Surgery this Firday

[Leo]

Hi all, I am having surgery this Friday for divurticulitis and I am scared to death. Can anyone add some insight into the recovery. I am a 44 year old active male (play ice hockey and golf) and I am scared I will have to give up some of it.

[Leo]

Well I had my surgery and here I sit in the hospital 8 days later. Eveything went ok and no complications. There is much pain with the surgery but you get all the drugs you want.
I have just started to eat solid food.
They but this drain in your side, and take it out before you leave the hospital, I heat that it is very painful coming out.'
They tried to do the surgery Lappy but had to conver so I have this big scar.

[Leo]

Hello everyone,
Now following 2 weeks after my surgery I experience extreme cramping and pain about 10 times a day. i make frequent visits to the washroom, and when cramping generally do not feel well.
My wound is getting better and hurts less and less everyday. It did get infected while I wa in hospital, but they drained it and now pack it, and leave it open. A nurse comes to my house everyday to change the packing. I am seeing my doctor on Tuesday. Will update about cramping then. Other than that I feel good.

[Leo]

Well into week 5 after surgery and I generally feel ok, but I get tired very fast. I get weird pains now and again all over my mid/lower sections. I currently have a pain in the lower right side of my body. It has been there a couple of days. Does anyone else experience this? Also still hurts to the batheroom (pee).

[George]

Hi Leo, I can't believe there is a forum for diverticulitis....this is great. I am so happy to hear that your surgery went well. I am 34 and also a hockey player,I had an attack in June, they say if I have another and because i'm so young then i'll need surgery (I would think the opposite should hold true). Leo please tell me why you had surgery...Why are they telling me I may need surgery....and are we going to have the same lifesyle after colon surgery...please respond.

[Leo]

George wrote:

Hi Leo, I can't believe there is a forum for diverticulitis....this is great. I am so happy to hear that your surgery went well. I am 34 and also a hockey player,I had an attack in June, they say if I have another and because i'm so young then i'll need surgery (I would think the opposite should hold true). Leo please tell me why you had surgery...Why are they telling me I may need surgery....and are we going to have the same lifesyle after colon surgery...please respond.

Hi George,

I needed surgery becuase I had about 4 attacks, one that resulted in hospitalization. After you have one attack they tend to become more frequent, even after you adjust your diet. Frequent attacks also tend to weaken the intestine wall and this could lead to perfferation of the bowel. If this happens you would need immediate surgery, and could cause death. All the stuff I read about this, and I read a ton of stuff before I went into the operating room, says that 2 of 10 people die once the bowel is perfferated. Not a good average.
I am about 6 weeks after the surgery, and feel pretty good. I have lost 25 pounds (but I needed to lose about 30, so that part has been good).They had to cut me as the scopes did not work for me, which led to a longer time in hospital plus infection. Make sure you ask people to come and visit you in the hospital for 2 reasons. 1. it gets real boring. 2. My hockey buddies were really teasing me before the surgery, when they came to visit me and saw all the tubes coming out of my body they realized that this was serious and felt really bad.Mye extra whining helped as well.-) If you want to talk to me directly I would be willing to give you my number, I know before I went into surgery a few weeks ago I was scared to death, and could not find to much information, thats whay I keep writing here, I want to inform others.
my email is [e-mail].

[George]

Hey Leo, this is great, I feel like I'm back in school and have just made a new buddy. It would be a great priviledge if you can give me your number....I'll get in touch with you by e-mail...A.S.A.P Thanks again

[Bob]

I am 40 and elected to get surgery 9 days ago was released from hospotal after 6 days and i had passed gas and had a bowel mvmt. My surgeon told me if i didint have the surgery i might end up wearing a coloscopy bag and that scared me enough. In recovery mode taking it slow.

[Jennifer]

Bob wrote:

I am 40 and elected to get surgery 9 days ago was released from hospotal after 6 days and i had passed gas and had a bowel mvmt. My surgeon told me if i didint have the surgery i might end up wearing a coloscopy bag and that scared me enough. In recovery mode taking it slow.

Bob,

How could NOT having the surgery result in a coloscopy bag? That sounds scary. I was recently diagnosed and get infections with high fevers just about every month now. Antiboiotics take care of it in a few days...but I think my doctor wll want to become more agressive and has mentioned surgery.

As long as anitbiotics work, I don't know why they need to cut into us...Do you have any insight?

[Maureen]

My friend needs to have the surgery and we are being told it cannot be done larpriscopicly in NB??? they don't have the equipment here yet - also will take 6mths - 1 year to get booked for the surgery - long wait list - what is the wait in Ont? I assume doing this laprocopy is common there?

[Leo]

Hi Maureen,

I had to wait about 3 months, but in summer, the wait time is less. My doctor tried the operation, larpriscopicly, but he had to covert and cut me open. I think about 30% result in the concersion anyway. It is still not perfected using the scope.
It took longer to get better, but I feel great now.

Good Luck

[Mike Z]

This is a great site! I'm 44 and had my first "bout" with Diverticulitis last November. I didn't know what I had, but ended up getting diagnosed with Diverticulitis and spent a week in teh hospital w/nothing by mouth, not even water, just IVs. In the past year, I've had about 5 more bouts, not requiring hospitalization, just antibiotics, but yesterday my Dr. told me I need to have surgery and have part of my lower colon removed. Going under the knife (based on two botched shoulder surgeries) is the last thing I want to do, but, I guess if I want to avoid a coloscopy bag, I better do it. I have a high-paced job and need to be gone for a few weeks, but I'm now aiming at late October/November to go in and get it done. The flagyl and cipro no longer work. How is everyone doing now?

[Leo]

Mike Z wrote:

This is a great site! I'm 44 and had my first "bout" with Diverticulitis last November. I didn't know what I had, but ended up getting diagnosed with Diverticulitis and spent a week in teh hospital w/nothing by mouth, not even water, just IVs. In the past year, I've had about 5 more bouts, not requiring hospitalization, just antibiotics, but yesterday my Dr. told me I need to have surgery and have part of my lower colon removed. Going under the knife (based on two botched shoulder surgeries) is the last thing I want to do, but, I guess if I want to avoid a coloscopy bag, I better do it. I have a high-paced job and need to be gone for a few weeks, but I'm now aiming at late October/November to go in and get it done. The flagyl and cipro no longer work. How is everyone doing now?

Hi Mike,

I had the surgery in July and almost back to normal. I was cut right open. If you are cut open you better allow more than 2 weeks to be back to normal. Overall I feel way better now than before the surgery. But the surgery is no cake walk.

[Mike Z]

Thanks Leo.....was talking with my wife about it last night and told her that I thought, based on reading these collective comments, one week was way off the mark. I really can't wait to get fixed. I feel like I'm juggling hand grenades all the time - especially because I travel so much......first time I got this I ws hospitalized for a week away from home. I'm lucky it was close enough though where my wife could come see me.

Do you still have pain? Still on pain meds? Are you back to working out at all? Active? Do you think that now, because of surgery, you're fixed for good? Big scar? I'm almost feeling like I want them to cut me open just to make sure they get all of this out of me!

Thxs,
Mike

[Leo]

Mike Z wrote:

Thanks Leo.....was talking with my wife about it last night and told her that I thought, based on reading these collective comments, one week was way off the mark. I really can't wait to get fixed. I feel like I'm juggling hand grenades all the time - especially because I travel so much......first time I got this I ws hospitalized for a week away from home. I'm lucky it was close enough though where my wife could come see me.
Do you still have pain? Still on pain meds? Are you back to working out at all? Active? Do you think that now, because of surgery, you're fixed for good? Big scar? I'm almost feeling like I want them to cut me open just to make sure they get all of this out of me!
Thxs,
Mike

HI Mike,

I travel quite a bit as well,and to Asia quite a bit, so thats why I elected to have the surgery. An attack in Asia would be a big problem. I still have mild pain experiences but not that much and they are tolerable. I am back to playing golf, although it is hard to swing the longer clubs. But I am playing. I cannot go back to ice hockey until november. I am off the drugs and only need some sleep aids as I never react well to being put under for an operation. I was so happy when I found this forum before my operation as it helped me a great deal. I just want to share my experience in case it helps somone get through the operation. If you want more information about my experince feel free to drop me a line. My email adddress is somewhere in one of my posts.

[Mike Z]

Thxs Leo....odd you should say you travel to Asia quite a bit, too.....I asked my doc the other day how common this was and he replied "in Asia not at all!" So, should you have had an attack there, and needed surgery, probably not a lot of Drs with much experience. I'm setting up an appointment today for when I return in a couple of weeks. Gotta knock it out. Guess there's no such thing as a good time. I really just want to to go away FOR GOOD!

What's the biggest risks, infections?

Do you feel confident that it won't return?

Thxs

[Leo]

Hi Mike,

There are many risks, most of them are rare. But do your homework first. They had to cut me open because they could not do it with he scope for some reason, I also got an infection with theWound. Plan on being in the hospital longer than they tell you and plan on taking longer to get better, and do not rush the healing. My problem was in the very beginning of the lower intesting so that being removed I think will help me. From what I have read if the problem in to deep, you can get another occurance. Usually in older people. Ask you docter a ton of questions and read read read. I though I would not make it out of surgery and was a mess before I went in. Thank god for people here to help. Good luck..... Oh and Ifound that no matter how much I altered my diet I still got attacks before the surgery. The good news is since the surgery I feel great, and in bettter shape, and I only had it in July.

[donna Ohio]

Thank god for this sight!!! I am going to have my surgery Oct. 25. I am 55 but in good shape. I only weigh 125 lbs. Im concerned about the pain and loosing too much weight. I sounds like it takes at least 8 weeks to feel pretty good. My hubby has been great. I have a pic line in my arm and taking iv antibiotics at home for 18 days!! That's after I was hospitalized for 8 days with diverticulitis. Thanks so much for sharing!!

[Mike Z]

I just cut a trip short to see a surgeon last Friday. He said I have a "nasty" case and he will have to remove approximately 20 inches of my colon. I was told I'd be in the hospital 4 to 7 days and need three weeks to heal at home. I'd been on sipro and flagyl for three weeks after my last CAT scan, but have felt really lousy for months, therefore, I'm actually looking forward to this surgery. I haven't really had a healthy, normal life since I got my first attack 11 months ago, which came out of nowhere and ended up costing me a week in the hospital on IVs. For the past three months I haven't even been able to button my pants and belt due to this feeling like red ants in my stomach. I've always been really healthy - a runner. I'm 5 foot 6 inches, about 165 pounds. Any advice/thoughts from any of you who have "been there?"

Thanks
Mike

[Leo]

HI Mike,

Read my earlier posts as I go through some of the days following my hospital experience (I had my laptp in the hospital). I had the surgery on July 14th and have not been able to return to my ice hockey team. Docter says November. Plan on a longer recovery than they tell you, especially if you are cut open. The first month is the worst and you will feel very strange and get werid sensations in your mid section.I was in the hospital for 2 weeks beacuse of infection. If you have lots of friends, make sure they come and visit, early on, they will see how serious the procedure can be. Some of my freinds never even had a Colonoscopy and not since my issues they have gone or are scheduled to go for one. It also helps pass the time when you have visiors. Mike, this is not a fun procedure, but in my case needed, and now I fell beter than I have in the last 5-6 years. My docter said I could wait until I get older (I am 44), but he said the recovery is much more painful, and takes way longer. I could not imagine having the surgery at 60. One last piece of advice, if the nurses are good, buy them a pizza dinner (order some up for them), I did, and they treated me like a king for the next week and half, I even got moved to a private room.They told me that nobody never does anything for the nurses, and it was really appreciated. My surgeorn also took adbuse from them, because he never buys them anything, anyway it created a diversion, well spent $50 bucks.

One last piece of advice, as soon as you can walk around, make sure you do. Walk Walk Walk all over the hospital. It will really help.

Leo