Surgery?

[cheeky]

sorry, this info is probably on here already but i'm new and don't know where to begin... so if there's already a thread about this, please feel free to post the link.


i'm just curious about surgery.... i know there are different types of surgery, but this may be something i'll face if my situation doesn't improve in a couple of weeks...


so my questions are:

what kind of surgery did you have? what did it involve? (do they actually cut into you or use some other fancy technique? sorry may be a dumb question) did it heal nicely? (e.g. any scarring?)

how long was recovery? how did you feel after you healed?

have you had more than one operation?



currently i have an ongoing pain on my lower right side, it goes from milder to severe pain... and i was told that is the side of my intestines that has become very narrowed, so much so that they couldn't complete the colonoscopy... i also have a bit of constipation, but here and there have a BM without pain and no diarrhea... so if it doesn't improve, after this round of prednisone, they may need to operate.

 

[ErinDF]

I had a temporary ileostomy at the end of October. My surgery was done laproscopicly (if you can have your surgery done this way, I think its the way to go). I only have a few small scars and since it wasn't an open abdominal surgery the healing was fairly fast (at least, the healing around the wound site).

I did have a complication from an Ileus (which is when your intestines shut down after surgery because of the shock...or something like that). I had to have a nasal-gastric tube for a couple of weeks, ended up losing alot of weight and had to be on TPN after my release from the hospital (TPN is IV nutrition that you get through a central line). That all sucked, but I'm doing better now. Also, the surgery is having the effects that they wanted, so that's good. Alot of the symptoms I was having before surgery have simply gone away or are healing nicely (fistulas, fungal infections, general misery)...so that was good.

However, I think every surgery is different and possible side-effects, recovery, etc. are different as well. What kind of surgery are you going to need? Is it a resection or an ostomy or something else?

Good luck.
Erin

 

[cheeky]

Thanks for your reply ErinDF, it was really informative and helpful. i'm glad you're doing better now.

However, I think every surgery is different and possible side-effects, recovery, etc. are different as well. What kind of surgery are you going to need? Is it a resection or an ostomy or something else?

Good luck.
Erin

I have no idea what kind of surgery, since it's not a definite thing yet. because i was just diagnosed, i went to get the colonoscopy but was told that my inflammation is so severe that there is too much narrowing in my intestines, so they couldn't complete the procedure.

i was told that the narrowing is especially bad in the area where i complain of a ongoing pain/soreness (my lower right side)...

so i was put on prednisone, which i had my first dose yesterday, i will be on the prednisone full dose for 2 weeks, then ween off. i'm also supposed to get a CT Scan, and then in a couple weeks try again for a colonoscopy and only if there is still too much narrowing or inflammation, i was told an operation may be required.

so i guess i'll cross that bridge when i get there. thanks for wishing me luck!