Surgery on Monday!!!

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butterfly23
butterfly23 Member Posts: 256
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Hi I am 37 years old with 4th stage colon cancer also in lymth nodes, I have had 12 rounds of 5fu, I am now NED!!!! I will be having surgery to remove the rest of the tumor, It has shrunk quite a bit... Then some more chemo. My question is what can I expect pain wise with my surgery. My surgeon will try to do it laproscopic if not he will do it the traditional way (CUT)I am not nervous at all, I want the tumor OUT!!! Please stay positive, you are all in my prayers!!
Karyn

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  • Julie 44
    Julie 44 Member Posts: 476 Member
    #2
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    Hey there
    I had surgery 1 month ago for a large cancerous mass in my colon...The cutting was not bad only pain getting up and down.I had a Morphine pump which I could use every 10 Min. if I needed to. But not much pain for me. The thing I hated the most was the tube they stick up your nose and it goes down your throat to get stuff out of your lungs..That was sooo annoying to me. Once that came out it wasn't bad. Just walk when you can it will help with the gas pains...Also if you have stapels wear very loose fitting clothing when you get out otherwise it pushes on the stapels and it is uncomfortable. Good luck and try not to worry. Keep us posted..
  • pamness
    pamness Member Posts: 524 Member
    #3
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    Surgery
    If your surgeon can do it laproscopicly - the air they pump in is about the only issue - you have to wait for it to pass. If they can't - mine wasn't done laprosopily - it isn't that bad. They gave me a morphine drip that was inserted into my back (it didn't hurt) and really worked. I was sore when I went home, but it was mostly the getting up and down. After the air passed, (took about 3 days) I was not in much pain. I had staples - they were removed 12 days after surgery and within 4 weeks, I was almost as good as new.

    Best of luck, but not to worry.

    Pam
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #4
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    Grab a pillow.....
    When you sneeze, laugh or cough...hold the pillow against your belly....

    My surgery was a full laparotomy....from my belly button to my pubic bone. I woke to a morphine drip epidural that was removed on day 3. I had a 'pain button', but never used it. I don't know why, but I really had no ongoing pain from the surgery.

    I am sending good vibes for the laparoscopy...but, with that, remember the gas, as someone else said. It can present in a pain in your shoulder (of all things...)

    Hugs, Kathi
  • Sandi1
    Sandi1 Member Posts: 277
    #5
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    1 month ago
    Hi, my husband had a colon resection about a month ago, he also did not have much pain. Just the first day of the surgery, after that he was able to handle the pain and didn't use the pain meds, they also constipate you. My advice to you is, get up and walking as soon as you can - it helps things move around and get out. When you are able to eat, go slow. My husband was so hungry that he over indulged and then was put back on ice chips. He also found laying on his right side helped to move the gas around and out. He had surgery on a Monday and I was taking him home on Saturday.

    I wish you good luck with your surgery, and we are so very happy that you are NED, congratulations. My husband just finished his first round of chemo today, 11 more to go. He too is Stage 4.

    Sandi
  • ldot123
    ldot123 Member Posts: 272
    #6
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    Sandi1 said:

    1 month ago
    Hi, my husband had a colon resection about a month ago, he also did not have much pain. Just the first day of the surgery, after that he was able to handle the pain and didn't use the pain meds, they also constipate you. My advice to you is, get up and walking as soon as you can - it helps things move around and get out. When you are able to eat, go slow. My husband was so hungry that he over indulged and then was put back on ice chips. He also found laying on his right side helped to move the gas around and out. He had surgery on a Monday and I was taking him home on Saturday.

    I wish you good luck with your surgery, and we are so very happy that you are NED, congratulations. My husband just finished his first round of chemo today, 11 more to go. He too is Stage 4.

    Sandi

    Laparoscope is good
    I had my surgery via a laparoscope. It worked out well although I did develop a hernia from this. Small percentage of those with this surgery do. Lucky me! I was up and walking around the next day. Had some nausea from the morphine. Other than that it was pretty good as far as recovery. Glad to hear things are looking good for you. Positive thoughts are coming your way.

    Cheers, Lance
  • hannacat
    hannacat Member Posts: 101
    #7
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    post op pain
    i had an epidural in my back and meds whenever i needed and the pain was not bad at all.good luck. they do this all the time,remember,and want patients to be "happy campers"had full open surgery.
  • CherylHutch
    CherylHutch Member Posts: 1,375
    #8
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    Good Luck!
    Hey Karyn,

    Don't worry about the pain. The nurses/surgeon/pain team all know exactly what to do to manage pain.

    Apparently, when I was in Recovery, they were having a hard time getting my pain under control... but the nice thing about Recovery is, whatever drugs you are coming off from the surgery, they totally make you forget anything about pain. I remember waking up in recovery and I remember talking to the recovery nurse... but I don't remember any pain. But I had to stay in Recovery longer until they got the pain under control... which they obviously did because I don't remember any of that :)

    As for the time I was in the hospital, I had the pain pump too, but I really didn't have to use it that much. The first day after surgery was kinda tough because I found I couldn't move myself. But after that, it was all pretty darn ok. Walking was slow the whole time I was in the hospital, but once I got home, getting around seemed easier, although it did tire me out.

    So, I would say there was very little pain... but moving can tire you out pretty quickly for the first couple of weeks.

    Hugggggs,

    Cheryl
  • butterfly23
    butterfly23 Member Posts: 256
    #9
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    Thank-You
    Thank-you all for your input! It was very helpful.
    Keep positive and God bless!
    Karyn
  • hopefulone
    hopefulone Member Posts: 1,043 Member
    #10
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    Good luck on Monday
    Sending positive thoughts and prayers your way for a successful surgery Monday. Keep the faith
    God Bless,
    Diane

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