What to expect after total colon removal?

[rosey12]

I had my colon removed and small intestine connected to the rectum. After infections and 27 days in the hospital i came home very weak. I lost 25 pounds in hospital and 10 more after coming home. I didn't eat for 3 weeks while in the hospital before they started feeding me some nutritional food through a IV. I'm now gaining weight again and eating and drinking almost normal again. My stools are frequent and liquid but with meds I can cut down the frequency. Taking metamucil 2 -3 times a day does thicken the stools. Can anyone comment on what to expect down the road with this type of surgery. Can one live a normal life again? I feel like I'm confined to the house due to the frequent bowel movements. The doctors say it will take 6 months to 1 year for the intestine to accept it's new role. Anyone experience this time frame? After 2 previous colon resections this one was so different in recovery time. Becauuse of the blockage I had when I went in to emergency they could not clean me out before the surgery and I think some of the fluids from the colon spilled inside of me causing the infection. Normally I would be out of the hospital in 3 - 5 days after surgery so I don't want to get people concerned, my infection was not a normal thing as I've had three prior colon/blockage surgeries with no problems. If anyone having this type procedure can comment on long term expectations it would be helpful. Thanks

[Morecambe]

Hi again - sorry for taking so long to get back to you but I have experienced trouble logging into Medhelp.  Anyway:-

- probably I experience 4-6 #2 movements per day now
- yes I do feel as if I have control - well more or less - I guess the feeling is "when you've got to go - then you've got to go!!"  However, I have never had an accident....
- I seem to recall a gurgling within my bowels especially in the weeks after the surgery when the number of bowel movements was higher.
- if you are able to control the consistency of your motioins via the high fibre diet I suggested then the frequency will reduce as well as the liquidity - and the feeling that there is an orchestra playing within the depths of your remaining intestines!!

Good luck
Morecambe

[rosey12]

Thanks, I've read your post you directed me to and found it to be very informative and helpful. I do have a couple of questions for you. After 4 years do you still have 6-8 bowel movements a day? Also do you feel you have control of your bowel movements at all time? Right now I don't have that control at times.Also, after your surgery could you hear liquid running throgh your bowels pretty loud at times. It seems when I have a bowel movement I hear it flowing through me getting ready for the next one to occur. It's loud enough that my wife can hear it when setting 5 feet away from me. It's kinda weird and I just was wondering if this was part of the healing process? Thanks again, I've learned more from this forum than the doctors tell you.

Rosey12

[Morecambe]

Hi - well I can get reasonably close to your own experience - I underwent a total colectomy almost five years ago for torrential diverticular bleeding.

Have a look at a previous response I made on Medhelp to another patient who placed a similar posting.  Log on to:-

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

Please feel free to come back with any further questions you may have and I'll be pleased to try and help.

Good luck
Morecambe