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Sigmoid Colectomy

Posted , 27 users are following.

Annie-Marie
Annie-Marie

After 4 years plus of diverticular disease and diverticulitis attacks I am finally having an op. Very apprehensive about it but hopefully it will give me some relief as I have been confined to the bathroom and sofa every morning for the past year. Has anyone else had surgery? Would love to hear from anyone who has had surgery as not finding many comments on surgery.​

1 like, 99 replies

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  • kelly53289
    kelly53289 Annie-Marie

    Posted

    Stay on anti inflammatory foods. Stuff with omega 3 acids and lots of soft stuff. Salmon always worked for me. Sautéed spinach. Overlooked veggies. Praying you can get well and get it DONE!!
  • robyn79457
    robyn79457 Annie-Marie

    Posted

    I had this surgery done two weeks ago. I had never had surgery and was petrified. I have suffered with diverticulitis for years and my last bout finally had small perforations. The surgery is doable. Not scary. I was up and walking four hours later. Passed gas the next day and bm the next night. I was in the hospital for four days. The pain I felt was more of the muscle cuts from surgery then anything else. You are sore but it isn't miserable. In fact I was shocked as to how much I was able to do in a short time. At a week I was able to get up and move around without grimacing from tummy wounds. At two weeks I am bending over picking things up and walking about. Would I do it again looking back on the last two weeks? Totally. It truly is great and the fear of uh-oh is this the time something flares up and maybe it won't be elective surgery is no longer there! If you have questions. Ask away! Best of healing to you. You'll do great.
    • Annie-Marie
      Annie-Marie robyn79457

      Posted

      Thank you so much Robyn for your encouragement and positive words.  So glad you are not living with that eternal fear of flare-ups and worrying about how bad is it going to be this time.

      Hope 2016 is  a lovely year for you and so glad you are getting your life back again.  Have fun with your new found freedom xxx

      I am being so careful with diet etc. so that I don't get a nasty flare up but have just finished another course of antibiotics as things got bad before Xmas.  Doing okay this week but it is always with me, nagging away waiting for the chance to catch me out....!!??!!

      Happy New Year to you and everyone on this wonderful site which is the only forum I have found where everyone is so helpful and understanding. xxx

    • mr_54542
      mr_54542 robyn79457

      Posted

      Hi Robyn, I hope it has remained to be a great success for you. I have had two bad bouts of diverticulitis, the last one a perforation which healed itself so I got away with intravenous anti-biotics. My doc has said it's best to have a resection in case it perforates again. I am a fit 49 who has always had a good diet full of fibre, so I'm very sceptical about what is claimed to cause it. Guess I'm writing as I have surgery booked for Feb 20 and I'm really anxious. Any tips?! Thanks.

  • kittypusskins
    kittypusskins Annie-Marie

    Posted

    Hi. Am waiting for sigmoid colectomy after 3 massive bleeds. Surgery scheduled for July due to sick pay entitlement. Hoping I make until July without another bleed. How do people feel after this surgery. Currently get lots of abdominal pain in the mornings and get to 'go' many times.

    • Annie-Marie
      Annie-Marie kittypusskins

      Posted

      Hi Kittypusskins

      As you can see see from my previous posts I had elective sigmoid colectomy end of January this year so nearly a year ago.  It was the best decision I have made as haven’t had any problems with DD since.  It takes a while to get back to ‘normal’ but worth it. I still have irregular bowel movements but it is manageable and certainly no pain or flareups.  I haven’t had any antibiotics since the first couple of weeks of recovery which were grim but still worth it.

      I was very strict about what I ate up to op. No nuts, seeds, skins (i.e. jacket potatoes,tomatoes etc) or meat.  Have little and often meals rather than big meals.  I still have to eat little meals but can now eat what ever I like but find I can only eat a small amount of red meat as otherwise I feel uncomfortable. So I tend to stick to fish and chicken.  I also still take Fybogel twice a day.

      So look after yourself and any sign of a flareup get to docs asap.  Hope it all goes well and I am sure you will have a better quality of life after op like me.  Don’t hesitate to ask me anything else and apologies for not seeing your post earlier.

      Good luck and hope you have a comfortable Xmas. Regards Annie

    • kittypusskins
      kittypusskins Annie-Marie

      Posted

      Thanks for your reply. Surgery has been brought forward to end of January due to worsening symptoms.
    • Annie-Marie
      Annie-Marie kittypusskins

      Posted

      Good Luck and I wish you a speedy recovery. Let me know how you are after op. I'm 12 months on now and definitely no DD. Visits to loo can be a bit erractic still but no DD flare ups or anitbiotics.   Sometimes i get a bit bloated and uncomfortable but as long as I only eat small meals and avoid red meat I do okay. Can't believe how well I feel since op.  All the best for op.

    • diane60110
      diane60110 kittypusskins

      Posted

      I had surgery 11 days ago. I was looking to see how others did after surgery. This is well into February. Did you have surgery yet?
  • gigi59
    gigi59 Annie-Marie

    Posted

    I just had 12" if my sigmoid removed. No colostomy. Robotic laparoscopic 3 weeks ago. The first week was rough after surgery but Im doing pretty goid now. Its a slow recovery but you can do this. I suffered with repeated bouts of diverticulitis for the past 5 minths but first episode 7 years ago. Surgeon said get it done before I perforated and had to have a colostomy. I am a nurse so I hesitated for a while. I just couldnt keep risking a perforation. If you need it get it done. Take your pain meds for a week then ween iff and walk a lot every day. Tbe more you walk the faster u heal.

    • madynaz
      madynaz gigi59

      Posted

      Gigi, I'm sitting in the hospital right now waiting for the reversal of my ileostomy tomorrow.  I am so terrified of having to use the restroom after the reversal is done.  I too had 12 inches of the sigmoid colon removed. It was really close to the rectum.  My inflammation was due to endometriosis and scar tissue from previous surgeries. How is life afterwards? I have more anxiety than anything about the unknown.

      thank you for sharing your story.

  • deborah_90605
    deborah_90605 Annie-Marie

    Posted

    I am also due elective surgery in 6-8 weeks time. I am 46 am not particularly overweight so am at a loss as to why I have DD which unfortunately has involved all off my colon. However I am only having a section removed luckily hopefully by robotic laparoscopic surgery. I know what is in store as my father has had the same procedure but having read all the comments I was only diagnose around 18 months ago and have had three hospital admissions within that period for abceses and this time with the added complication of a small perforation.  However day to day I luckily don't have any symptoms so life carry on as normal so feel a bit worried whether I actually need the surgery as this stage although the surgeons think I do so will take their advice. For those who work his long did it take to return to work? I am hoping no longer than six weeks. 

    • mr_54542
      mr_54542 deborah_90605

      Posted

      Hi Deborah, strange coincidence to get your notification as I was just discussing my op that was a year ago this week. I had precisely the same symptoms as you. You need it because you could perforate again any time any where and without expert medical attention you could die. Sounds dramatic but the best case scenario would be an emergency op with colostomy bag because they can’t avoid it if you’re infected. I asked my surgeon if he was me would he do it electively and he replied he would as he wasn’t a betting man. I took six weeks and it was fine to return to work but take your time as you’ll be emotionally fragile and underweight. The first few weeks are tough and painful but then you’re suddenly your old self and you will be so happy to no longer have  that nightmare hanging over you. Good luck. Adam 
    • deborah_90605
      deborah_90605 mr_54542

      Posted

      Thank you Adam that is really reassuring.  I think being younger we are probably in a better position re recovery and are probably just unlucky in terms of contracting it in the first place.  It is just very scary and I am still in a bit of shock with regard to having  surgery suggested. 
    • mr_54542
      mr_54542 deborah_90605

      Posted

      They say lack of fibre and hydration can cause it but that wasn’t the case with me. I was told they’re seeing more instances in younger people with no obvious cause.  Don’t sweat the op and just focus on the summer knowing you’ll be tip top by then. 
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