Post operative advice please.
Posted , 6 users are following.
I've asked a similar question before but can someone who has had Both a bowel resection and iliostomy please tell me how I should be feeling about now. It's 5 weeks today. I. Can walk around a bit, but not for long, still quite sore. Is this all normal.? I know the surgeon said I would be dehydrated until reversal, so I know that holds me back a bit. I'm getting around the house a bit, but certainly couldn't walk around the shops or anything like it. Does this all sound fairly normal. I think having the resection and the iliostomy is important to remember as that's a bigger op than a resection only. Any advice would be welcome .
0 likes, 6 replies
carol350 Rhiannon_5000
Posted
Rhiannon_5000 carol350
Posted
Thanks for the hugs anyway 😀
annis1961 Rhiannon_5000
Posted
Sadly, Rhiannon, everyone recovers differently. Recovery from a resection alone can take up to 6 weeks, but that would assume your health before the op was good. As a general thing, I'd not do anything that causes me actual pain, and speak to my GP if I didn't appear to be making (gentle) progress. Apparently you're at risk of B12 deficiency because of the iliostomy, so I hope you were told about that?
Rhiannon_5000 annis1961
Posted
Interestingly I mentioned some tingling , pins and needles etc and I'm a vegetarian ( not a vegan though) so surgeon sent me for b12 blood test. I haven't heard the results yet. Wouldn't surprise me if I'm low. Thanks for your answer. I think I'm probably on track. Just anxious. Much appreciated.
ukusa69335 Rhiannon_5000
Posted
Hi Rhiannon. I am 21 days post op. I had 14.6 cm of sigmoid resected for diverticular disease that I suffered on and off with for 8 years. I elected the surgery, and it was done via hand assisted robot so I had 5 small incisions and one slightly larger incision so the surgeon could remove the diseased piece of colon. I was in the hospital for three days then sent home. The second day home, I started to feel a deep burning pain on my right lower side of my stomach which is where the larger incision was made. It felt so bad that I could barely walk to and from my bathroom. I was given 40 Percocet to take three times a day, but I only took a half of one at night so I could sleep as I didn't want to become constipated, so I know I didn't help myself with pain relief....Like I said, it's been three weeks now, and I still have a lot of deep pain at the larger incision site. I can walk around the house a little more each day, but it still hurts like the devil if I try to do stuff like make myself a sandwich or cup of tea... I tried to mop the kitchen floor the other day, and that was a big no no... I saw my surgeon yesterday for my follow up, and told her all about this pain, and she told me that the larger incision is sewn deep inside and that those stitches are a thicker material to keep the wound tightly closed and will feel painful while healing.. Just to stretch to reach something on my counter top is excruciating...But it is getting a tiny bit better as each day goes by. My surgeon said to expect it to last about six weeks, but fading slightly each day, so I have at least three more weeks of this to go thru... I hope this helps, and I wish you a successful and speedy recover.
Rhiannon_5000 ukusa69335
Posted
Thanks for your lovely answer. Yes they are serious operations. No doubt about it. I'm fed up go be honest. Dread going go bed because i wake up feeling horrible. Sore, banging headache etc. I think a lot is due to the dehydration. The iliostomy causes that and i cant seem to get on top of that. The immodium they want me to take to thicken output gives me horrible side effects. But it is temporary, thank goodness. Can i ask how your bowel has worked since your op? Im just thinking about the reversal i will have. Im dreading more surgery but will be glad to get rid of the bag.