Nearly five years ago I underwent a total colectomy for torrential diverticular bleeding. I summarised my experience in response to another Medhelp patient in a posting as follows:-
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/523166
Hope this might help a little - do come back with any further questions
regards
Morecambe
Hi. I read your post. I underwent a removal of 7 inches of my Sigmoid colon ( left side) 8 months ago. Mine was due to multiple episodes of diverticulitis that were not responding to meds and causing my colon to close up. I agree that the right side seems uncommon I think it can develop any where in the large intestine. Again, that is just my opinion as I don't know a lot about the right side but seem to have become an expert on left side pain. I was in the hospital for 5 days and off work for 2 more. I had mine lapro but hand assisted. The recovery time for this invasive procedure seems to vary by person but speaking for myself, it has been much slower than I expected. I still have a little residual pain but much much better than when I was where you are. Check other posts here under the thread "problems after colon resection" or anything about colon resection and you will read how different people have responded. Hope this helps. My best friend is a nurse and she had to keep reminding me me how invasive the procedure is. Also, for the record, I am a big baby about pain lol....
Wow...hey, did it hurt a lot? Was it open or laproscopic?
I'm due for like an immediate ileostomy and then months later, a total colectomy as surgeon doesn't feel I'm up to both. I"m terribly frightened because I have other issues directly involved and not even sure it'll help my pain.
Did you have diverticulitis or losis?
How r u healing up?
take care...Jay
PS...was the pain meds adequate?