Sigmoid colon resection: What to expect for recovery?

Hi Kathy,

I'm glad that you are so happy with the results of your sigmoid surgery. It's great when it all works out so well. I'd like to invite you to a new discussion group on Connect, called How Do I Eat After Digestive Tract Surgery. I'm sure you can add some helpful information for others who had had or are planning on having surgery. Here is the link,
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/how-do-i-eat-after-digestive-tract-surgery/

I had a bowel resection three years ago, about one foot removed from the sigmoid colon area . I agree it takes a while and some patience.
I now take Benefibre every night and 2 stool softeners. I found adding the stool softeners made a big difference. It’s worth a try.
I haven’t looked back and I’m so glad I had it done. I’m sure you will be too. Good luck

I appreciate your reply, @caring1962. I understand what you mean when you say, "I appreciate this forum for its insightfulness." When I joined Connect I was facing my third surgery for a rare form of cancer and this was a lifeline for me. Cancer is not a journey that we should take alone. We need others!

I look forward to hearing from you again as your husband continues this process. Will you continue to post updates as it's convenient?

Hello Teresa, thank you so much for the helpful link. My husband thankfully did not lose any weight during his chemo treatment. He has been having regular blood work and some scans, during his treatment. Now that he is done his chemo he has a CT scan scheduled soon and he will be having a DNA blood test, as opposed to a regular blood test. The dna blood test will be very telling and we hope and pray to get negative results. Other than some nerve pain to his hands and feet and being very tired (during his treatment), he has tolerated the side effects very well.
I do most of the food planning and cooking and I ensure he is eating the right kinds of food.
Once again, thank you for reaching out and I appreciate this forum for its insightfulness.

Hello @caring1962 and welcome to Mayo Connect. I appreciate you sharing about your husband's journey with colon cancer. It certainly is a journey that none of us really wanted to take. Will he be having follow-up scans or other tests in the near future? You might find a new discussion on eating after digestive tract surgery helpful. Here is a link to the discussion, https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/how-do-i-eat-after-digestive-tract-surgery/.

I hope he is feeling stronger. Did he lose a lot of weight during the treatment?

My husband was diagnosed with colon cancer in October of 2024. He had surgery in December and has now, in July 2025, just finished his chemo. Fingers crossed, that will be the end of it. 🤞It has been an awful road to go though! It does test your limits by forcing you to go through (what to me feels like a roller coaster of emotions).

I had a colonectomy a year ago at age 84. I had years of GI issues (bloating, diarhea, constipation) My doctor ordered a colonoscopy and they found a golf ball sized tumor in the cecum. The surgeon removed the cecum and also found that my small intestines were being strangulated by surgical mesh placed years ago after a hernia surgery. That required 8" of the small instestine to be removed. I also have ideopathic peripheral neuropathy for some years without significant pain, I am not diabetic. I struggle with constipation and loose bowels. I live on Immodeum daily. I know where every bathroom is wherever I go. The surgeon had to leave some of the mesh because the surgery was over 5 hours on the anesthesiologists recommendation, I wonder if the remaining mesh is an issue or possibly because I no longer have a cecum? I take no meds except Vitamin B 12 injections monthly for the PN.

PS—one the very first fiber foods I introduced were apples: applesauce first, then cooked apple slices, then raw without skin, and finally apples ! They are a really good food and help keep things moving…but this also requires well more than the usual water and gentle exercise not long after meals. Good luck.

My surgery was end of November…at first, liquid diet, then soft foods for awhile, then expand on soft foods, then gentle solids, then fiber slowly introduced,by cooking it at first….around March, I was eating a healthy diet, only avoiding spicy things, sodas, etc. Heavily processed and fried foods avoided !..try things at first in small amounts, listen to your body….my challenge was to gain some weight, while watching fats and sugars, while adding exercises…takes time and patience for sure, especially as we age. It became ‘’my new job’’…

Hello @mycmusic and welcome to Mayo Connect. Your comments about taking it very gently with diet was important. Perhaps you could post about this in a new discussion group about eating after digestive tract surgery. Here is the link to that discussion. https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/how-do-i-eat-after-digestive-tract-surgery/

I noticed that you said that you introduced new foods "carefully." Was your surgery recent? Are you able to eat more foods as time goes on or are you still limited?