Bowel surgery for Cronh's, any experience
Discussion
Colitis, total colectomy in 2009, keyhole, bag for 20 months (had some complications)
Despite being keyhole i was cut from my johnson up to my belly button, this made driving a little difficult as i struggled with the clutch and moving my legs in a scissor motion if you see what i mean.
Going up and down stairs was tricky for the first few days. Cat jumping on top of me after i'd been home 20 mins was painful.
I had an epidural in for 5/6 days and come out with very weak legs, this made standing for anything longer than a few mins quite tough.
Good luck, if you have any Q's fire away.
Despite being keyhole i was cut from my johnson up to my belly button, this made driving a little difficult as i struggled with the clutch and moving my legs in a scissor motion if you see what i mean.
Going up and down stairs was tricky for the first few days. Cat jumping on top of me after i'd been home 20 mins was painful.
I had an epidural in for 5/6 days and come out with very weak legs, this made standing for anything longer than a few mins quite tough.
Good luck, if you have any Q's fire away.
honest_delboy said:
Colitis, total colectomy in 2009, keyhole, bag for 20 months (had some complications)
Despite being keyhole i was cut from my johnson up to my belly button, this made driving a little difficult as i struggled with the clutch and moving my legs in a scissor motion if you see what i mean.
Going up and down stairs was tricky for the first few days. Cat jumping on top of me after i'd been home 20 mins was painful.
I had an epidural in for 5/6 days and come out with very weak legs, this made standing for anything longer than a few mins quite tough.
Good luck, if you have any Q's fire away.
Well luckily living on my own with the GF we don't have cats anymore, so should remain pounce free Despite being keyhole i was cut from my johnson up to my belly button, this made driving a little difficult as i struggled with the clutch and moving my legs in a scissor motion if you see what i mean.
Going up and down stairs was tricky for the first few days. Cat jumping on top of me after i'd been home 20 mins was painful.
I had an epidural in for 5/6 days and come out with very weak legs, this made standing for anything longer than a few mins quite tough.
Good luck, if you have any Q's fire away.
Pre-op for me was just loads of questions about health history and some swabs for MSRA testing, one up your nose one in your groin.
I forgot to mention about the meds, they won't let you go home until you've had a bowel movement but any opiate based pain killers is going to slow down your system and bung you up. If I had to do it all over again i'd definitely take less pain killers.
I forgot to mention about the meds, they won't let you go home until you've had a bowel movement but any opiate based pain killers is going to slow down your system and bung you up. If I had to do it all over again i'd definitely take less pain killers.
honest_delboy said:
Pre-op for me was just loads of questions about health history and some swabs for MSRA testing, one up your nose one in your groin.
I forgot to mention about the meds, they won't let you go home until you've had a bowel movement but any opiate based pain killers is going to slow down your system and bung you up. If I had to do it all over again i'd definitely take less pain killers.
Define...'IN' the groin..... :SI forgot to mention about the meds, they won't let you go home until you've had a bowel movement but any opiate based pain killers is going to slow down your system and bung you up. If I had to do it all over again i'd definitely take less pain killers.
Yeah I expect the opiate based painkillers to make you bit bunged but hopefully as they will probably have you on the picolax before and liquid diet after etc.
Another Crohn's sufferer. No surgery yet. Flare ups are tackled with steroids which have the usual side affects.
Refuse other meds due to the undesirable risks with side effects, as others here have mentioned.
Would only consider the biological treatments ie Humira.
Good luck Rick with your op. Hope it all goes well and you improve.
Refuse other meds due to the undesirable risks with side effects, as others here have mentioned.
Would only consider the biological treatments ie Humira.
Good luck Rick with your op. Hope it all goes well and you improve.
My father had an op for chron's about 20 years ago. It was a god send for him.
He has quite a large scar, about 8 inches but he had to have an emergency op so I don't know if this is the norm?
He has to watch what he eats to a certain extent and has to have a vitamin B? injection every month but compared to the pain he used to be in its nothing. If I remember correctly he was off work for about 3 weeks.
He has quite a large scar, about 8 inches but he had to have an emergency op so I don't know if this is the norm?
He has to watch what he eats to a certain extent and has to have a vitamin B? injection every month but compared to the pain he used to be in its nothing. If I remember correctly he was off work for about 3 weeks.
I have been told I will probably need the Vitamin B too.
The main issue with the Cronh's ATM is stopping me from queing for a midnight launch of the xbox....I know this is childish in the grand scheme, but it means I am left to be fecked about by online retailers.
Need my console for recovery haha
The main issue with the Cronh's ATM is stopping me from queing for a midnight launch of the xbox....I know this is childish in the grand scheme, but it means I am left to be fecked about by online retailers.
Need my console for recovery haha
In the groin = the crease between your scrotum and inside leg. Don't worry, they give you different swab to stick up your nose.
I'm on B12 once every 3 months but I feel its not enough, i'm pretty much on my chinstraps at the end of the 12 weeks although my blood test shows i'm within the range. I've reduced it to 10 weeks now to see if that helps.
I'm on B12 once every 3 months but I feel its not enough, i'm pretty much on my chinstraps at the end of the 12 weeks although my blood test shows i'm within the range. I've reduced it to 10 weeks now to see if that helps.
honest_delboy said:
In the groin = the crease between your scrotum and inside leg. Don't worry, they give you different swab to stick up your nose.
I'm on B12 once every 3 months but I feel its not enough, i'm pretty much on my chinstraps at the end of the 12 weeks although my blood test shows i'm within the range. I've reduced it to 10 weeks now to see if that helps.
Do you find you get tired if not sooner than 10 weeks do you meanI'm on B12 once every 3 months but I feel its not enough, i'm pretty much on my chinstraps at the end of the 12 weeks although my blood test shows i'm within the range. I've reduced it to 10 weeks now to see if that helps.
Rick_1138 said:
honest_delboy said:
In the groin = the crease between your scrotum and inside leg. Don't worry, they give you different swab to stick up your nose.
I'm on B12 once every 3 months but I feel its not enough, i'm pretty much on my chinstraps at the end of the 12 weeks although my blood test shows i'm within the range. I've reduced it to 10 weeks now to see if that helps.
Do you find you get tired if not sooner than 10 weeks do you meanI'm on B12 once every 3 months but I feel its not enough, i'm pretty much on my chinstraps at the end of the 12 weeks although my blood test shows i'm within the range. I've reduced it to 10 weeks now to see if that helps.
I am overdue my 12 week boost-up and debating whether there is any point.
The last couple of times I have felt worse rather than better.
Massive improvement, it's hard to explain but it's like you're tired and haven't eaten (even though you have). It takes about 24 hours to sink in but it is noticeable.
I've reduced time between injections from 12->10 weeks to give me a higher level as although i'm within the range I don't feel too hot at all.
I've reduced time between injections from 12->10 weeks to give me a higher level as although i'm within the range I don't feel too hot at all.
Just found this thread, i must look in on this forum more ! I've had Crohn's for 25 years. Got it when i was about 20, lost lots of weight, at worst the 3rd time in hospital i was down to 7 stone 2 lbs, and i'm 6 foot 4 :-/ 2 or 3 flare up's over the years but nothing serious, back on Pred for a few weeks and it sorts it.
The long term thing that's kept me healthy has been Azathioprine. For me it works, less side effects than the steroids. 3 years ago the consultant decided the Aza wasn't doing much after so many years, so decided to take me off of them. Cue reasonably rapid downhill stretch, resulting in a bowel resection in July 2011.......
first major surgery for me, I read too much about it to be honest, such is the wonder of the internet these days, though probably wish i hadn't read up on it at all beforehand !!!! However, for the 5 weeks beforehand that i was on the 'emergency' list, i'd have done anything to take the cramps and pain away, so on the actual day of the op i was almost running into theatre !!!
Op was a doddle, recovery was a little more difficult, as the bowel 'goes to sleep' after surgery and needs time to wake up again. Until this happens, you are closely monitored etc. I guess i was one of the unlucky ones as mine didn't wake up. So after 3 or 4 days of being able to eat again pain free in the hospital bed, my stomach was the size of a pregnant seal with no sign of any movement from the arse end. Cue naso gastric tube for 4 days and 4 days of stomach pumping...... eventually things started to settle down, all tubes taken out from all orifices, and i was allowed up to walk the ward and began to get some strength back again...... it's a great feeling being able to eat again with no pain, as i'm sure others will concur with !!
Eventually after 2 weeks in, i got home, ate like a hog, went from 9 stone 8 back up to around 15 stone in a year. All going well again, and weirdly, the consultant put me back on Aza straight after the surgery and it's settled me down quite nicely again. I still maintain that coming off of Azathioprine after 20 years was enough to start a mega flare up that resulted in the surgery, the consultant, however, will have none of it !
I eat too much curry and drink too much beer, but i'm happy and controlled, and life is too short ! I'm actually very lucky to respond well to the drugs, i know so many sufferers who respond less well and are continuously having flare up 's and surgery......... If the resection gives me another 10 years pain free, it was all worth it !!! There are risks with all Crohn's surgery, but generally we'd all do anything not to have the pain !
The long term thing that's kept me healthy has been Azathioprine. For me it works, less side effects than the steroids. 3 years ago the consultant decided the Aza wasn't doing much after so many years, so decided to take me off of them. Cue reasonably rapid downhill stretch, resulting in a bowel resection in July 2011.......
first major surgery for me, I read too much about it to be honest, such is the wonder of the internet these days, though probably wish i hadn't read up on it at all beforehand !!!! However, for the 5 weeks beforehand that i was on the 'emergency' list, i'd have done anything to take the cramps and pain away, so on the actual day of the op i was almost running into theatre !!!
Op was a doddle, recovery was a little more difficult, as the bowel 'goes to sleep' after surgery and needs time to wake up again. Until this happens, you are closely monitored etc. I guess i was one of the unlucky ones as mine didn't wake up. So after 3 or 4 days of being able to eat again pain free in the hospital bed, my stomach was the size of a pregnant seal with no sign of any movement from the arse end. Cue naso gastric tube for 4 days and 4 days of stomach pumping...... eventually things started to settle down, all tubes taken out from all orifices, and i was allowed up to walk the ward and began to get some strength back again...... it's a great feeling being able to eat again with no pain, as i'm sure others will concur with !!
Eventually after 2 weeks in, i got home, ate like a hog, went from 9 stone 8 back up to around 15 stone in a year. All going well again, and weirdly, the consultant put me back on Aza straight after the surgery and it's settled me down quite nicely again. I still maintain that coming off of Azathioprine after 20 years was enough to start a mega flare up that resulted in the surgery, the consultant, however, will have none of it !
I eat too much curry and drink too much beer, but i'm happy and controlled, and life is too short ! I'm actually very lucky to respond well to the drugs, i know so many sufferers who respond less well and are continuously having flare up 's and surgery......... If the resection gives me another 10 years pain free, it was all worth it !!! There are risks with all Crohn's surgery, but generally we'd all do anything not to have the pain !
Funny how you mention a fondness for curry Somerset - my family are amazed to see me getting stuck into a madras.
According to my GP the garlic and chillies help stimulate the bodies immune system.
Feel I have jinxed myself by discussing Crohns in this thread recently-just spent a few days bedridden and in agony.
GP put me on a course of steroids to help things, so a few weeks of pyscho mood swings coming my way.
According to my GP the garlic and chillies help stimulate the bodies immune system.
Feel I have jinxed myself by discussing Crohns in this thread recently-just spent a few days bedridden and in agony.
GP put me on a course of steroids to help things, so a few weeks of pyscho mood swings coming my way.
The food thing always makes me laugh, family and friends are always adamant that if I eat, sweets, crisps, curry, etc etc it will cause my problems. They wont be told that food has very little effect on it all, its the bowel not the stomach that's the problem.
Well my pre op was easy, bloods taken the week before so was just nice chat, lots of leaflets and the usual 'fill this jar' malarkey.
So hopefully that's me on the waiting list till about Feb\March next year. Main concern is that I get stuck in hospital with a problem, as I know they wont let you out till you have gone to the loo and being at home would be better.
Well my pre op was easy, bloods taken the week before so was just nice chat, lots of leaflets and the usual 'fill this jar' malarkey.
So hopefully that's me on the waiting list till about Feb\March next year. Main concern is that I get stuck in hospital with a problem, as I know they wont let you out till you have gone to the loo and being at home would be better.
dumfriesdave said:
Hope your op helps you Rick.
Surprised to hear you have such a long wait for your surgery.
My first time I went to see specialist on Thursday to view the x-ray results of my barium meal, and had surgery the following Monday.
I was given an expectation that would probably be about 3 months, but they have to see you within that time frame.Surprised to hear you have such a long wait for your surgery.
My first time I went to see specialist on Thursday to view the x-ray results of my barium meal, and had surgery the following Monday.
It could be sooner, but obviously Cancer patients take precedence of freed up appointments/cancelations.
I am not in a HUGE amount of pain or discomfort just sort of constant twinges and sharp stabs so get bit down, and very windy which isn't the best.
But hopefully all shall go well and not major post surgery dramas during recovery.
Update:
Got my Op date through today.
Surgeons Secretary called and gave me the 5th of February.
They do this thing now where if you are fit and able you can come to the hospital on the day of the surgery rather than a day before and hang about waiting
Have a pre op Assessment with the surgeon on Monday to discuss the processs and answer any questions, tell me about post op and what I should do etc.
Looking forward to it, but obviously bit scared in case there are any complications and such, and with the unexpected etc.
never had major surgery before, just little things, only been under General twice before, and never for this long as I would imagine it takes an hour or so.
Got my Op date through today.
Surgeons Secretary called and gave me the 5th of February.
They do this thing now where if you are fit and able you can come to the hospital on the day of the surgery rather than a day before and hang about waiting
Have a pre op Assessment with the surgeon on Monday to discuss the processs and answer any questions, tell me about post op and what I should do etc.
Looking forward to it, but obviously bit scared in case there are any complications and such, and with the unexpected etc.
never had major surgery before, just little things, only been under General twice before, and never for this long as I would imagine it takes an hour or so.
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