http://www.umassmed.edu/nutrition/ib...aid-reference/
http://www.umassmed.edu/nutrition/ibd/ibd-aid/
diet chart with phases
And a newer IBD diet used to induce remission in combination with 50% calories from EN - paper here http://journals.lww.com/ibdjournal/...teral_Nutrition_with_a_Crohn_s_Disease.7.aspx (list of foods is in figure 6)
Hope that helps!
The only maintenance treatment without side effects that I know of is the Japanese protocol of going 50/50 with enteral nutrition and a normal diet. This reduces your chance of relapse. The similar European EN protocol is a 4 week course of EEN every 3-4 months. Neither are easy but you do avoid the side effects of the other Crohn's meds.
Have you tried immunosuppressants? While there are side effects, I think quite a few people do well on them with minimal side effects. And it can be worth trying a different one even if you've reacted badly to another in the past. I had severe reactions to Aza and 6mp but tolerate methotrexate well - in fact I've had no side effects.
How are your levels of inflammation now? Or how were they prior to surgery and what did your surgeon say about how much active disease was seen and what (if any) was left after the resection?
I believe it's good to resume treatment quickly after surgery. After my last surgery in August last year, my doctors had me back on humira and methotrexate two weeks later.
Also there are studies that show taking metronidazole for 3 months after a resection reduces the chance of active disease returning at the join in the bowel. The original paper is here. It's not a very long-lasting benefit but my doctors felt the decrease in risk of relapsing within 1 year made it worthwhile and had me do this with my last surgery.
There are other interesting reviews of post-operative management of Crohn's here and here.
If you're interested in diet, then there are beginning to be some studies done - links here for the IBD-AID diet (based on SCD with some adaptations) http://www.umassmed.edu/nutrition/ib...aid-reference/
http://www.umassmed.edu/nutrition/ibd/ibd-aid/
diet chart with phases
And a newer IBD diet used to induce remission in combination with 50% calories from EN - paper here http://journals.lww.com/ibdjournal/...teral_Nutrition_with_a_Crohn_s_Disease.7.aspx (list of foods is in figure 6)
Hope that helps!
