Problems months after colon resection surgery: What Helps?

Hi, it took me a good 4-6 months to feel 95% better. I had a sharp pain at one of my incisions. It seemed to be nerve pain and took gabapentin at night for a week or so and that seemed to help.I don’t take it anymore. I’m at 9 months post—op and still have bouts of diarrhea if I do not take my Metamucil and loperamide. It’s difficult to get through but you will. Keep connecting with your surgeon with any questions and or issues come up. It’s been very helpful for me to have zoom appointments every other month for these past 9 months. Good luck and I hope things calm down for you.

I had colon resection at Cedar’s Sinai on 2/4/21 due to a very large diverticulum that was hitting my Fallopian tube and ureter. So it has been 2 1/2 months and I have had various problems. The pain on the right side where the robot entered has subsided, but off and on, my whole stomach area aches, especially where the main 1” incision to remove the diseased section is. My main concern has been the pencil thin soft stools,
for which I have to strain to evacuate. It comes and goes and sometimes for a day or so, I have almost normal bowel movements, but ar least 4 to 5 times a day, once in a while very suddenly, almost incontinent.
My surgeon said muscle spasms in my rectum could have been triggered by the surgery and prescribed a compounded gel to insert as well as fairly hot sitz baths. Did not help so he referred me to a rectal physical therapist (really), who recommended more frequent Kegel excercises and special massages of the colon to encourage relaxation and movement.
He also said to increase my Benefiber intake and I read somewhere to mix it with applesauce or peanut butter, not drinking liquids for at least an hour.
However, every time I try to eat fairly normal food, I revert back to the pencil thin stools. The surgeon now said there is a very slight possibility that I have a structure where the colon was stapled back together. Hope not!! Not another surgery! It does not seem likely since I sometimes have a normally formed stool. I am having a special rectal MRI (defecography?) on 6/25 to see what is going on. It will show problems in all areas of the colon.
Am I being too impatient, expecting fairly normal bowel movements, or at least a steady improvement?

Yes I will! Has anyone else had bladder issues after colon surgery? I was planning on returning to work June 14th but I don’t see that happening. My job is physical. This site with others that understand is really a God send🙏🏻

@lorijbq Hi Lori, I really do understand what you mean when you say that this site is a God-send. I felt the same way after my first post over 5 years ago. I'm not sure that I've read about anyone having bladder issues after colon surgery.

Connect does have a discussion group on Bladder/Kidney issues. You might try to post about this problem on that discussion group. Perhaps you will find someone who has had a similar problem. Here is the link to those discussions, https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/kidney-conditions/

If you are comfortable sharing more, could you describe what type of bladder issues you are having? Is it incontinence, frequency, burning, or pain when you urinate?

Hi I did some research over the weekend and they say bladder issues are more common than we know after colon surgery. About 2 weeks after surgery, I felt like I was getting a UTI.... frequency, fullness, some burning at end of urinating in the morning.. just an on off uncomfortable feeling. I plan on talking to surgeon about it. My other unusual symptom is constant feeling of pressure in my rectum. It’s uncomfortable! Will I ever get my body back???? Stinks😢

You poor thing!

Hello @robinmacdonald

I can certainly understand your frustration. These are not comfortable problems to have! I am glad to see that you are following up with various tests. I hope that you will be able to reconcile these problems without surgery. I know that no one wants to have repeated surgical interventions. The 6/25 MRI should give you some good information.

I certainly do understand your physical therapy. I have also seen a pelvic floor therapist who also gave me massage instructions, as well as breathing exercises, ideas about diet, etc. It was helpful but not a cure-all.

Since going back to your "normal" eating plan is not working for you, I would keep with the plan that you were following until you get back the MRI results and understand better the problem. It could be that your digestive tract simply needs more healing time in order to get adjusted to the changes that resulted from surgery.

Will you post again and update me on how you are doing?

Hi @lorijbq

How great that you did some research! Yes, I think that a phone call with your surgeon or one of his nurses might be helpful as you have discovered from research that bladder issues can be a result of colon surgery.

I would be interested in hearing if your phone call provides you with more information. After you talk with your doctor's office can you post an update?

Hi again Karen, I think I’m replying to the right comment. Thank you so much for your description of your resection and apoendux removal. I’m still facing my surgery for the same identical surgery. I’m 83 and Caregiver for 91 yr old husband, with 5 chronic illnesses! I’ve been on here several times.. 2 yrs and 4 mo. ago diagnosed with a serrated, sessile polyp in appendix... my surgeon of 8 yrs just procrastinated to final conclusion after 2 more colonoscopies 3 catscans... that
“BONNIE, we all will go there someday!!!” Speaking of Heaven I assumed! I wanted yet a Referral to Mayo... hus reply “ sure! I’ll write whatever you want!! They like that ‘weird stuff!!!! I left and never went back... got 2 more opinions and fortunately after more dismissal from UTSW Dr. !! Wrong conclusion!! I pursued yet one more surgeon I’m trusting in! But not knowing ‘if’ cancer exists in these now old polyps... precancerous!!) gave ne a potion 1 and option 2... option one was removal of appendix and polyp in appendeceal orifice.. send for lab tests... if it’s cancerous then do the resection! But he gave me option 2.. to go ahead with resection to begin w/including of course removal of appendix and polyp??! Like they did to you... now you have healing and pain issues! I’m so freaking out as I must keep caring for my 91 yr old husband! I am taking the option one (#1) of course, hoping it stops there! Thank you so much for your info. Best of luck and prayers for further healing. I love to talk to you if that’s an option from this website. Bonita (BONNIE) Fitzgerald-Bernstein🙏

Thanks for your comments. Actually, it has been 3 1/2 months since surgery., not 2 1/2. I tried to correct my comment but it was too late. I will let you know what the 6/25 MRI shows. As another writer on this site wrote, I had the feeling I had a UTI after surgery but it only lasted the 7 days I was in the hospital. They tested me a couple of times upon my request but the finding was always negative. And I have the pressure in my rectum like the other writer reported. Feels like hemorrhoids but I don’t have them. Weird symptoms seem common.