Surgery

[elp888]

I never really formerly introduced myself to everybody (sorry about that), but for the past 3 months i've been visiting this site, and occasionally leaving posts, on a daily basis.

After 12 years of remission (resection surgery in '95) i have been flaring since December and and was admitted into the hospital last March. A colonscopy showed i had an obstruction/fistula/abscess and needed resection surgery. However, i was i such bad shape that they wanted to wait: I had to get of the Pred, start taking Aza, have the abscess drained, and stop eating. I was put on a feeding tube and was sent home after two weeks, with feeding tube, which meant a nurse had to come to my house every day.

During this period reading all your stories on the forum really helped me and i was really starting to feel better. After seven weeks at home with no food (i didn't know this was possible?!) i suddenly started feeling bad again and an ultrasound showed that i was developing a new abscess. They wanted to operate immediately.

This was two weeks ago.

The next day i went into surgery and the opened me up. They removed a knot of fistulas around the scar tissue of my previous resection surgery, but other than that the intestines turned out clean.
Waking up i felt quite good, but after 24 hours my stomach started hurting (even though i had one of those morphine pumps). They told me the intestine was paralysed because of the operation, nothing to worry about.... Then all this air/gas was trapped and my belly looked like i was 6 months pregnant. It kept getting worse and I started throwing up because of the stomach acids. They gave me one of those tubes through my nose to drain those (which make you gag) and felt absolutely horrible. Not sleeping was helping either. If only i could pass some wind.

After a week the doctors started to worry a bit, so they made a CT scan to make sure, but apart from the paralyzed gut nothing was wrong. I just had to wait.

Finally after 8 days i farted and recovery could begin. With the fart my appetite returned and for the first time in 2.5 months I could eat something solid again. Hospital food is pretty bad, but it was food that i could chew.

Today i'm home after two weeks in the hospital. Feels weird. My stomach is still a little sore from the operation, but i am inflammation free and can slowly get back to my normal life. Hopefully the CD will stay away again for at least 12 years.

Sorry that this post turned out kind of long, but really felt like sharing this.

Hope you're feeling well today/take care,
e.

 

[Guest]

hiya elp, and an official welcome to the forum

i'm glad that they managed to sort out the cause of the problem so effectively. i have also had that paralysed gut thing - its really scary. i cant remember how many days it lasted, was at least a week, and my intestines were swelling every day. they sent me for xrays twice a day, because the team were getting concerned, which of course sent me into panic overdrive. i remember walking up and down the length of the ward, massaging this pregnant type lump which was my belly, wishing it to wake up.. thank goodness it did - or else i would have been in for some rough surgery i think. 'paralytic ileum' has just jumped into my mind - thats what they called it.

anyway, i'm waffling lol. welcome!

 

[Nancy Lee]

Hello e!

You sure have had a rough go of it this past while...
let's hope from here on in things keep improving for you.

Hang in there and keep getting better.

Welcome to the forum!!

Healing Hugs~Nancy

 

[mikeyarmo]

Hello elp888,

I am sorry you went through such a difficult time so recently, but glad that this community was able to help you through it. I remember waiting for the gas to pass after surgery, and can't imagine what it was like for you as luckily I had relief after only a few days.

It seems like the worst has definately passed though and hopefully you are well on your way to recovery. I know for me this was really a 2 month process though, so be patient and take it slowly.

 

[Keara07]

Officially welcome elp!

Glad to hear recovery is coming along. I am almost 10 weeks and while there are some issues, better than before it took place so I cna tell you, while a long road, it seems to be worth it in the end. I too had the pain and bloat (still do at times...so not loving looking 6 months preggy - but some of that is the prednisone I am still stuck with - 1 1/2 weeks and I shoudl be off though!).....but it *passes* as you are finding out. For me, it seems to come cyclical. Stay on soft foods/low residue if you can for longer than recommended....it may help. I am keeping a food diary - I am *inflammation* free they say as well, but heck, I flared two nights ago for 48 hours....wondering if I am inflammation free, why would I flare at all (unless I have an unidagnosed intolerance so I recommend keeping track for awhile to see how things play out for you)

For pain, I got Dilaudid for home for the first 3 weeks and endocet after and that seems to work - now only take maybe one a day except on a rare day and I take 2....but should be off soon after pred ends. The docs figure the slower heal b/c of the steroid has delayed me....

Good luck - hope you keep feeling better and better!

 

[elp888]

Thank you for all your kind words!

I'm feeling quite good at the moment, not taking any painkillers. Still very tired, but don't really have to do anything, so that's not a problem.

As for food, during 14 years of CD I've never really kept a special diet (apart from being a vegetarian for reasons of principle) and the doctors/dietitian haven't given me any restrictions, so I've just started eating again (small portions though) and what can i say? After 2.5 months of not eating at all everything just tastes great

take care,
e.

 

[Guest]

I think we need a mod to get rid of this dipshit. (wowgold) He appears to be suffering from a massive case of rectal-cranial inversion. - Mike

lol - he's been squished