Anyone else have a Redundant / Tortuous Colon?

I was diagnosed with Torturous redundant colon during a difficult scope after a very painful episode. This scope was done after I passed out from pain & then diarrhea & vomiting. I thought it was a virus because I felt some better the next morning. Then I had lots of blood during my BM so I went immediately to the Dr.. I was sent for CT scan where I was diagnosed with is ischemic colitis. I had some diverticulosis & a polyp removed. My GI told me it was a difficult scope due to to much colon. He didn’t recommend surgery. I then got Cdiff 8 months later after being given an antibiotic, clindamycin for a sinus infection. I’m always afraid I’ll need another scope & it will be bad.

Hello , I am 27 years old male, very athletic build and does regular physical activity, but i have always had this problem of bloating and sense of incomplete evacuation and constipation since i was 18 yrs old, many of the consultation ended up describing it as irritable bowel syndrome and prescription of laxatives and fibres which didnt help at all. But I recently underwent colonoscopy and was diagnosed with redundant sigmoid colon and they say I have to have a surgery to improve my symptoms. Being young and the sole bread winner for my family, I am devastated. I am ready to undergo the procedure but I am being informed that the result is not guaranteed and there may be worsening of symptoms. I am lost, if anyone out there with similar problems post or pre surgery please do share ur views to help me out…thankyou

Dear @gibssy174: i am faced with your exact situation but I am 74 years old: to have to go through this at your age should never happen you have all my sympathy. Because of the risks involved with the procedure & the lack of guaranty that my symptoms will disappear I have decided to first try & work with a nutritionniste it is a lot of work to keep track of everything you eat every day to find out what you react to but it is better than surgery which would mean you would end up with a new anatomy which is the unknown & not necessary better.. could be worst! You must remember that stress plays a big role with IBS for sufferers such as ourselves. So stress reduction must be part of the solution (meditation exercise etc. etc.). After you have given a good try to these things if they do not work (I bet they will..) then you may consider surgery after knowing PRECISELY what you are getting into. The best of luck & keep us posted I will do the same

Dear @gibssy174: i am faced with your exact situation but I am 74 years old: to have to go through this at your age should never happen you have all my sympathy. Because of the risks involved with the procedure & the lack of guaranty that my symptoms will disappear I have decided to first try & work with a nutritionniste it is a lot of work to keep track of everything you eat every day to find out what you react to but it is better than surgery which would mean you would end up with a new anatomy which is the unknown & not necessary better.. could be worst! You must remember that stress plays a big role with IBS for sufferers such as ourselves. So stress reduction must be part of the solution (meditation exercise etc. etc.). After you have given a good try to these things if they do not work (I bet they will..) then you may consider surgery after knowing PRECISELY what you are getting into. The best of luck & keep us posted I will do the same

Dear @gibssy174: i am faced with your exact situation but I am 74 years old: to have to go through this at your age should never happen you have all my sympathy. Because of the risks involved with the procedure & the lack of guaranty that my symptoms will disappear I have decided to first try & work with a nutritionniste it is a lot of work to keep track of everything you eat every day to find out what you react to but it is better than surgery which would mean you would end up with a new anatomy which is the unknown & not necessary better.. could be worst! You must remember that stress plays a big role with IBS for sufferers such as ourselves. So stress reduction must be part of the solution (meditation exercise etc. etc.). After you have given a good try to these things if they do not work (I bet they will..) then you may consider surgery after knowing PRECISELY what you are getting into. The best of luck & keep us posted I will do the same

Hello , I am 27 years old male, very athletic build and does regular physical activity, but i have always had this problem of bloating and sense of incomplete evacuation and constipation since i was 18 yrs old, many of the consultation ended up describing it as irritable bowel syndrome and prescription of laxatives and fibres which didnt help at all. But I recently underwent colonoscopy and was diagnosed with redundant sigmoid colon and they say I have to have a surgery to improve my symptoms. Being young and the sole bread winner for my family, I am devastated. I am ready to undergo the procedure but I am being informed that the result is not guaranteed and there may be worsening of symptoms. I am lost, if anyone out there with similar problems post or pre surgery please do share ur views to help me out…thankyou

Hello , I am 27 years old male, very athletic build and does regular physical activity, but i have always had this problem of bloating and sense of incomplete evacuation and constipation since i was 18 yrs old, many of the consultation ended up describing it as irritable bowel syndrome and prescription of laxatives and fibres which didnt help at all. But I recently underwent colonoscopy and was diagnosed with redundant sigmoid colon and they say I have to have a surgery to improve my symptoms. Being young and the sole bread winner for my family, I am devastated. I am ready to undergo the procedure but I am being informed that the result is not guaranteed and there may be worsening of symptoms. I am lost, if anyone out there with similar problems post or pre surgery please do share ur views to help me out…thankyou

I read on a Harvard website that the length of the colon does not matter regarding constipation and not to remove a section of the colon. The article was from 2014. (You must sign up for a paid account to read the article. You might be able to read the article the first time but subsequent attempts require an account. Google for this website called health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/Chronic_constipation_reconsidered) Any thoughts?

"Length doesn't matter

Doctors used to think that having an extra-long colon led to constipation. It doesn't. Study results vary, but the normal length seems to range from 4 to 6 feet.

In early 2005, a group of specialists debunked myths and misconceptions about constipation in an article written for the American Journal of Gastroenterology. Here is some of what they had to say:

1. Constipation isn't caused by an extra-long colon. People used to have their colons surgically shortened and sometimes removed entirely because doctors thought an elongated colon caused constipation. The theory was that a long colon would prolong "stool residence time." It was wrong and doctors stopped performing the operations decades ago, but the idea that colon length is associated with constipation still lingers."