Irritable Bowel after Resection

Cully
Cully Member Posts: 8
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
What is the secret to normal activity after having a colon resection? March 2002 I had 14 inches of lower colon cut out, and after getting hooked back up in July 2002, have been experiencing a lot of Irritable Bowel Syndrome symptoms. Has anyone else experienced this, and what's the trick? IBS treatments don't take into account the fact that a huge chunk has been taken completely out of your colon! Any comments/solutions would be appreciated. Cully

Comments

  • jsabol
    jsabol Member Posts: 1,145 Member
    #2
    Hi Cully,
    I just had my surgery for bowel resection last month, and only lost 6 inches of my colon, so I haven't experienced problems with IBS type symptoms. My dad, however, lost a large portion of his large bowel, and close to his rectum with his surgery for colon ca. After the surgery, his surgeon blithley stated that they could always go back in and do a colostomy if he had problems with fecal incontinence! My dad began using metamucil 3 times a day religiously after he healed, and during and after chemo. He said it was essential, or he would be ruled by "the squirts". That was 5 years ago, and he has since passed away; wish he was still available to help you and me! He did make some minor adjustments to his diet, mainly replacing raw vegetables with cooked ones, no chocolate, caffeine or alcohol. Hope you find a solution, or a nutritionist who can help.
    Best of luck,Judy
  • nanuk
    nanuk Member Posts: 1,358 Member
    #3
    Cully: I am posting links I gave to Allison-these sites have a lot of info on IBS..there is also an
    IBS site, and they can send you there.. Bud
    **********************************************

    Alison: here is a link for posting your question-there is a lot of good toilet talk and references

    regarding this issue. http://www.ostomates.org/

    And http://ostomyinternational.org/

    Bud
  • bryancarson
    bryancarson Member Posts: 47
    #4
    I had my colostomy reversed in October of 2003 and have done really well. I have also noticed irregular bowels. My surgeon siad that would be normal for about a year as the colon learns to absorb differently. You will achieve a new normal. I have stayed away from sugars, fried foods, and oily stuff and that seems to help a lot. I have gone trough a lot of toilet paper and have the "scrapes" quite often, but that too is on the decrease. This is what I did: Write down what you are eating and how long after you eat that you don't feel well or have a sudden bowel movement - see if there was anything in your food journal that might have triggered that and stay away from that kind of food. It worked for me, I hope it works for you.
  • Cully
    Cully Member Posts: 8
    #5
    jsabol said:

    Hi Cully,
    I just had my surgery for bowel resection last month, and only lost 6 inches of my colon, so I haven't experienced problems with IBS type symptoms. My dad, however, lost a large portion of his large bowel, and close to his rectum with his surgery for colon ca. After the surgery, his surgeon blithley stated that they could always go back in and do a colostomy if he had problems with fecal incontinence! My dad began using metamucil 3 times a day religiously after he healed, and during and after chemo. He said it was essential, or he would be ruled by "the squirts". That was 5 years ago, and he has since passed away; wish he was still available to help you and me! He did make some minor adjustments to his diet, mainly replacing raw vegetables with cooked ones, no chocolate, caffeine or alcohol. Hope you find a solution, or a nutritionist who can help.
    Best of luck,Judy

    Thanks for the advice...I've tried once a day for a while, and maybe I need more Metamucil. It won't hurt to try! My doc also keeps saying he can do a permanent colostomy, but that to me is not a good alternative...I'll keep trying! Thanks again! Cully
  • Cully
    Cully Member Posts: 8
    #6
    bryancarson said:

    I had my colostomy reversed in October of 2003 and have done really well. I have also noticed irregular bowels. My surgeon siad that would be normal for about a year as the colon learns to absorb differently. You will achieve a new normal. I have stayed away from sugars, fried foods, and oily stuff and that seems to help a lot. I have gone trough a lot of toilet paper and have the "scrapes" quite often, but that too is on the decrease. This is what I did: Write down what you are eating and how long after you eat that you don't feel well or have a sudden bowel movement - see if there was anything in your food journal that might have triggered that and stay away from that kind of food. It worked for me, I hope it works for you.

    I have noticed fried foods give me the "burning ring of fire" and wow, the tp I've gone through. Thank goodness Target sells in bulk! The journal sounds like a good idea...I'll probably spot a pattern that in reality I'm avoiding, scared my favorite food is the culprit.
    Thanks for the suggestions. Heres a tip for the scrapes..Calmoseptine. You don't need a prescription, and it is WONDERFUL! Try it! Cully

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