Diverticulitis surgery

[mariele]

Next week I'm going for surgery, mu doctor said is nessesary since I have 3 diverticulitis attack, I'm very nervous, I hope is the right dessicion what should I expect?


This discussion is related to Problems after surgery for diverticulitis.

[Colleensick]

Your case sounds so much like mine...I am scared to death about the surgery but tired of being sick and in pain...I have had a total of 9 attacks....along with urinary tract infections ....I am hearing alot of sexual complications after surgery....I am in my prime and do not want that problem...EVER!! Is this true?? I see there is not enough chat rooms or organizations to handle this epidemic.... the docs I had seemed to not want me to have surgery ....now I flare every 30 days.....I just don't want cut anymore after this...but there is no guarantees..... maybe if I do a total diet change, I am not eating alot of anything anymore... maybe I can avoid surgery...... I am stuck on stupid... can someone talk with me in detail about their experience....I am from Pittsburgh ...overweight...have lower back problems....on narcotics..... and going crazy...Thanks!!

[SUfanatic]

Hi there.  I am a 46 year old female who has had three documented attacks.  I am seriously considering surgery but am very fearful of complications.  How are you doing now that it has been a few years?  I would greatly appreciate any insight.  Thanks!

[ronbo9503]

A week ago I had laproscopic sigmoid colectmy for my diverticulitis problem. I had 3 bouts in 4 months and the surgery was recommended. I had the surgery electively between bouts. The surgery went well and I had 7 inches of my sigmoid colon and my appendix removed. I was up and walking the next day. The pain was controlled by morphine drip and i was out of the hospital on the fourth day. Pain seemed to get a little worse when i got home due to the conversion from morphine drip to Norco pills but not overwhelming. The only issue I have had is not being able to move my bowels regularly and i have had some bad gas pains as it is hard to pass the gas. I am so glad I had the surgery. I hated the antibiotics, They made me soooo sick! I am in my 8 th day of recovery and feeling pretty good. I have pain getting out of bed and still have gas pains. The surgeon stated that it will take some time before my bowels are back to normal. I too was very afraid to have this surgery for fear i would wake up with a bag. My suggestion is to have the surgery electively to prevent emergency surgery, complications and a possible colostomy bag. Good luck to all......

[Sue357]

Hi.  I am almost 12 weeks post op from having 7 inches of my sigmoid colon removed.  The reason is that over a 5 month period, I had 6 episodes of diverticulitis which caused a lot of scar tissue and was causing the colon ( which I found out was naturally smaller than normal ) to begin to stricture ( close up). I did not want the surgery but was hospitalized, over the Holidays, with another attack.  I was advised at the hospital that another attack could be "catastrophic sp?) and chose to return, in 3 weeks and have elective colon resection.  I can say that while I am still in some pain ( surgeon said 3-6 months to "forget I had the surgery"), I guess I am glad I had it as I was so sick of taking the antibiotics, so many times, and them not working.  Hope this helps.

[Morecambe]

In case my experience is helpful to you, I made a response earlier today to patty307 on the "expert forum".  Have a look at it and please feel free to ask more questions via a further posting here.

Morecambe

[mariele]

The Dr. is going to remove the sigmoid ccolon, he dont believe that I need a bag.

[Morecambe]

In your posting you do not say exactly what operation has been suggested for you.  Is a partial or total colectomy (also called an ileorectal anastomosis) contemplated?

Please clarify and then I may be able to comment.  Four years ago I underwent a total colectomy for torrential diverticular bleeding.

Morecambe