Sigmoid colon resection: What to expect for recovery?

HI, guys, I am 62 and had my Da Vinci sigmoidectomy Oct. 15th, the liquid, gas what ever was used to raise the skin so Doc could work leaked to my whole body and I woke up unable to see out of one eye, now , today I feel okay but I will have bouts of major diaherria or constipation, I had notes after the operation that said keep my foods boring for 2 weeks and then eat normal, maybe adding vegetables back in slowly. I was taking colace before because of an auto immune disease which occasionally requires strong medication and then miralax at night which is the smudgeiust yuck. The solace doesn't pull in the water and the miralax does. I can in desperation use Phillipsmom but it's only a quick fix , all of this seems like quick fixes. I have started taking my calcium , magnesium , cranberry, zink, d-3 , collagen after I eat something(I know , bad , I use to be athlete and would just pop my vitamins , I think I'm paying for those years) anyway with bad part gone , at least 14 inches of colon gone, I had one great poop and now this craziness, it makes me think it could have a lot to do with stress as well as the combination of and kinds of food(foods are very plain) although has anyone tasted the caramel m&m's, could've cared less about any kind of candy , even ice cream(because of methotrexate, made my teeth really sensitive but now learning I can have it again.) I'm a fairly plain eater although I'm now paying attention to how I eat as well as whatI eat, I've noticed if I'm really hungry , I'll gulp air with my food and I think that isn't good for digestion. I'm sorry this is so long it's just hard to deal with, go out with everyday:) Any words of wisdom, understanding would be really appreciated. Thanks guys!

Troy I guess I am! I feel so sorry for you still having pain! Sounds like we had different parts taken care of! Mine was a resection of 12' of my Sigmoid done!
Hang in there!
Sundance(RB)

wooo how lucky you were , i am i year and still sore , god bless

Maybe because it was 21 years ago, I had 12' of my sigmoid colon removed but I don't remember having the soreness and what you are going through. I just remember wanting to get out of the hospital! I had never in my Life wanted a Bowel Movement then! Dr. said I couldn't leave until I did! Took me two days but finally did!
May have been because I was 21 years younger than I am now that I may have been stronger!!
My Thoughts and Prayers are with you and hope your soreness and pain soon goes away!
It's so much up to our own mind/brain to cure ourselves!
Blessing fro The Land of Enchantment!
Sundance(RB)

oceannone .. were you sore and throbbing? or tingle or stinging after , , how long did it take for you to get back to normal? x thank you

I think that you should talk to your Surgeon. I had exactly the same surgery you had & I never had any pain afterwards. Good luck!

Yes , do hang in ,I t gets better , But for me it took 8 months for that sorness and throbbing /tingle. now 12 monts , still tingle or little sorness when i lie on side after meal , But defo 95% better thank god ,,, x

I am 4 months out. I still have quite a bit of soreness and burning/throbbing. I do find that ice packs help with the burning and bowels. I typically do ice packs when I go to bed or on days I feel particularly inflamed. I also take a stool softner and drink tons of water. I feel like I’m constantly trying new things with diet and exercise in order to figure out what works. Hang in there!!!!

Seems like me Glasshalful, xxxx Jan 2020 now jan 2021, polyp on fold ON bowel ,,, Took a year . But never be the normal again ,, still bit stinging. and sore ,But getting there , i was very out going and normal before no pains or system before hand . but on the new NORMALx

Hi Glasslhalfull! Love your name. A year ago October (2019) I also had a colon resection (cancerous polyps). Lost 12-15” and 45 lymph nodes. In the sigmoid area also. I remember thinking “it’s been 4-6 weeks Shouldn’t I back to normal???” Colleen wrote in a chat that it was early days and it would be longer before I would be healed up. And it was. At times a roller coaster ride of trying different meds and diet, exercise, etc. Changing when it didn’t work or no longer worked. I was healing but it was slow going. I am an active person too. We are better off having been active prior. Fast forward one year later. October (2020), a clean colonoscopy and I’m feeling much more comfortable with how my life is moving forward. That pain, maybe it’s the scar tissue (from cutting and reattaching) inflamed w/healing. Along with the constipation there’s tendency to bear down. It can cause that while area to be achy and sting. Definitely, passing softer stool will help. That’s about drinking 8+ glasses of water each day and eating fibrous foods. A stool softener may help. In time, you might find the Metamucil more doable. I exercise daily. I walk for 1-2 hours. It’s enjoyable, so I don’t mind doing it. You can do whatever floats your boat. Just the movement helps your body move the digested food through your system. I don’t know if you ever find the “perfect” plan. It’s a process and i have found that my “new” normal is not my “old” normal, but very doable. Keep at it and keep asking. If that area is very painful, your best bet is to reach out to your doctor or surgeon. You are still in your post-op timeframe, so your surgeon is a good resource.. I drink ducolax every am, exercise, then drink metamucil in rhe afternoon before my main meal. This seems to be working for me. With the lose of colon length, I found it is very important to “poop” daily. Not as much storage as there was before my resection, Getting backed up can snow ball and then I have a problem. I hope this info will help. You’ll put all the pieces together and figure out works for you. I’m confident in that 😊virgo