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Sigmoid Colon and Ileocecal Valve removed

Posted , 3 users are following.

LucyB53
LucyB53

I started having attacks of diverticulitis in June of 2015.  The doctor was giong to wait to see if the attacks would increase as they weren't occuring very often.  I was hospitalized for an abscess in my sigmoid colon.  Released 5 days later after IV antibiotics.

In December of 2015 I had surgery to remove 10.5" of my sigmoid colon due to a diverticulitis caused fistula.  It was letting my bowel dump feces and bacteria into my bladder not to mention gas.  I was passing gas through my bladder.  Very different feeling for sure.  

Six days out from the surgery the reconnection started leaking and I had to have emergency surgery to repair and subsequently ending up with an ileostomy bag.  I kept the bag for 8 weeks and had a reversal surgery removing the bag.  Longest eight weeks of my life.  (I have a whole other story about the bag of which I named "The Little A**hole".  I realize it is crude but it was my coping mecanism.)

About 2 weeks after returning home from that hospital stay (6 days) I had a small bowel blockage and was hospitalized for 4 days but it passed. Two weeks after coming home I had to return to the hospital via ambulance with a complete obstruction.  This was caused from adhesions from the surgeries.  It grew around my bowel and caused the doctors to have to remove my Ileocecal valve.  The doctors told me that I could eat anything I wanted which I do.  Some days are great and I am almost normal again but some days the diahrrea goes on from rise to lunch time.  Then it stops and I wait for the next morning to see if the experience will return all over again or be normal for a pleasant.  

As of this writing I am just over 17 weeks out from the last surgery.  I'm praying that the bowel will get regular again.  I am on here serching for others having the same issues with diahrrea and I see there are some that do.  

On the upside for those entertaining surgery for the same issues, my experiences were all out of the norm so don't fret so much.  Also on the upside, I feel great most of the time and can do about anything I want to.  At almost 69 that list is getting a little more limited.  LOL

I've seen where some are saying that smaller meals farther apart seem to help and other are saying fiber will also help.  I will try these ideas and report back to you any progress or the lack there of.  I have just started journaling my meals today so it will be a journey I'm sure.  With that being said, if I take the journey, report back to you and it helps someone then it will have been worth it.  

Please let me hear from all of you as your thoughts and experiences are very important to me for my healing as well.   

1 like, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • alexandra62000
    alexandra62000 LucyB53

    Posted

    Reading this was interesting and could be helpful to a lot of people. I'm being treated for an infection at the moment which i hope will settle soon. I am finding that stress and worry play a part. Thank you and good luck.

    • LucyB53
      LucyB53 alexandra62000

      Posted

      Thanks for the note.  The infections will settle and you will feel good.  I'm an advocate for the surgery but with that being said, I think you should try everything else first as I did.  The doctor wasn't going to do the surgery but the fistula changed all of our plans.  Stress and worry do play a part and just another reason I'm retiring and relocating to FL where I hope the stress will decrease to a small minimum.  Good luck and take good care of yourself.

  • madge07350
    madge07350 LucyB53

    Posted

    You should stick to soluble fibre found in veggies rather than bran type fibres which are insoluble,cause the formation of bigger stools and put pressure on the walls of the colon probably causing pouches to form in the first place. Small meals are essential with this condition.
    • LucyB53
      LucyB53 madge07350

      Posted

      Thanks Madge.  So far so good with the smaller meals.  Doing the insoluble fibres.  I think this is going to be a good week.  Started off good anyway.  Diahrrea (The Quick Step) is not the way I want to spend my retirement.
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