How long can I expect to have stool issues?

camicom
camicom Member Posts: 20
edited July 2019 in Colorectal Cancer #1

Hello all. Sorry for the topic. I am 11 days post surgery and just when I think my BM's are going to start being normal again, I get diarrhea. Today I had something with caffeine in it for the first time since the surgery and it feels like Im passing lava. I had my ascending and transverse removed so I realize it will take some time for my body to aclimate, but this is no fun.

Any advise would be helpful.

Comments

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,804 Member
    #2
    The truth is.....

    you're going to have to redefine normal.

    While it is different for everybody, literally, every body, I doubt many of us ever get past having some kind of bowel issues. 

    I for one, six years from treatment, continue to have issues. Some are casued by eating the wrong foods - sometimes knowingly - and sometimes my body just wants to play havoc for a few days. 

    You are definitely in the early days, so expect things to be a bit rocky while your body recovers from surgery, and you learn, mostly by trial and error, what works for you adn what doesn't

    And we talk about the nitty gritty here, its what colorectal cancer is all about. No need for apologies and no need to be embarrassment. 

    I hope you recover well, and are one of the lucky ones whose bowels go 'right back to normal. 

    Tru

  • SandiaBuddy
    SandiaBuddy Member Posts: 1,381 Member
    #3
    Surgery

    Surgery is a huge assault on your body, so it is natural that it will take some time to heal and adjust. I think we all make some adjustments to the "new normal."  I am probably one of the lucky ones whose digestive system works fairly similarly to the way it did before the surgery, but there have been some changes.  I would guess in a month or so you will have a much better picture of the status of things.

  • Butt
    Butt Member Posts: 352 Member
    #4

    My surgeon before surgery told me that D or C can be permanent and stuff never will go back to normal. My stool became normal

    on day number 4. Exactly the same as it used to be and even the same time of a day.

  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #5
    Hard to Answer

    It took me a long time before it didn't burn coming out.  Radiation and surgery did a number on my rectum (which they removed) so when my reversal was done it hurt real bad.  Try a sitz bath and calmoseptine lotion (behind the pharmacy counter) if anus hurts.  It will take your body time to adjust to the changes so don't expect it overnight.  Hope you feel better soon.

    Kim

  • nuc
    nuc Member Posts: 44 Member
    #6
    My wife had her stoma

    My wife had her stoma reversed around 3 weeks ago.  She has about 6cm of rectum from an original 15cm, remaining.  Things are normalizing, but eating fruits or drinking juices still gives her diarrhea.  When she starts to have a feeling that her stools are going to be soft, she takes an immodium, which has been helpful in slowing things down.  Like you, her intestines are still inflamed from the surgery, and it will just take some time for everything to settle down.  If foods are still going through you to fast, ask your doctor for something stronger then immodium. 

    HTH

    Adam

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