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Crohns and Colitis Exchange

This is a place for members with Crohn's Disease or Ulcerative Colitis to get ... more

Last Reply:

small bowel surgery

forgetfulagain posted:

My docs are discussing small bowel surgery. It seems that I have a stricture of some sort in the small bowel. This conclusion came about after the dummy capsule endoscopy (the one not with the camera but with a pill that eventually dissolves) showed that the pill got stuck in the small intestine. However, x-rays didn't show a stricture so they're not 100% sure what's going on.
As a result they want to either do "minor" exploratory surgery or go ahead with the pill cam knowing that it has a very high chance of getting stuck and possibly needing surgical intervention.
So, I was wondering if you guys could tell me about your surgery experiences especially what happens after surgery. (I'm assuming a fairly uncomplicated resection as the worst case scenario here.)
How long did you stay in the hospital? How long before you started eating? How long before you could go back to work?
Right now I'm staying on a liquid diet in the hopes that my symptoms improve and we can avoid surgery.
Thanks!

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11 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:small bowel surgeryMy docs are discussing small bowel surgery. It seems that I have a stricture of some sort in the small bowel. This conclusion came about after the dummy capsule endoscopy (the one not with the camera but with a pill that eventually dissolves) showed that the pill got stuck in the small intestine. However, x-rays didn't show a stricture so they're not 100% sure what's going on. As a result they want to either do "minor" exploratory surgery or go ahead with the pill cam knowing that it has a very high chance of getting stuck and possibly needing surgical intervention. So, I was wondering if you guys could tell me about your surgery experiences especially what happens after surgery. (I'm assuming a fairly uncomplicated resection as the worst case scenario here.) How long did you stay in the hospital? How long before you started eating? How long before you could go back to work? Right now I'm staying on a liquid diet in the hopes that my symptoms improve and we can avoid surgery. Thanks!

kprice19 responded:

Hi! I had a small bowel resection in November 2001. I had a stricture that was like a piece of string. I was in the hospital for 8 days and compared to the pain before my surgery, the surgery was worth it.... I had a lot of years pain free and feeling great. Unfortunately, the disease is very active again and I have 2 small strictures again 10 years later. Hope this helps!!

Report This| Share this:small bowel surgeryHi! I had a small bowel resection in November 2001. I had a stricture that was like a piece of string. I was in the hospital for 8 days and compared to the pain before my surgery, the surgery was worth it.... I had a lot of years pain free and feeling great. Unfortunately, the disease is very active again and I have 2 small strictures again 10 years later. Hope this helps!!

atobin1971 replied to kprice19's response:

I had my resection surgery Jan 2001 I had my Ileum removed. I was in the hospital for 5 days and was on a very bland diet for awhile. I was unemployed at the time but it took me a good 6 months for me to feel better - my scar that went across my belly healed very slowly. I have been on maintenance drugs and just recently had my 1st flare up since the surgery. I am due for a colonoscopy in Feb.

Report This| Share this:small bowel surgeryI had my resection surgery Jan 2001 I had my Ileum removed. I was in the hospital for 5 days and was on a very bland diet for awhile. I was unemployed at the time but it took me a good 6 months for me to feel better - my scar that went across my belly healed very slowly. I have been on maintenance drugs and just recently had my 1st flare up since the surgery. I am due for a colonoscopy in Feb.

forgetfulagain replied to atobin1971's response:

Hey guys,

Thanks for responding. I've had a chance to talk to my doc again and while we don't have anything scheduled just yet, we're slowly approaching the day they'll have to go in.

Luckily, they told me the surgery would be laproscopic so at least it would be a little easier on that end. It took me a while to find the info about recovery but I did and now you two and my doc confirmed the same timeline.

I ate solid food yesterday for the first time in weeks. Surprisingly, I don't feel so awful. But, I'm sure that my prep for the pill cam will be horrible as it has been the last few time...

I'll be checking in as I get closer to the date. Thanks!

Report This| Share this:small bowel surgeryHey guys, Thanks for responding. I've had a chance to talk to my doc again and while we don't have anything scheduled just yet, we're slowly approaching the day they'll have to go in. Luckily, they told me the surgery would be laproscopic so at least it would be a little easier on that end. It took me a while to find the info about recovery but I did and now you two and my doc confirmed the same timeline. I ate solid food yesterday for the first time in weeks. Surprisingly, I don't feel so awful. But, I'm sure that my prep for the pill cam will be horrible as it has been the last few time... I'll be checking in as I get closer to the date. Thanks!

Chronie2001 responded:

I had my resection in March 03, spent a week in the hospital, afterwards I was Normal!!. now 8 years later starting to have some symptoms again. partly my own fault for not eating correctly. just finishing up on a prednisone for a couple of weeks. see my GI tomorrow as a matter of fact and see what he wants to do next.
I have found that eating fresh pineapple helps with the diarhea tremendously!. and bananas as well.
hope you have a great doctor like mine, he saved my life 10 years ago and we have a great relationship, I can just email him my issues and he will call in a prescription to the pharmacy quickly.

Report This| Share this:small bowel surgeryI had my resection in March 03, spent a week in the hospital, afterwards I was Normal!!. now 8 years later starting to have some symptoms again. partly my own fault for not eating correctly. just finishing up on a prednisone for a couple of weeks. see my GI tomorrow as a matter of fact and see what he wants to do next. I have found that eating fresh pineapple helps with the diarhea tremendously!. and bananas as well. hope you have a great doctor like mine, he saved my life 10 years ago and we have a great relationship, I can just email him my issues and he will call in a prescription to the pharmacy quickly.

QMED2012 responded:

You might possibly have colon irrigation to remove the pill. I have had Crohn's Disease since 1992 and have two strictures. I have had colon irrigation twice, the last was 2-3 months ago. Afterwards felt so clean and energetic. For several days afterwards, my bowel movements were formed, normally round, unusual. And they were 1-2 feet in length, supposedly a "normal" one is that long. I suggest a very good book on natural treatment, for all kinds. A Prescription for Natural or Nutritional Healing? by a Balch, MD. I take most of the recommended vitamins, amino acids and minerals. Aloe Vera juice is drank for it's healing of the intestines. I drink 3-4 quarts a week of Kefir, essentially liquid yogurt. The brand I drink, is Lifeway which I buy at Safeway Grocery. It is said to be essential for the health of you colon. It has Probiotics, it's essential ingredients.

Report This| Share this:small bowel surgeryYou might possibly have colon irrigation to remove the pill. I have had Crohn's Disease since 1992 and have two strictures. I have had colon irrigation twice, the last was 2-3 months ago. Afterwards felt so clean and energetic. For several days afterwards, my bowel movements were formed, normally round, unusual. And they were 1-2 feet in length, supposedly a "normal" one is that long. I suggest a very good book on natural treatment, for all kinds. A Prescription for Natural or Nutritional Healing? by a Balch, MD. I take most of the recommended vitamins, amino acids and minerals. Aloe Vera juice is drank for it's healing of the intestines. I drink 3-4 quarts a week of Kefir, essentially liquid yogurt. The brand I drink, is Lifeway which I buy at Safeway Grocery. It is said to be essential for the health of you colon. It has Probiotics, it's essential ingredients.

sutodonna replied to QMED2012's response:

Hello, have you try'd the super food Kale?

Report This| Share this:small bowel surgeryHello, have you try'd the super food Kale?

forgetfulagain replied to sutodonna's response:

Hey folks,

I've been away for a while, but only because I've been so busy now that I feel a lot better.
What ended up happening is that the docs figured out that I actually have Myasthenia Gravis (or something of the sort) and that Mestinon - just about the only medication for it would help me.
It was a last ditch effort before scheduling surgery and it worked!
I'm feeling great and feel fabulous.

Thanks for all your responses. I really appreciate it.

As for "super foods" and vitamins, I approach that stuff with caution. Kale is incredibly difficult to digest for me, so that's out from the get go. As for vitamins, I only take those that I have some evidence I'm missing - B12 and D and that has worked for me. I'm really suspicious of the profit motive in supplements and the lack of oversight from any medical authority in their production, but I know, that might be a bit paranoid.

I love yogurt and drink the real deal whenever I get a chance - Kefir is not my favorite so I stay away from it most of the time. It's just that the drinkable kind is sooo expensive since I can only get it at Whole Foods...

Stay healthy!
forgetful

Report This| Share this:small bowel surgeryHey folks, I've been away for a while, but only because I've been so busy now that I feel a lot better. What ended up happening is that the docs figured out that I actually have Myasthenia Gravis (or something of the sort) and that Mestinon - just about the only medication for it would help me. It was a last ditch effort before scheduling surgery and it worked! I'm feeling great and feel fabulous. Thanks for all your responses. I really appreciate it. As for "super foods" and vitamins, I approach that stuff with caution. Kale is incredibly difficult to digest for me, so that's out from the get go. As for vitamins, I only take those that I have some evidence I'm missing - B12 and D and that has worked for me. I'm really suspicious of the profit motive in supplements and the lack of oversight from any medical authority in their production, but I know, that might be a bit paranoid. <img src="http://img.webmd.com/community/images/smile.gif" align="top" border="0"> I love yogurt and drink the real deal whenever I get a chance - Kefir is not my favorite so I stay away from it most of the time. It's just that the drinkable kind is sooo expensive since I can only get it at Whole Foods... <img src="http://img.webmd.com/community/images/frown.gif" align="top" border="0"> Stay healthy! forgetful

OyWithThePoodlesAlready replied to forgetfulagain's response:

Hey, so glad to hear you're feeling better and so glad you replied to this post. I just had an apt w a new GI and a surgeon this morning to consider a resectioning, so it was great to go back and read people's responses to this post as I mull my options

Hope all continues well for you
~Ali

Report This| Share this:small bowel surgeryHey, so glad to hear you're feeling better and so glad you replied to this post. I just had an apt w a new GI and a surgeon this morning to consider a resectioning, so it was great to go back and read people's responses to this post as I mull my options Hope all continues well for you ~Ali

forgetfulagain replied to OyWithThePoodlesAlready's response:

Hey Ali,

I hope it all works out well whether you have the surgery or not.
Let us know how you're doing!

Report This| Share this:small bowel surgeryHey Ali, I hope it all works out well whether you have the surgery or not. Let us know how you're doing!

OyWithThePoodlesAlready replied to forgetfulagain's response:

thanks

Dr said he'd get the MRI setup, and I've been wearing my bluetooth for 2 days now waiting for the call. I think I'll feel so much more settled once I know what is happening

Report This| Share this:small bowel surgerythanks <img src="http://img.webmd.com/community/images/smile.gif" align="top" border="0"> Dr said he'd get the MRI setup, and I've been wearing my bluetooth for 2 days now waiting for the call. I think I'll feel so much more settled once I know what is happening

redsoxchik responded:

I had an obstruction in small bowel and had bowel resection (2 feet removed) in 1995. I was 25. Was great with no real serious crohn's flares for 16 years. Then in September 2011 I had a preforated bowel..I had no warning. I was not suffering any usual crohn's symptoms just all of sudden I was in excruciating pain. Went to ER thinking food poisoning. Had 5 inches of small bowel removed and 5 inches of large bowel removed. Lucky that the surgeon was able to resect all bowel back together. Hospitalized for a month then home for a month. 3 month's later had a abcess in stomach behind surgical scar...yet another surgery! Now 2 weeks ago I started Remicade and had a delayed reaction ( a week later) hospitalized again with severe reaction to remicade and horrible joint pain. I am home again but still having horrible joint pain, especially my left upper arm/shoulder. Anyone else have this reaction, how long does the pain last? I can;t use my left arm.

Report This| Share this:small bowel surgeryI had an obstruction in small bowel and had bowel resection (2 feet removed) in 1995. I was 25. Was great with no real serious crohn's flares for 16 years. Then in September 2011 I had a preforated bowel..I had no warning. I was not suffering any usual crohn's symptoms just all of sudden I was in excruciating pain. Went to ER thinking food poisoning. Had 5 inches of small bowel removed and 5 inches of large bowel removed. Lucky that the surgeon was able to resect all bowel back together. Hospitalized for a month then home for a month. 3 month's later had a abcess in stomach behind surgical scar...yet another surgery! Now 2 weeks ago I started Remicade and had a delayed reaction ( a week later) hospitalized again with severe reaction to remicade and horrible joint pain. I am home again but still having horrible joint pain, especially my left upper arm/shoulder. Anyone else have this reaction, how long does the pain last? I can;t use my left arm.

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