Colon Surgery and adhesions

ccfree4evr
ccfree4evr Member Posts: 2
in Colorectal Cancer #1
It has been three months since my surgery for colon cancer (resection). I had begun to actively walk between 2 to 4 miles a day with 1 mile being the most I could walk so the walking was accumulative miles. I felt great but then suddenly developed severe abominal pain which stopped me from being able to continue my regimen of walking. It has been 3 weeks now and although the pain has pretty much subsided, I am still unable to pick up where I left off and walk even 1/2 mile without beginning to feel the twinge of pain. A nurse told me this pain could be adhesions or scar tissue. However, my doctor wants me to get a CT scan and I am a bit fearful as I have already had 3 this year and wonder if maybe my colon needs a bit more time to heal or if they are adhesions / scar tissue I can just cope with the pain or take it slowly back into walking. Any comments, suggestions are most welcome.

Comments

  • Buckwirth
    Buckwirth Member Posts: 1,258 Member
    #2
    While a concern
    about the amount of cumulative radiation from the CT scans is justifiable, it is probably in your best interest to get another, as an active tumor or an adhesion will do more harm than the radiation (which is just the potential for future harm).

    The earlier a tumor is caught the more effective the treatment.

    Please let us know what you eventually decide.

    Blake
  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    #3
    Adhesion's and Scar Tissue
    I had a bowel obstruction about 3 months after my first surgery and it hurt real bad. Things stopped and I wound up in the ER at a different hospital than where I had my initial surgery and after waiting a few days for it to clear up or a room to open at Sloan, they wound up removing the scar tissue and it's been fine since Dec 04.

    Personally, I would go for the scan. I would never want to go through another obstruction again.
    I hope this helps somewhat...
    -phil
  • John23
    John23 Member Posts: 2,122 Member
    #4
    ccfree4evrain

    Pain is your body's way of telling you to take it easy.

    For the first six months after surgery, the patient is
    usually told to exercise, but to go easy with it. No
    lifting over 20 lbs for the first 3 to 6 months, and not
    over 40 lbs for the first year. Doing "sit-ups", or any
    strenuous exercise should be avoided, since the
    abdominal muscles take time to heal, and hernias
    can occur easily.

    Adhesions are your body's way of healing. The
    downside, is that the intestines can adhere to each
    other, other organs, or simply form a band around
    the intestine itself. In all cases, an obstruction can
    occur at the site of an adhesion. You really can not
    do much to avoid that from happening, so why worry
    about what you have no control over?

    An adhesion can form without pain, or with sharp
    stabbing or pulling pain. But when it does cause pain,
    the pain will be there regardless of what you are doing,
    or if you are doing nothing at all.

    If you're getting pain after walking a mile, then you're
    walking too much. It could be from over-taxing your
    body when it's trying to heal. Good grief woman, give
    your bod a break! You've had major surgery and your
    muscles have been cut through, they need time to mend
    together; you've got loose ends that can't do what they
    once did.. at least for now..

    Get a scan. The radiation is minimal (they say), but you
    are right to be cautious. If a stupid cell phone can be
    suspected of causing harm from it's radiated signal, that
    CT scanner should cause some concern as well!

    A scan will set your mind at ease. It might not indicate
    adhesions, but if the surgeon left a pair of pliers in there,
    you'll be able to see it and notify you attorney.
    (just kiddin')

    It does sound like you're simply doing too much too soon,
    and a scan will provide proof that it's nothing more than
    that, if that is the case.

    You'll be fine. If you just can't seem to sit still, I'll drive
    my van over and you can vacuum it for me, OK?

    Stay well,

    John

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