Large Intestine Removal

[iAmanda]

Has anyone ever had their entire large intestine removed? Doctors are planning to remove mine, and rehook the end of the small intestine to the rectum. I suffer from colonic inertia. Whats life like without a large intestine? Will I lose a lot of weight, will I have to change my diet around? Any details would be helpful. So far I know that I'll be going to the bathroom a lot.

And for curiosity, I'm 18 -- so I'm quite young.

[crazy4cats]

I had my large intestine removed 2 weeks ago. Can eat anything I want.  I have a problem with constipation as opposed to diarrhea.  I guess I need to add more fiber to my diet, but have been a little afraid too. On a stool softner twice a day. The first 2 or 3 days were very painful!  I had a pain pump which allowed me to better control my pain .  Also muscle relaxants really help relieve the pain.  Taking them twice a day for 2 weeks.  In the hospital they had me up the day after surgery walking the halls 3 x day. I'm at home still sore but eating, walking and trying to take it easy.  They told me no strenuous activity for a month.  I had an overall good experience with no problems.  

[stomy]

Tim how old where you when you had your large intestine removed?
My grandson is 10 yrs old and will have his removed. At ten you should not be worrying about surgery. What would be your advice to him. Did you need to take a test to see how much mobility your intestine had?

[to be happy again]

Hi:  Thanks.  The surgeon and the naturopath both told me to WALK, WALK, WALK,  That is going to keep the weight off.  My naturopath told me if you walk 45 mins a day and it doesn't have to be a quick walk, it will boost your metabolism.   During the warm weather, I walk/run a few days a week and spin the other days at the gym but in the winter (I live in CT and it is still very cold here) I try to get to the gym 5 days a week but at least 4 days and I take their spin classes for 45 minutes so that helps.  But in the beginning I wrote everything  I put in my mouth on a piece of paper so that if I started to gain weight I could look back and see what might have caused it.  I am not saying that's for you but it helped me.  The bottom line is that you have eat less than you burn off or at least stay constant.  I had one previous surgery before my colectomy because of a perforated colon during a colonoscopy.  I had lost 10 lbs but then around Christmas time I started eating cookies saying one isn't going to hurt and then it went up to 2, etc. and I gained it all back and then some so I am determined not to let that happen again.  I had told the doctor about everything I read and how you can gain weight after this surgery and he said that isn't going to happen if you watch your caloric intake and exercise.  Many people gain weight because before the surgery they were sick such as people who had colitis or crohn's disease so they were very sick and couldn't eat.  After their surgery they felt good and could eat and therefore gained the weight.  I hope this helped you.  
The other thing I forgot to ask you is how you are having your surgery.  Is it laproscopic or open incision.  That makes a difference in recovery also.  My perforated colon surgery was open and scar tissue formed so when I had my actual total colectomy it was done laproscopicallly, he had to clean out the adhesions so that added to my recovery period.  If you have a choice go with the laproscopic.  It is a less invasive.
Let me know how you do and again any questions, feel free to ask.

[Debbyd1231]

What did you do after surgery to keep from gaining so much weight. That is what I am terrified of. I keep hearing that I will gain tons of weight.

[Debbyd1231]

Wow such great advicel

[to be happy again]

It is very scary to think about having your colon removed.  I will tell you my experience (age 65) and my daughter's (age 36).  We both have a mutation of the Familial polyposis gene.  I put it off for 1 1/2 years because of the unknown.  As you get older the healing process is longer and 2 weeks post op I was definitely much better.  It was a difficult recovery for me but I also had a hysterectomy at the same time.  At any rate recovery is different for every one.  My daughter also had a colectomy and was up and driving at 1 1/2 weeks post op.  As far as life after colectomy, I think you should do fine.  The difference in quality of life is having an ileorectal anastomosis vs. ilioanal anastomosis.  The latter usually is more difficult as you will be having BM very frequently during the day and at night.  We had the iliorectal and we are both back to our normal routine.  I find that I go to the bathroom once maybe twice a day.  My surgeon said that is unusual and usually its 3-4 times a day.  You should not have the urgency that you need to "run to the bathroom".  My daughter just had her surgery the end of October of 2013 and her body is still adjusting to what foods she can eat and what food bothers her.  It is trial and error.  Your doctor should provide you with a list of foods that you can tolerate and ones that could cause loose BM.  If he doesn't, then the hospital nutritionist should be able to  do so.

As far as the weight is concerned:  again, it's how you handle it.  I lost weight and because of the fear of gaining weight from everything I read, I went to a naturopath.  He along with my PCP said, "If you don't want to gain weight then you need to watch your caloric intake.  If you eat more than you burn off, you will gain weight."  So I joined a gym and I spin or walk about 4 days a week.  I have lost 25 lbs. and have kept it off for a year.  

I know this is a lot to handle but if your mind is in the right place, you will do well.  My surgery was elective so it was hard for me to go into the hospital feeling well and coming out feeling not so great.  You have symptoms and hopefully it will be the opposite for your.  Good luck and any more questions, please post.