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Diarrhea after colon resection: How long does it last? Any tips?

Posted by fisch @fisch, Oct 1, 2023

I was diagnosed with cancer of the cecum following a routine colonoscopy last July. I had the colon resection last Thursday 9/28. Things seemed to be going well, but on Friday a frequent bloody diarrhea started. Kind of scary. They are keeping me an extra day in the hospital to try to get it resolved. Had hoped to go home today for sure. Has anyone else had this problem? And, how long did it last? What dietary changes, or helpful tips, if any?

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mayo1969 | @mayo1969 | Oct 3, 2023
In reply to @deezy "I think the Align jump started eveything to start working as it should. I have been..." + (show)
@deezy

I think the Align jump started eveything to start working as it should. I have been having nearly normal bowel movements and the Imodium the two times I felt it necessary could have been triggered by something I ate. If I can figure out what triggers the minor bout of diarrhea I will for sure not eat that again. A little hard right now as family and a wonderful neighbor are bringing meals. I’m am sole caregiver to my life partner who is 83 so have needed help with meals and house cleaning.

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Please tell me what Align is. I took one Imodium and really got sick from it. So am on lots of metamucil every day. Its been 6 weeks.

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mayo1969 | @mayo1969 | Oct 3, 2023
In reply to @deezy "So glad you are getting to go home and hope you see improvement everyday even if..." + (show)
@deezy

So glad you are getting to go home and hope you see improvement everyday even if it is just a little. Appreciate your understanding about being a caregiver. Fortunately I have family (his and mine) that help. I would love to hear how you are getting along in the days ahead if that is something you would be comfortable doing.

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Please tell me what an Align jump is for the diarrhea.

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roselady57 | @roselady57 | Sep 19 6:05pm

I am 11 1/2 past colon resection surgery for 2 long suspicious but non cancerous polyps. My surgery was open stomach type in 2013 and it was the worst and most painful experience of my lifetime. All this time that has passed and I still have annoying daily diarrhea. I still have to take immodium, almost daily. Having this surgery has hurt my quality of life and I struggle to be able to leave my home without wondering where the bathroom would be. In hindsight, I wished I had never had this surgery. I have had follow up colonoscopies, about five since the surgery. I am done getting colonoscopies as if something were found, I feel I could not endure another colon resection surgery. This experience has been a nightmare. Time to allow nature to take its course. I am currently 66 years old.

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1 reply
barjar | @barjar | Sep 20 7:46am

I have a very similar situation after colon surgery. It was finally diagnosed as
Bile malabsorption. I was subscribed Cholestyramine. I take it every day. It
Immediately stopped the diarrhea.

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rjjacobsen | @rjjacobsen | Sep 20 11:03am
In reply to @roselady57 "I am 11 1/2 past colon resection surgery for 2 long suspicious but non cancerous polyps...." + (show)
@roselady57

I am 11 1/2 past colon resection surgery for 2 long suspicious but non cancerous polyps. My surgery was open stomach type in 2013 and it was the worst and most painful experience of my lifetime. All this time that has passed and I still have annoying daily diarrhea. I still have to take immodium, almost daily. Having this surgery has hurt my quality of life and I struggle to be able to leave my home without wondering where the bathroom would be. In hindsight, I wished I had never had this surgery. I have had follow up colonoscopies, about five since the surgery. I am done getting colonoscopies as if something were found, I feel I could not endure another colon resection surgery. This experience has been a nightmare. Time to allow nature to take its course. I am currently 66 years old.

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As for not getting through another surgery, I had my entire colon removed via minimally-invasive robotic assisted surgery. I literally was up running a snowblower 2 days after being released from the hospital. I have zero lingering effects other than the diarrhea that results from not having a colon.

Mayo recommended for me that I take a thick slurry of Metamucil for the diarrhea. I recommend sugar-free because sugar can exacerbate the diarrhea. If you substitute something else, ensure the fiber you use absorbs liquids - not all do.

You can also get fiber supplements in capsules which are much easier to take than the powder when traveling.

The difficulty with treatment that is it takes a bit of experimentation to figure out how much and how often.

Hope this helps.

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