Sigmoid colon resection: What to expect for recovery?

I messaged both of you while I’m the hospital, but not sure if I sent it. 😂 There are times when I think ignorance is bliss, this was one of them. I didn’t really know what to expect. According to my surgeon everything went as he’d planned. They cut out a good portion of my large intestine and the bowel resection went well. I have a very long, nice scar. That was on the 7th? 8th? I came home last Saturday. I’m very glad to be home, but still taking Tylenol and lacking much energy. I have been walking, but I totally agree, I need to do more.
I go back on Dec 4th for a checkup and treatment plan.
Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!! 💜

@jjevitts I’m so glad to see your post as I’ve been wondering how you are doing. We are close in age (I’m 71 years old) and I sure don’t bounce back like I used to either. Ten days isn’t all that long when you think about it depending on the extent of the surgery. Also, we don’t stay in the hospital for very long as used to be the case.

When I had kidney surgery in 1996 they wanted me to go home the following day. I did stay one more day but was sent home with very few instructions and felt very weak and « beat up » for at least two weeks. I know this isn’t the same surgery you had but I do recall how much pain I had and that it was more than a week before I could even go for a walk on my street. The surgery was endoscopic and so I had a 1 inch incision. But the real healing was on the inside of the kidney.

Here are my suggestions which you can take if you want because I don’t know the extent of your surgery. Walk every day. Move around as you feel you can. If you feel up to it, walk to the end of your driveway (assuming it’s less than a mile!). It takes time to heal from the anesthesia too (did you have general anesthesia?). One of my doctors told me that the more I lie around the more tired I will be. That was good advice and I tried to do what I could.

You have been in my thoughts and ❤️. I’m tagging @gynosaur42 so she can jump in too.

Do you know what the further treatment will be? And when it will start?

Hello, I just had a mass removed and a resection 10 days ago. I too am late 60’s and finding I’m not bouncing back as quickly as I’d hope. I do have further treatment so I’m hoping I’m feeling much better by then. I really didn’t know what to expect from the surgery, which maybe is a good thing.
I wasn’t given many instructions so all suggestions are appreciated!

@lapg22, I hope you've seen the helpful posts from @eyeart @patriotspride @fisch @sgbisrat @cjay and @paul28. Cjay is right that people who do not have complications do not post in online forums as often. They get on living life.

There is no doubt a recovery period for which you should be prepared and informed. Talk to your surgeon about the recovery period and what YOU can expect. Your surgeon who knows your health status, age, medical history, etc. will be able to discuss with you what your recovery will likely look like.

It sounds like you are a busy, healthy woman. Being physically fit helps too. Is regular physical activity part of your regular routine?

Too many here prior to surgery seem to be so concerned about getting back to a "normal diet". What's your rush? Give your colon a break!
Your so called normal diet might not have been your best diet before and chances are it won't be the best later.
Were you eating red meat as part of your "normal diet"?

Sigmoid colon resection is not 3 or 4 days in the hospital, come home, rest for a couple days and back to work.
You cannot rush the healing of your colon. Only time and colon care will do that.
Enjoy some non-solid food for awhile. Think in terms of what is easily digested.
Eat at home. No restaurants, no fast food, no fried foods, no dairy, no baked goods, no deli meat, nothing spicy, nothing acidic, no alcohol and drink water.

If you can remember what not to eat, figuring out what you can eat comes easier.
What you thought was normal before, actually needs to be gone!
This is about finding your "new normal!"

@lapg22
I had a large tumor in my sigmoid and upper part of my rectum, it was found in February. I had a very short course of radiation then surgery, where I had a lower anterior resection. And an ileostomy for 6 months. At the end of September I had the ileostomy reversed and after 2 nights in the hospital (and moving my bowels) I went home.
Please don’t be worried by what you read here and other online sources. I felt the same way - scared- and then I realized that only the people with problems usually post online. That’s a very small section of those who’ve had this surgery!
I am almost 8 weeks past my surgery, and it’s wonderful (finally!)
I take Immodium every morning, and I tsp. of Metamucil in a bit of water after I eat. Right after the surgery I had a few accidents, but I bought some Depends and just let my body relearn the new plumbing.
I’m finally going back to work in 2 weeks!
Don’t worry, you’ll do great. And feel SO much better afterwards.

I just had a foot resection of my sigmoid about 3 months ago at John’s Hopkins and stayed there for a week.

Wasn’t released until the Dr made sure the system was back to normal. I get constipated once in a while now but, everything is back to normal and never run into the situations I read here.

Wish you the best !

I had my colon resection surgery on Sept 28th of this year, and it went very well. I am a very healthy 71 year old woman. A foot of my colon was removed laparoscopically due to a cancerous polyp that was found in a routine colonoscopy. I was in the hospital for four days...a little longer than normal I understand, but I live two hours from the hospital, and my surgeon wanted to make sure all was well. The first day after surgery was not bad, as the nerve blocks had not quite worn off yet. The second and third days were a bit difficult. You might expect diarrhea those days with a bloody look to it. Scared me, but normal after surgery. I watched my diet for two weeks after, until I was given the ok to go back to normal after my follow up appt. I was told to be very careful about lifting for six weeks. I work full time in sales and interior design, so I had your same concerns. I was back to work two weeks after surgery, and I found out that a teaspoon of psyllium in 8 oz of water daily solved my problems. I wish you the very best.

I had a resection of 1 foot of my colon 2 years ago. It worked out well . Yes you will gradually be able to manage a normal diet.

Re running the the bathroom. You won’t be released until your Dr is assured that your system is working normally

Wishing you success

Hi @lapg22 , I have not had the surgery yet--but I feel fairly committed to scheduling it. I seem to have a flareup every month or two--they are getting closer together, and more painful. I have a phone appointment with the surgeon in a couple of weeks.
I took another look at the comments here on Mayo, and I have decided that many of them are from people who are on the mend. A lot of the people who are having problematic outcomes have other underlying medical issues. I am feeling that I will do OK.
Be sure and ask your surgeon how many sigmoidectomies they have performed, and how many have experienced complications. Bring up the complications that concern you, and ask for clarity. That's what I intend to do when I finally get him on the phone. If you are relatively healthy, it should go OK. You will need time off, for sure.