Post colectomy bowel performance
Posted , 2 users are following.
i had a successful right hemi-colectomy 3 years ago. Ever since I have had quite violent diarrhoea soon after a normal passing of stools. Only control is Loperamide/Immodium. Obviously with a shortened large bowel there is less storage room for stools to dry out as they should and the liquid waste flows down. Is this a normal post op situation which goes on forever as seems to be my case? Any clues most welcome.
0 likes, 3 replies
TheToad george19605
Posted
Hi George. I'm the same! An extended right hemicolectomy 3 years ago as well. Usually a soft bm in the morning then much looser any more yellowish about 2 hours later. I take Konsyl D, a fibre supplement each day, one to two teaspoons. All I have been told are comments like, 'at least you're getting rid of it now' and 'that's just the way it is.' A fair bit of bowel was removed and I do eat too much sweet stuff. I'll be very interested in any replies, as it is sometimes a worry. Very rarely I have a 'normal' bm.
george19605 TheToad
Posted
Thanks for this. It is much the same for me. My problem is that I can get 'taken short' and have to rush to the loo as I cannot control it! To avoid embarrassment when away from home I often dose myself with Loperamide/Immodium which always closes my guts down for 24 hours at least. Quite prepared to do this but I worry about using these drugs too much. I have been hoping that my guts would adapt to their shortening and return to normal working but little sign of that so far. Interested that you take a fibre supplement as I thought that this was more a cure for constipation but maybe it does slow things down in the guts. Thanks again for your reply.
TheToad george19605
Posted
It bothered me too, in fact I didn't take it for a while after the surgery. I guess it absorbs water which the shorter bowel can't do as well and firms things up a bit. I'll mention your medication when I see my specialist next. I've read that 3 years is a good place to reach.