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Seeking support for recovery from diverticulitis surgery
I hope I am posting in the right section! I am almost four weeks in recovery from surgery to resection my colon because I have had so many diverticulitis flare ups. My last flare up started in June, 2022 and lasted until my surgery on Oct. 14. I had no choice but to have the surgery because I developed a stricture in my sigmoid colon. The surgery was supposed to be laparoscopic but ended up being open. It was seven hours. I was in the hospital for 11 days. Now home, I am still in some pain although the surgical site is healing well. My bowel function is a mess. Lots of gas too. I am getting no guidance on how to proceed or what to expect. I wonder how others have survived this. I am looking at a longer recovery because of the open surgery. I would love to avoid more problems in the future, and regain my health. I just turned 70. I don’t know anyone who has undergone this surgery and would like to talk to others who have!
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YES, it's too soon. "Walking" is your friend for the next month, then gentle stretches that involve some easy twisting. No lifting. If I had to do it all over, I would not have lifted or twisted for 3 months. I had the repair surgery with mesh reinforcement to repair the colon resection incision damage (hernia) on Jan 8. Now, six weeks later, I'm feeling great and it's soooo hard not to resume ALL physical activities, BUT I need to remind myself.... it takes months, maybe a year for that incision, now mesh to "meld" with all the muscles and tissues in my abdomen to create strength. Surgeries take a toll on your body and the aging process. I don't want anymore surgeries! We must take time getting back to the gym. Slow and steady!
Thank you for the response. How did you injure yourself?
That's the problem. I can't tell you. Had my colon resection in December. I thought I waited long enough walking, easy stuff....then, I think March-April made up my mind I would recover my energy and strength. I started swinging golf club, doing senior boot camp, swimming, gardening. I had a great, very active summer, golfing three times a week. Then in August, I noticed my waist being bigger than usual with no weight gain. No pain, just a slow, growing waistline with a slight bigger protrusion near the belly button. Saw my surgeon. He confirmed a hernia in September. He said it would not get smaller, only bigger. The danger was a bowel blockage if the hernia got too big. By Jan 8 when I had my elective surgery, my waist was a 42! I weigh 145 and am 5'8". Not skinny, but certainly not a 42" waist! I'm a 71 year old who is vain! 😂. I'm not sure if I'll plan a forced slower pace this Spring-summer. I know I don't want anymore surgeries to recover from!
You don't know how much your post means to me. Thank you very much. I also have a "nugget" in my pants sometimes & also am unaware of it. Otherwise, I feel fine and hope you do too. My robotic surgery was done when I was 82, for the same reason--a lot of similarities.