Time Required to Recover from Surgery?

[CdnCrohnie]

Hello Everyone,

I'm new here, and am very impressed by the abundance of material and quality of the responses. I am scheduled for my first surgery in the New Year (ileocecal resection) and was wondering how long it has generally taken for individuals to recover and get back to moving around and working. I have a desk job, and can work remotely with my laptop, but am trying to gauge how much time I will need before I start gradually putting in a few hours and building up to my normal full-time schedule.

I would appreciate answers to the following:

1) What type of surgery did you have
2) Laparoscopic or regular?
3) Amount of time before being able to work and resume normal activities
4) How long until you no longer experienced fatigue/weakness
5) Any tips/words of wisdom for a speedier and less painful recovery!

Thanks very much!

CC

 

[Sojourn]

Hello, welcome to the forum. I had a surgery at the beginning of November called a "lap-right-hemi-colectomy." It was a laparoscopic removal of half of my right colon. I was back at work in 3 weeks and I drive a bus, long-distance, with long hours. It took about a week and a half of working before I really began to feel better.

Unfortunately, though, my digestive system has not returned to normal at all and my BM's are worse now than before the surgery. This is not typical of most people so don't get too worried about it.

You should get all the instructions you need from the surgeon and hospital staff. The most important thing is to start walking as soon as possible once you come out of surgery. They should help you with this at first, and then get up on your own and walk and up down the hall frequently. This will help your intestines wake back up. I also read an article that chewing gum helps the process as well. You most likely won't be released from the hospital until you pass gas or have a BM. I got out on the fifth day.

 

[Guest]

i suspect there's no hard & fast rule, as everyone is different and people recover differently...

my most straightforward laparotomy procedure was followed by 10 days in hospital, no driving or lifting anything heavier than a kettle for 4 weeks. i returned to work after 6 weeks. but the fatigue and healing pains took months to settle.. probably about 6 months in all.

words of wisdom lol get plenty sleep!!

good luck cc - i hope it all goes well for you in the new year.

 

[Kev]

I had an old fashioned anterior resection of the colon. they took out 1 1/2 feet. It was done in the early morning (7 AM) I was assisted out of bed that afternoon, went for a little stroll with 2 lovely nurses and an IV pole with morphine pump to stabilize me. Went for a solo stroll that evening... well, me, the IV pole N pump, and a nurse following behind me to keep my johnny shirt closed, and in case I took a tumble. From that point on, I kept doubling the lenght and frequency of my walks. Was out of the hospital in less than week.
I was cleared to return to work within 6 weeks by my surgeon. That depends on the doc's opinion, reg's, all of that stuff, so it may be different in your case.
I have to say that my resection was literally a walk in the park (no kidding). It was the best that I've felt in years... before my disease all came back, that is.
I can't say whether a laproscopic resection would hurt less or heal faster. The physical 'mechanics' say that a lap procedure should do both of the above. My previous surgery was a lap Gall bladder op... yet it hurt more and took longer to recover from than my old fashioned resection. could be due to it being high in the torso, near the diagphram (sp?).. I dunno. But the reseaction was 'way' easier to deal with. I was only on morphine for 2 days (came off of it 'BEFORE' they removed the catheter... that was the worst part of the whole process). I went with the morphine pump Vs the 'cadilac' of pain treatment, the epidural. I did so simply because there is an extremely slight risk in the latter, so remote I hesitate to mention it. Epis have been used for decades for child birth, etc., so you can see that it is established and safe. Just that I have a hi pain tolerance and figured why bother taking that extra, extremely mild risk for no reason. The anestesiologist (sp?) should advise you on your options, and associated risks.

 

[GregD]

About 8 weeks ago, I had a surgery that removed over two feet of stricture from my small intestine as well as my ilium and appendix. The surgery wasn't laproscopic. I was in the hospital for 5 days. I started working from home two days after I was released. I was still in a lot of pain and pretty doped up, but I would work for a few hours, then sleep for an hour or two, then work for a bit more, then sleep a bit more, ect. I went back to work in the office about 3.5 weeks after my surgery.
Most of my surgical pain was minimal by 6 weeks post op. However, 8 weeks out, I am still really fatigued. I am able to make it through the work day, but don't have much energy to do anything after I get home.
Despite the inconvenience caused by the surgery, it has really improved my symptoms. My only advice would be to try to get back to your normal routines as soon as possible, without over doing it. If you just lie in bed every day (even though that's all you will probably want to do) it will be harder to eventually resume your normal life.

Good luck with everything.

-Greg

 

[CdnCrohnie]

Thanks for the responses everyone. I'll be going into the hospital in less than a week, but at least I now have a better idea of what to expect.

 

[Guest]

all the very best for your op next week CC, keep us posted on how you get on

 

[CdnCrohnie]

Hello All,

I had my surgery performed laparoscopically on Monday morning. I was not in too much pain when I woke up (I likened the pain to an intense abdomen workout) so I didn't request pain meds until they were getting ready to move me from Recovery to my room. I needed the morphine pump to help me shift beds, and also to shift sleeping positions (with the nurse's assistance) at night. Tuesday morning I was up and walking. This made me feel better, so I stayed out of bed the entire day and alternated between walking and sitting in a chair. I only used my morphine pump to help me get out of bed on Tuesday morning, and then I was fine. This morning, Day 3, I had my morphine pump disconnected and my urinary catheter removed. I haven't used any pain meds, and am generally feeling okay. I have tried to walk around as much as possible, and am just waiting to pass gas so that I can move from a clear liquid to a soft solid diet!

Thanks again for all of your advice!

 

[Guest]

glad to hear its over now CC, and that it went well, with not too much pain.

lol i remember that stage where one by one you get all your attachments removed

hope your recovery goes well, and that you're home soon.

 

[Kev]

Just a Wild Assed Guess, but I bet they took you off the morphine pump before the catheter came out, right? Why do they do that? That's the worst part of the whole procedure! Anyway, good luck my fellow canuck. take care, keep posting.