Sigmoid colon resection: What to expect for recovery?

Hello!!! looks like I have wrote this nearly 4 months ago ‘ same same same ! I have being in total same as you ! Polop found ? Age same ! No understanding from surgeon 👨‍⚕️ as out what is going on what is going to happen after operation ! I So worry so stressed 😥 Paranoid about pain and soreness ! Just dreadful ! BUT now with help from mayoclinic . Org people who have being there and there problems help me also !! NOW., I can tell you in past week I am getting a little back to normal Thank god !!!! I got a infection in wound as nd had vac machine for 5 weeks ! When I came off machine all the pain pulling !! Tingle !!! Soreness!! Darts like in my tummy ! And could not turn in bed right or left Side ! Why I lay on my tummy worse ! That was for 4 weeks !! But I bought a tummy band on line great help ! Now almost 4 months I can say little niggles soreness but definitely getting there ! I know d sad o well how you feel but it wil
Get better 👍! I walk every day and drink plenty of water ‘! Sad that nobody tells us what going on after surgery !! Keep chin up !! You will get there !!’

So so true!!no one tells you about the after side 😔😔😔of operation ! Mine was done and out !!

Don’t worry ! I was then same !!!you will be ok ! You will
Get there ! Took me 4 months do far but kinda normal now 🌈🌈🌈best of luck x

Hi ! As we are same operation same age ! I think and hope you will feel Hugh difference in 3 to 4 months ! I am nearly there 4months now ! And I also had to deal with vac machine for 5 weeks as I got a big wound infection few weeks after operation ! Do try keep calm x try relax 👍it will take time x good luck x

i have stage 4 started in Colin and went to the liver, It came to the point i was totally blocked, so they put stents (total of 3), since it went to liver they wanted me on chemo prior to doing the Colin surgery. But once they removed about 6 " of Colin(9 months of chemo prior), the hardest part on the recovery was all the gasses built up from surgery. Once that ended I never had a problem or any symptoms of pain at all. It was nice to finally have a normal Colin back. Now i'm back on chemo with Liver issue and new nodules
Good luck 👍 with your results.

I was ok after resection ! But infection did set my healing back 6 weeks with vac machine ! Like you so sore still 4 months later but getting a bit easy !!!! My doc told me nothing ! Yes it’s so sad they don’t explain to you ! What is going to happen to your body , I was so worried so nervous and so tired of it all ‘ never never again do I ever want to face anything like that !! Afull ! Why don’t doc explain to a person after operation , good luck to you all ! It will get better sooner or later x

Went into ER 3 weeks ago thinking inguinal hernia mesh repair had failed. Came out of hospital 9 days later with cancer, a partial colon & a lg. tumor removal to recover from.

Ever since the the surgery anything I swallow causes great pressure, pain in my stomach &/or nausea. Is this normal? Does it pass overtime? It effects my ability to eat.

I am normally a 160 lb., 63 yr. old woman, healthy, active. I was sick for a few months with my self-diagnosed mesh failure. I now weigh a shocking 125 lb. I am weak & force myself to eat.

ANY suggestions are appreciated.

Hi @kathleenweidmann and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. You'll notice that I moved your message to this existing discussion called "Sigmoid colon resection: What to expect for recovery?" where members shared their recovery progress post colorectal surgery, members like @virgo1952 @sundance6 @corn50 @rdmishio @des46893 @1943 @bamagirlxyz @lisag03 @jmccabe51 and others. Click VIEW & REPLY to scroll through past responses.

Kathleen, you've been through a lot. To go into the hospital expecting a mesh repair and to come out having been diagnosed with cancer and major surgery and to have lost 35 lbs is a lot. Two weeks post surgery is not a long time. I'm sure that you still have some recovery time. However, you know your body best. If this pain doesn't feel right, then you should contact your surgeon or symptom management nurse. Have you reported your concerns? When is your next followup?

Thank you for responding.

Nausea medication was prescribed & helps somewhat. Follow up with oncology next week.

Have had 4 abdominal surgeries previously. This one takes the cake.

I had similar surgery (initial cancer was in my sigmoid colon and had partially attached to the cecum. I had initial surgery 5/6/19, and then another on 5/16/19 due to a leak at the anastomoses site. I had a wound vac for around 4-5 weeks and initially pain was rough. It takes months to feel better. But if you are having so much nausea I would contact your oncologist. Are you still doing chemo? I did chemo after surgery but only made it two rounds. Too much diarrhea and I wound up needing a surgery for an obstruction caused by adhesions. That was in August 2019. I developed a fistula in September and 19 and ultimately that led to a perforation requiring emergency surgery on 11/6/19. I developed sepsis and was on a ventilator for 9 days and in the hospital for 5 weeks. I was no food or liquid by mouth until end of December. I was on TPN while I healed from another Leak.
I had four prior abdominal surgeries (all open surgeries) prior to the sigmoid resection and it made healing more difficult. I had three inguinal her repairs and the mesh has been an issue with both my sigmoid resection and all other surgeries. I’m still not “normal” and have tons of gas and bloating when I eat. My tummy is still swollen and distended. I think it takes a long time to heal. I don’t feel like my surgeon really told me what to expect in the future. I think they just deal with the surgical aspect not long term. I hope you get some relief.