Bowel Resection

I've had inflammation in my colon for years now, and they are starting to suspect endometriosis of the colon. The doctor is sending me to a surgeon for a bowel resection and I have no clue what to expect. Has anyone had this done and what can I expect. What does the prep consist of? How long can I expect to be out of commision? Any and all tips and info will be appreciated.

[patient915]

Welcome to the gastroenterology community!  I haven't had a resection and there are other people on here that have, and they probably will be able to give you better advice.  But the prep you will have to do is probably going to be very similar to the prep for a colonoscopy.  What symptoms are you currently having?

[Sillygurl21]

Well I've had a few colonoscopies, so not looking forward to the prep then. My symptoms are extreme cramping follwed by only blood and mucus bowel movements. I will also suffer nasuea and sometimes vomit during these bouts. When I am not having these episodes I suffer from mild pain and discomfort wth diarrhea. I've have several stool samples over the years and they always find occult blood. Colonoscopies always come back negative for colitis and cancer, but the sigmoid colon has been inflammed for over a decade now.

[patient915]

I'm not sure what you mean by inflammed.  Colitis is a very unspecific term that means "inflammation".  Could your doctor mean that you have unspecific inflammation of your colon, but you don't have something specific like UC or crohns?

[Sillygurl21]

I was still sort of out of it, so I could hae misunderstood what he was saying. But it appeared he believes the inflammation of the colon is caused by endometrium growth in the colon wall. The colon is inflammed and antibiotics have done nothing to help. It appears he thinks the only thing to do is a bowel resection, as nothing else has helped. He did tell me that this is not a colitis and he does not believe it to be diverticulitis as he did after the last colonoscopy.

[patient915]

My point is just that colitis and inflammation of the colon are the same thing.  "Colitis is swelling (inflammation) of the large intestine (colon)." http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002112/
I think you need to clarify with your doctor what he means when he says you have inflammation but not colitis.

[Sillygurl21]

I did not know that and I believe he meant uc and chrons, as he was thinking it was one of those two going in. When I woke up he told me he thought the inflammation was caused by endo, rather then a colitis.

[Morecambe]

I underwent a total colectomy in 2004 following bouts of torrential diverticular bleeding.  In response to another Medhelp patient's question I posted my experiences within the various responses which can be found at:-

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/523166

My surgery was not laparoscopic but fully "open abdomen".  

Please do come back with any questions you may have after reading the above.

regards
Morecambe

[patient915]

Do you have endo in other places, like your uterus?

[Ginger1111]

hello Sillygurl,
did you underwent to a gynaecological visit?
In order to determinate if you suffer of endo or not, you have first to do some other visits.
I suffered of endo, and the only thing I can suggest is to go to a specialised doctor in this issue.
Sorry for my english. Do not hesitate to contact me if you need more information about endometriosis.
Bye

[Sillygurl21]

I've had four surgeries for endo, and have been seeing a specialist for over a decade now. As for endo in the uterus, everyone has endometrium in the uterus. That's where it belongs, it becomes endometriosis when it grows outside the uterus. I have been diagnosed with stage IV endo with bowel and colon evolvement. Its not common for it to penetrate the bowel wall however, usually it is only on the surface. My specialist believed it was in my colon, but had to rely on the GI doctors. And sadly the GI doctors kept telling her there was nothing there. I've since moved and now have a GI doctor that listens, but have to find a endo specialest. Thanks for all the replies.
Morecambe I am sorry to hear what you had to go through, but think you for sharing.

[Sillygurl21]

I've had four surgeries for endo, and have been seeing a specialist for over a decade now. As for endo in the uterus, everyone has endometrium in the uterus. That's where it belongs, it becomes endometriosis when it grows outside the uterus. I have been diagnosed with stage IV endo with bowel and colon evolvement. Its not common for it to penetrate the bowel wall however, usually it is only on the surface. My specialist believed it was in my colon, but had to rely on the GI doctors. And sadly the GI doctors kept telling her there was nothing there. I've since moved and now have a GI doctor that listens, but have to find a endo specialest. Thanks for all the replies.
Morecambe I am sorry to hear what you had to go through, but think you for sharing. Its good to know life can go back to normal. Its kind of scary losing part of yourself in a surgery. I've been through several, but I've only lost stuff that should have never been there.

[Sillygurl21]

Thanks for the info, its nice to know can go back to being normal.

Patient915, endo is suppose to be in the uterus. Its when it grows outside of the uterus that it is an issue.

Ginger111 I've had four surgeries for endo, which is the only way to diagnose endo. I was diagnosed stage IV with colon and bowel involvement. My special believed the endo could have been causing the issues, but had to rely on what the GI doctors were finding as far as the depth goes.

[Sillygurl21]

Thanks for the info, its nice to know can go back to being normal.

Patient915, endo is suppose to be in the uterus. Its when it grows outside of the uterus that it is an issue.

Ginger111 I've had four surgeries for endo, which is the only way to diagnose endo. I was diagnosed stage IV with colon and bowel involvement. My special believed the endo could have been causing the issues, but had to rely on what the GI doctors were finding as far as the depth goes.

[Ginger1111]

Hi,
am sorry to hear that you have had four surgeries.
i can understand you well.
I have also a really bad story in reference to many surgeries.
had fibroids, endometriosis, and also otherr health problems.
i hope only that you have no pain.
I remember how much i suffered on endo pain!

[patient915]

Yes, I meant growths from the uterus (like the structures that connect to the uterus).

[Sillygurl21]

Thanks for the info, its nice to know can go back to being normal.

Patient915, endo is suppose to be in the uterus. Its when it grows outside of the uterus that it is an issue.

Ginger111 I've had four surgeries for endo, which is the only way to diagnose endo. I was diagnosed stage IV with colon and bowel involvement. My special believed the endo could have been causing the issues, but had to rely on what the GI doctors were finding as far as the depth goes.

[Sillygurl21]

Thanks for the info, its nice to know can go back to being normal.

Patient915, endo is suppose to be in the uterus. Its when it grows outside of the uterus that it is an issue.

Ginger111 I've had four surgeries for endo, which is the only way to diagnose endo. I was diagnosed stage IV with colon and bowel involvement. My special believed the endo could have been causing the issues, but had to rely on what the GI doctors were finding as far as the depth goes.

[Sillygurl21]

Thanks for the info, its nice to know can go back to being normal.

Patient915, endo is suppose to be in the uterus. Its when it grows outside of the uterus that it is an issue.

Ginger111 I've had four surgeries for endo, which is the only way to diagnose endo. I was diagnosed stage IV with colon and bowel involvement. My special believed the endo could have been causing the issues, but had to rely on what the GI doctors were finding as far as the depth goes.

[Sillygurl21]

Omg, I am so sorry about the multiple post. I was wondering why my comments were not posting, yeah major blonde moment. I had to click something for more responses, as I am using my phone to access the site.

Thanks Ginger111, endo is not fun but I am much better off then a lot of other people. Gotta count blessings where they are.

Patient915, they always find endo throughout my abdominal cavity. The first time they found my bowels wrapped around my falopians tubes and my colon attached to my uterus in the front and my spine in the back. They've known the bowels and colon were involved, but from my understanding it is rare for it to come through the colon wall the way they now think mine is. Though I guess they won't really be sure what it is until they remove it and run test.

[patient915]

Wow, yah I'm sorry to say this but it does sound like a resection is probably what is needed.  Do you know if the doctor knows how much he thinks he is going to cut out?  Or is he going to wait until he opens you up to see what it looks like to decide that?

[Sillygurl21]

The GI didn't say. I think he ordered the ct scan to see that, or it could be up to the surgeon. I'm not patient at all and not knowing is killing me. Surgery doesn't scare me, but all this unknown is scaring the hell out of me.

[patient915]

Yah, the unknown is pretty scary.  Luckily you've had abdominal surgeries before so you know what the recovery might be like.  That is one thing that has always scared me - not knowing what type of pain I'm going to be in when I wake up from a surgery.

[Sillygurl21]

You've got a good point about knowing the pain already. For some reason I was thinking this will be different, but thinking about it it probably won't be. I guess I need to look at this like the prior surgeries, at least that will keep me from being nervous. I guess what I am letting bother me is the fact I've never had anything that should be there removed. So this will be the first time I lose part of me. And yes I still have my tonsils. But you are right, this won't be much different from my other abdominal surgeries, so I need to keep that in mind. Thanks for putting it back into perspective for me. :)

[patient915]

Yah, I can understand how it must be difficult knowing you are going to lose part of your body.  The only thing I can think of that might make this surgery different is that you might have some problems with diarrhea following the surgery.

[Sillygurl21]

Well diarrhea is already one of my problems, so that won't be new. I know I am worrying over nothing and need to just think of this as another surgery. Thanks for all of your help and encouragement.

[patient915]

Yah no problem, let us know how it goes!

[BrennaMary]

Thinking about you today. I hope your appointment went well.

[Sillygurl21]

Sorry it took so long to get back to you. Basically I saw the GI doctor again and the biopsies came back negative, but the ct scan does show abnormal thickening of the walls o the sigmoid colon. Also several cyst in the left ovary. They believe it is endometriosis with my history, though cancer can also have this appearence. Endo is most likely, as what was seen over a decade ago matches what was seen during the recent colnoscopy. So that isn't even a worry for me, as I would have died by now.
That afternoon I saw the surgeon and basically he doesn't want to rush into surgery unless he is absolutely sure I need it. He did say with what has been discribed so far and my symptoms I will more then likely need the surgery, but he wants to do a sigmoidoscopy himself to see for himself. What scares me is I will be awake for this one. And also before that I am having a barium enema, oh the joys! I will say I am happy he isn't jumping right in to surgery. Now I am stuck in limbo for another three weeks with a slight hope I won't need the surgery. Though I was also sent to an OB-GYN, so I wil probably end up with some surgery with the ct findings.

[Sillygurl21]

Well surgery it is! I will never as long as I live go through another barium enema. Could have been worse then normal, because I was having one of my bouts when they did it. The flex sig wasn't to horrible, but not something I would look forward to. Anyway it is a benign tumor, possibily endometriosis in my colon. He hasn't said how much has to be removed, but I will be having surgery early to mid May. And with the location I may need a temporary colostomy bag. I will only find out if it was a must when I wake up though! :\ I go in for another full colonoscopy on the 26th to ensure there is nothing else in there and to tattoo the section that needs to be removed. Luckily the ob-gyn will be present to remove any endometriosis growth else where in my abdomen.

[heartfluttersflyawayplz]

wow hate your going threw all of this, and here i am so stressed out of having a colonoscopy on the 19th , i have made myself sick and lost 5 pds in week time just stressing it.

prayers are with you , you sound like your not stressed or anxiety at all about the surgery. good for you. keep us up-dated

[Sillygurl21]

I am a little nervous, but this isn't really my first abdominal surgery. So I sort of know what to expect. My first colonoscopy I was scared too, but you will see there is nothing to worry about. I just had my first flex sig while wide awake and it honestly wasn't bad. The unknown is always scary, so don't think your the only patient they've had that is scared. They know you are and will take care of you. My first laproscopy I scared to death and my doctor knew it. When I work up I learned she didn't do anything and I would need a new surgery. I didn't do a bowel prep and I had extensive bowel involvement. She lied to me all the way up until I got anethesia for the next surgery saying it would more then likely be another laproscopy, after I received the anethesia she told me "oh yeah, this will be a laprotomy." Personally I loved that she did it, cause I wasn't so worried about the second surgery!

[heartfluttersflyawayplz]

wow sounds like you have a caring dr who didnt want you so stressed out before surgery.

i know its silly to worry about just a colonoscopy but i just dont like any test. dont like having to be put out or having to be at a drs office for hours lol, i know this will go by fast because i will sleep threw it, but i think its the getting there sitting in waiting room and getting ready to have it done. lol i think they should let your love one go back with you uand hold your hand till they put you out, i know more would be less stress.  

and this is not my first one either lol, i have had one in my 20/40 but i just dont like them the prep dont bother me its the going to do it tha does. this time i think be better as they knock you out  and have someone that montors you the whole time.  cant wait for thursday to get here and be over lol. prayers are with you girl i know you will do fine. GOD BLESS