Prolapse bowel surgery: What was your recovery like?

Posted by tabithatwitch @tabithatwitch, Oct 28, 2022

I just had a prolapse bowel surgery last week… I was in the hospital 3 days. I live alone and it’s been rough…. The post surgery “ diarrhea “ is so bad.. it just wont stop.. I feel I am torn with fissures and the pain is excruciating.. I also feel full the moment I try to eat something or drink something… the surgeon’s office is very slow to call back.. I’m trying to eat what they call the BRAT diet but if I don’t get enough fluids I think I may have to check back in the hospital but can someone tell me what I can do about this constant diarrhea and how to heal these sores? Thank you

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Digestive Health Support Group.

@lacy2

...An adult friend of my daughter had a large growing cyst or ? removed from kidney last week and spent one night in hospital; she also lives alone with a dog to take care of. She was under/given the impression the surgery was relatively straight forward etc... she is 64 and not in best of health. Gradually every day the pain got worse once home and after a few days suffering she too did not get a call back from surgeons office and although usually strong when comes to ill health, the pain was so bad she went to emerge at local hospital; after five hours she rang the buzzer as was crying in pain; the nurse or ? said to her.. what do you want to do about it, leave? so she said yes and did. At home she took stronger or more pain meds and it eased up a bit; since then went back to surgeon and had some kind of tube removed and still not feeling well.
Sorry I cannot help you, but just wanted to say that with the crisis in health care here in Canada and other countries, time no longer seems available to thoroughly explain the pros and cons of surgery and in particular what to do if in a lot of pain once home... who to call, ie. what to expect once get home ESPECIALLY if living alone.
I feel for those in medical profession lets hope though that the backlog re covid etc. will soon be caught up and as well as receiving surgery etc. that more help, even verbal, will be available for patients with post surgery issues.... and possibly a bit more compassion especially for elderly and living alone trying to cope..... J. p.s. I have fecal incontinence, ibs D, etc. and know how very painful it can be, let alone just having surgery!! Surely time can be found to return a phone call...stay after office hours if you have to - dont take your coffee break... someone is suffering waiting for your call!!! please!

Jump to this post

Sorry to be so cynical, but I wouldn’t hold mu breath…try another Doc…can’t hurt ?

REPLY

Hi @tabithatwitch, just checking in to see how you are doing.
I moved your discussion to the Digestive Health group (https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/digestive-gastrointestinal-problems/) and updated the title to reflect your question. You got a lot of helpful responses from members.

How are you doing today?

REPLY
@colleenyoung

Hi @tabithatwitch, just checking in to see how you are doing.
I moved your discussion to the Digestive Health group (https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/digestive-gastrointestinal-problems/) and updated the title to reflect your question. You got a lot of helpful responses from members.

How are you doing today?

Jump to this post

Oh thank you for moving my post... i couldn't find where to ask my questions. Today I am not feeling too well... I'm finding it hard to eat or drink right now. I have an appointment with the surgeon in a few days, hopefully everything medically is ok.

REPLY
@anniegk

I don’t understand why you are being given Miralax. This is a laxative and will make the diarrhea worse. If your doctor wanted you to take something to produce bulk in the stool and a regular bowel movement, they almost always recommend Metamucil. Check with your doctor and be sure he didn’t mean for you to take Metamucil...not Miralex.

Jump to this post

Hi... Well, I did decide to just listen to my own body and just stopped taking that. I think they prescribed it because they were afraid of constipation ... not sure really how that would even occur after all that awful prep before surgery. I am just sticking to a small diet plan that has been helping with both issues of diarrhea and constipation ...and getting a squatty potty really improved things....

REPLY

I remembered that when I wasn't feeling well with diarrhea in the past was to get some pedialyte... and that calmed things down to a manageable condition, and I could start to heal.... which was making an already misery so uncontrollably miserable. I don't know why the doctors do not also recommend it... takes care of hydration and calms diarrhea ....

REPLY
@tabithatwitch

I remembered that when I wasn't feeling well with diarrhea in the past was to get some pedialyte... and that calmed things down to a manageable condition, and I could start to heal.... which was making an already misery so uncontrollably miserable. I don't know why the doctors do not also recommend it... takes care of hydration and calms diarrhea ....

Jump to this post

@tabithatwitch Hi, your posts sound a little better today. I hope that is a good sign and that you get some relief. Did you try some Pedialyte? Let me know how it works. I drink all the water I am supposed to but it goes right through and my body is still dehydrated. This rectal prolapse is driving me crazy. It only stays in if I am sitting which makes walking uncomfortable. Today it has been staying in so I can try to get stuff done in the house, a little at a time. Tomorrow may be a different story. Take care KLH

REPLY
@kilh

@tabithatwitch Hi, your posts sound a little better today. I hope that is a good sign and that you get some relief. Did you try some Pedialyte? Let me know how it works. I drink all the water I am supposed to but it goes right through and my body is still dehydrated. This rectal prolapse is driving me crazy. It only stays in if I am sitting which makes walking uncomfortable. Today it has been staying in so I can try to get stuff done in the house, a little at a time. Tomorrow may be a different story. Take care KLH

Jump to this post

Yes, the Pedialyte works to control diarrhea and hydrates .. I don't know why I didn't think of that sooner.... just about 8 ounces seemed to work for me... I just needed it to stop so the Neosporin could work...

REPLY
@anniegk

How did they treat your C.Dif? Was the treatment sucessful? Alot of people I know can't get rid of it. Before my sigmoid cholectomy I was on ABX for 5 Mos. On and off for Diverticulitis. Have been tested numerous times since for C. Dif. Because of diarrhea and so far the test come back negative for C. Dif.

Jump to this post

Anniegk
I spent six days in the hospital on IV of Flagyl and oral vancomycin 4 x a day and Florastor probiotic 3 x a day. When I was released I continued to take vancomycin four times a day and the florastor three times a day for 10 days. I am continuing to take the probiotic twice a day for a week and then I will go down to once a day. So far seem to be adjusting. But I don’t believe that the c diff is killed. I also have heard it’s very difficult to get rid of. I just want to try to live my life the best I can. But I’m sure I will always be looking over my shoulder for another flareup. Hopefully if I don’t take any antibiotics I should be OK. We will see. I know they can do a fecal transplant for people who keep getting it but I’m hoping that won’t be me.

REPLY
@bbarbiee

Anniegk
I spent six days in the hospital on IV of Flagyl and oral vancomycin 4 x a day and Florastor probiotic 3 x a day. When I was released I continued to take vancomycin four times a day and the florastor three times a day for 10 days. I am continuing to take the probiotic twice a day for a week and then I will go down to once a day. So far seem to be adjusting. But I don’t believe that the c diff is killed. I also have heard it’s very difficult to get rid of. I just want to try to live my life the best I can. But I’m sure I will always be looking over my shoulder for another flareup. Hopefully if I don’t take any antibiotics I should be OK. We will see. I know they can do a fecal transplant for people who keep getting it but I’m hoping that won’t be me.

Jump to this post

Interesting that they are giving Florestor. My Doctor recommended it too. When the diarrhea was real bad 4 a day. It is expensive but my Doctor told me they are actually using it to treat C. Dificil in trials and preliminary testing is promising. It might cut down the length of having to take Vanco. How many a day were you taking?

REPLY

....its a long story, year had c.diff, reason why, also diagnosis of narrow angle glaucoma, took myself off zoloft , as have said on here before , 4 friends died and i had no help at home except spoue with c.diff and isolated myself by year end was basket case if you will excuse that expession, then 2019 dr at emerge put me back on zoloft which gave me heart pounding at night even tho hadnt before and took me off clonazepam which also had been on 15 years it was a tough year and so isolated and weak didnt realize i had extreme fatigue; the new family dr. dismissed me from his practice in Sept. as i had phoned collevge to ask how to deal with his yelling at me and in front of patients in waiting room and i hadnt done anything wrong, spilled water on my pills and needed prescription 5 days early etc. since then not myself and rarely leae the house, enough was enough after the other things in my life and then tinnitus and hyperacusis, eusatchian tube disfunction and havent slept through one night since... hyperacusit i hear every noise, not looking for sympathy as know there are many, thousands, in more dire circumstances than me but my life as i knew it ended and was because of ibs-d and many utis because of it and given too many antibiotics which led to cdiff, my bad luck! best wishes to all the sick and suffering everywhere and lucy you are in usa and can go to MAYO, I am in northern ontario and its a different story especilly when cannot travel due to now fecal incontinence, as good teaching hospitals in Toronto etc. I find cbt and trying to stay positive is now beyond my reach at 79... hugs, J.

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.