Problems months after colon resection surgery: What Helps?

Posted by joyce1 @joyce1, Feb 25, 2017

Three months after colon resection I had a severe stomach cramp this morning and have not had a bowel movement yet. This is the first time this has happened. So far things have been good.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Colorectal Cancer Support Group.

petjoy | @petjoy | Oct 1, 2023

In reply to @ciebrown "This is how I feel. It’s been right at a month but I think I have..." + (show)

Me too. Need to take Metamucil and movicol daily or else I don’t go. Anything you’ve found help?

gj1 | @gj1 | Sep 29, 2023

In reply to @shelamac65 "I have similar issues and had been trying to live with the diarrhea without taking anything,..." + (show)

Thank you for the reply, my doctor said it was because the nerves were severed that tells the brain to run to the bathroom and it will take sometime or maybe never for the brain to react.
The Imodium seems to work the best so far, it works for 3 to 5 days then back to accidents.
The hardest thing is not being active like I was prior to the operation.
It sure would have been nice to know all the problems that came with this operation.

shelamac65 | @shelamac65 | Sep 29, 2023

In reply to @gj1 "Well it's been a year and I still have diarrhea, for some reason the message isn't..." + (show)

I have similar issues and had been trying to live with the diarrhea without taking anything, the natural approach. It certainly wasn’t working for me. I started to take Imodium, which helps but there’s a rebound effect. My only advice is to try to eat small meals and listen to your body, just assume you will need to use the bathroom after every meal and snack and act accordingly. Take the time to take care of yourself. For right now and for a long time to come your body won’t be as it has been in the past. You will come to a new normal and it’s difficult but you may have to accept that change so you can move on with your life. Learn to listen to yourself and your needs and take care of yourself at this time in your life. Keep in touch with a proactive doctor who listens and has good suggestions for you. Reach out
to those who care about you. You will get better.

ciebrown | @ciebrown | Sep 26, 2023

In reply to @tracy430 "This helped a lot. I've been severely constipated since the surgery. I have no urge to..." + (show)

This is how I feel. It’s been right at a month but I think I have got acid reflux

rjjacobsen | @rjjacobsen | Sep 12, 2023

In reply to @laser "Just wanted to mention, I am taking Gabapentin. I take 800 MG in the morning and..." + (show)

Thanks for your reply.

laser | @laser | Sep 11, 2023

In reply to @rjjacobsen "I too had cancer surgery followed by chemo ending 20 months ago and still have mild..." + (show)

Just wanted to mention, I am taking Gabapentin. I take 800 MG in the morning and 1100 MG evenings. If I don't take it, I get like electric shocks in my feet and lots of foot pain due to the diabetic Neuropathy. I have to say it does help. I know for a fact that if I miss a dose, I feel it later at night and it will wake me up sometimes. My Gabapentin is prescribed by my General Practitioner doctor.

rjjacobsen | @rjjacobsen | Sep 11, 2023

In reply to @laser "It's been almost 3 years since my chemo treatments and I still have tingling in my..." + (show)

I too had cancer surgery followed by chemo ending 20 months ago and still have mild tingling in my feet and hands/fingers. More irritating than painful or crippling. Advice I received was that it usually goes away with time, but there are some that it doesn't.

They suggested gabapentin, but I declined because it was tolerable.

I do have a strange symptom where things that contact my skin (like laying in bed or sitting in a chair) starts with tingling, then prickliness, then builds a sensation of burning until I get so uncomfortable that I change positions which makes sleep difficult. No redness nor rash. No idea if this related to nerves/neuropathy, although that's what I thinking. May have my PCP try the gabapentin or see a neurologist.

betsypoodle | @betsypoodle | Sep 10, 2023

In reply to @gj1 "Thank you for the reply, at least I know there is hope! My year will be..." + (show)

This is not unusual in people who have had LAR. surgery. It is called LARSyndrome and it improves over time meaning years. Many doctors do not discuss this or know about it. Diet can help. I have found the Colontown Face Book group the most helpful. They have a LARS subgroup. I am 2 years out and still eat a very restrictive diet and have good days and bad days. Some people try daily irrigation with doctors ok. Some people get a permanent colostomy because their quality of life is so poor. Give it at least another year with diet etc

laser | @laser | Sep 10, 2023

In reply to @jeff1957 "16 months after chemo still have tinging and cold numbness in hands and feet any recommendations..." + (show)

It's been almost 3 years since my chemo treatments and I still have tingling in my hands and fingers. My Dr. told me the chemo would have this effect but it should subside with time but may never completely go away. It has subsided quite a bit, no more shocking feeling when I touch ice but they still feel somewhat numb at times. I also have Diabetes so I started out with peripheral neuropathy in my feet and it has gotten worse since the chemo too. At least my cancer is gone and I'll live a longer life because I decided to get it taken care of.