Crohns and Colitis Exchange

Surgery girl, I think you and I are twins. I have had 6 stomach surgeries in less than 2 years and now I am in a horrible spot where I have scar tissue and strictures yet a full abdominal mesh that makes any future very difficult and risky for me.

I guess the question is for you to decide.. How much pain and how is your life now? Will a new surgery improve your quality of life or possible make it worse? It's your body and your decision... Feel free to get second opinions.. But ultimately you need to decide how is your quality of life right now?

Hugs surgery girl...
I know your delimma, I have had two blockages this month, like you that have resolved themselves with rest and liquids. But the number of strictures is multipling.... How long can I last until I NEED surgery? I do not know, but I know I risk losing a lot of good intestines just to remove the mesh to get the intestines. So, I just keep truckin.... eating small meals, No fiber, and lots prayers.

Hugs sweetheart!
Gin

I had some scar tissue removed when I had surgery to remove a "mystery bump" (turned out to be a lipoma-nothing serious). They weren't sure they could do that via the colonoscopy safely so they had the laparoscopy ready. Since they were already in there, they removed scar tissue-quite a bit apparently that had built up from my appendectomy a decade before I was diagnosed and the Crohn's.

sorry you are going through this.

I dont have crohns/colitis but all my problems are due to scar tissue from my csection 6 yrs ago. It ended up creating a full blockage. Lost over 4 feet of ileum then and then 6 months later at my 2nd section, they cleaned out more scar tissue that developed in that short time frame. 2 yrs later I had a hernia repair and was cleaned out again. that was last january and I feat I have more scar tissue. I have pains in the same area quite frequently. becuase of my previous incisions I am not a candidate for laparascopic surgery. I wanted a tubal and noone would do it. They didnt want to risk the development of more scar tissue/complications. they recommended a different proeedure instead. I guess, it depends on how bad it is nad if its relly bothering you. I know if I had a partial blockage and surgery was recommended I would prob do it b/c when I had the full blockage it was BAD. I was septic, in icu and almost didnt make it. You have to decide for yourself how bad it is.. I do know that any abdominal surgery comes iwth its risks.

sorry no words of wisdom but wanted to give support and let you knwo youre not alone.
jodi

Wow-what a story. I am so sorry your scar tissue got so bad from the c-section and from the surgery to remove it.

thanks louise... Things got so bad b/c I was pregnant at the time I had the blockage so they couldnt do a CT and the initital MRI didnt show anything. No pain meds or anything until after the surgery. Sadly, I remember the pain of the blockage all too well, lol. My abdomen was so swollen that it was bigger then when I was 9 months pregnant! It was a full blockage and thats why I got so sick. I had morphine for a few days after surgery but then the hallucinations started so I recovered with no pain meds after that. Being pregnant is prob why I didnt heal well either... Miraculously my little guy turned 3 in June and is perfect! So I cant complain too much... All my stomache problems started after this.. Its amazing that all this is a result of a csection.... crazy
jodi

Yuck! That sounds so very horrid. I am sorry.

surgery girl, I had colon cancer 4 yrs ago & lost a huge part of my colon, ended up with a colostomy bag for almost a year (a very humblung experience might I add). since then, I returned to work & ended up pulling a singe then double and now a triple hernia..each one involving a complete open surgery since im not a candidate for lapriscopic surgery. this time, the doc told my family i have entirely too much scar tissue and he doesnt want to/or cant do any more surgeries on my stomach, ever!!

I completely understand what you are going through, im facing the same road ahead. I asked my surgeon what it looked like when he got inside my stomach?? he said...it looked ike a bucket of super glue (ex:super glue being the scar tissue) was poured in on top of my vital organs. yeah my thoughts exactly, i guess im gonna have problems from that.

My delima is...im only 48 and have 22 yrs invested in a career of law enforcement... the past four yrs have been prety rough having to pretty much fake it as far as pain goes, do the job and go home but dont let em see you hurt! did i mention I am a female, which ups the stakes a little lol. my question is, this hasnt really been anything close to normal or 100% for over 4 yrs. do we qualify for social security disability or do we have to act normal and hurt with stomach pains the rest of our lives?


I prob wasnt any help to you, but I feel your pain, I just didnt know other ppl existed like me...god love us!!!

I wish I had the answer for u surgerygirl. All I can say is, from past/present experience...the more they go in...the worse it gets! Thats just my opinion anyway. I hate like hell to be so blunt, but i'll tell u like it is, and what i have been through.. I had 16 abdominal surgeries..5 hernia repairs, and 5 bowels obstructions...full blown at that! It all originated from a gall bladder removal laporascopically, and a total of 3 mesh inplants over time, which r chronically infected. I have no belly button, and I have a major infection on the belly button area that just wont close. I contracted MRSA from the hospital, am on antibiotic all the time. My bowels r all over the place, I'm in pain, nauseous 24/7. I now need abdominal wall reconstruction, removal of the 3 infected mesh, a resection of the bowels, a multitude of hernia repairs around the belly button, and 2 other huge hernias on left and right side of my lower stomach, and I need to do something asap cause they r afraid my intestines will leak at this point. They tell me the surgery will take 16-25 hrs, and I will be put in a medically induced coma. I was told to get my affairs in order, cause it's unlikely that I will survive something like this...and all these years I was told there is nothing anyone could do to help me cause Im 300 pounds, and have diabetes! Soooo, I'm not saying don't get the surgery...but I know from past/present experience....the more they go in...the weaker ur walls get, which of course leads to other hernias and obstructions. All I can say is....IFFF YOU'RE IN PAIN, AND EXPERIENCING OTHER ISSUES BECAUSE OF UR CURRENT SITUATION... AND THEY SAY U MUST HAVE IT DONE....THEN I WOULD CONSIDER IT, BUT TO JUST HAVE THEM GO IN AND START REMOVING SCAR TISSUE JUST BECAUSE THEY CLAIM IT MAYYYY HELP PREVENT...MY OPINION ONLY....I WOULDN'T DO IT...and thats only from my experience. I don't mean to scare u, and just remember I had the gallbladder removal, which started all my major problems so...thats something to think about too. I wish u all the luck in the world...and I'm terribly sorry for what you're going through...I can relate...I've been there/am there.

All I can say to both of you (0780) and dejavue, is WOWWWWW!!! I have never heard of anything so "involved" as what the two of you are/have endured, and I'm not kidding either. God bless both of you....we're here for you when you want to vent, and remember, we do care. Keep us updated, OK?

Again God bless!