Hi, I'm scheduled to have a subtotal colectomy Aug. 3 for severe constipation. I'm trying to get a realistic picture of what to expect. I read that Somer had it in Feb and believed it to be the best thing. That was very encouraging; but, if I can get some detail of what to expect, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks a lot.
Amira,
I did have my surgery in Feb. I absolutely do believe it is the best thing I have every done in my life. If you read the past posts, Total Colectomy Parts 1,2 and 3, there is a lot of information about the surgery. Feel free to ask me any questions at all. Hope everything goes well for you in August!
Thanks so much Somer for responding. I'm just finding my way around here and will definately read every post. I'm so happy I found this site. Looking forward to talking to you soon. Amira
Amira
I have not posted here, but did allot of my research here.
I had my sub total on June 27th, and i am already back
at work. It was the ""best"" thing that i also ever did.
I am 50 years old and spent 25 years battling constipation.
You will have some pain the first week, and allot of gas.
If they do lap surgery you will have about a 2-3 inch
cut above or below the belly button, mine was above.
After two weeks, i am mostly pain free, only pain is
in my incision, and that is now minor. It does hurt
like heck for a week and 1/2. You will have loose
stools for the first week after you begin to eat solid
food. Your stomach will have shrunk a little and you
will only be able to eat small meals at first. And dont
be worried like i was,,,,if you have a day in the beginning
when you dont go,,,you "will" go the next. I have 2-3
normal solid BM's a day. i have never been so comfortable
in my life ! I had a great surgeon in Chicago, he had no
doubt that i would be regular after the surgery and he was
right.
Good luck ! It is well worth it.
Thank you so much Betty. When I first decided to have this done a few months ago, I was totally for it. No second thoughts what so ever. Then my husband started telling me that I was being too cavalier, that I needed to consider all possible outcomes. I didn't want to consider any negative outcomes, and still don't, but I have. He forced me to have a second opinion, which backfired on him because the second surgeon was more for the subtotal colectomy than my own surgeon. I guess my husband is just afraid for me, plus we have different philosophies in terms of surgery. I'm of the mind set: if it's broken, fix it. He, on the other hand, believes that if it's broken, suffer for as long as humanly possible then suffer a little more. Men.......is all I have to say! Still, because of him, I researched; and because of all of you, I feel so well informed. I'm more than ready to have the surgery and am counting down the days (19). I refuse to have anything but positive thoughts. I believe that will make all the difference. And stories like yours, Somer's and Sommer's make it easy. Even Sara, Zoe and Melissa who are having somewhat more difficult recoveries have been so couragous and so encouraging. Thank you all.
Amira
Betty, I also wanted to ask you if you've read the Total Colectomy posts Parts 1-3. If not, I think you may find them interesing and I'm sure that the ladies there would love you to share your story. Thanks again for sharing.
Amira
Amira
Betty,
I had my surgery done on June 27 as well. I am 40 and live in Iowa. My surgeon left 12" of my large intestine. I am still in the "did I do the right thing" thinking. Hopefully, when the body gets in a pattern and the pain goes away. I will be glad I did it. I was to start back to work on July 11, but I had complications. I started back on August 2.
Kelly
Hi I have been reading the posts. I am new here and getting ready to have a subtotal vs total colectomy. I have to do the stupid sitz mark test again first. My surgery was scheduled for Decemeber 21st but has been changed to Jan 3rd. I am in total pain and tired of not being able to go. I become so miserable, I end up having to take laxatives.
It seems like a lot of women have this problem. I have been chronically constipated since birth. It has since then gotten much worse. My problem is I have a Tortous Colon, and slow to no motility. I have been having pain in my right side for awhile, with incresed weight gain. I have a lot of questions, but the one I really want answered is Which is better Laproscopic or open ?
Well sasha, I just recently had a total colectomy on Nov 17th. My suregery was open. I also had to have my gall bladder out. I was in the hospital for 6 days. Oh my god was I sore. Im 4 weeks out from the surgery and still alittle sore. I have a temporary ileostomy but I feel better than Ihave in years. To answer your question, I believe that laproscopic is probably better, smaller incision, less pain, faster healing and a shorter hospital stay. But everyone's case is different.Lucky for you they changed your date, wouldnt want to be in the hospital on the holidays. I was let out the day before Thanksgiving. Just in time for our first snow. Take care and good luck. Let us all know how it goes for you. KathleenAnn
Kathleen
Kathleen
Hi Sasha,
I had an open subtotal colectomy. I vote for open! I wanted my doc to see everything he was doing, less room for error and all that. Full recovery from an open is 6 weeks. For more information, read threads 1 - 7 on total colectomy; you'll be extremely well informed if you do that. Good luck!
Amira
I had an open subtotal colectomy. I vote for open! I wanted my doc to see everything he was doing, less room for error and all that. Full recovery from an open is 6 weeks. For more information, read threads 1 - 7 on total colectomy; you'll be extremely well informed if you do that. Good luck!
Amira
sasha,
I had my surgery done laproscopic. It went just fine. My surgeon did a great job and he has only 2 1/2 fingers on his right hand. There was no incision pain at all. I had 4 small openings on my stomach. 1 in the navel, 2 on the left side, 1 on the right and then about a 2" incision at the "c section area".
I later discovered that he took all out but 6" of colon. The surgery has many different names and descriptions, but basically is the same.
I know exactly where you are in your life with this problem. I have been there, we all have in this forum. Each of our outcomes are different, but I know I did the right thing. I have a secondary problem with being able to push the stool out, so I am still dealing with that. But again, I know this is totally better than the way I was before.
If you want, e-mail me at clayknob@inter.net and maybe we can then speak over the phone and I can answer more questions for you. Please let me know how old you are and where your at. Just a curious thing, no big deal.
Kelly
Thanks everyone for all the great info. I had the sitz mark test and just as I said it would,all those little sitz markers were still in there. I called the doctor and I will still have my surgery on January 3 @ 9:00 am.
I am not sure if they will do it laproscopic or open. I have three boys and I will have to get back to normal as quickly as possible. It is going to be a pain because they all rely on me to take care of them. My husband will be taking off for two weeks after I get home. Is the recoup time different with laproscopic vs
open surgery? I just want to feel better, and it has been a real blessing finding this site.
I am not sure if they will do it laproscopic or open. I have three boys and I will have to get back to normal as quickly as possible. It is going to be a pain because they all rely on me to take care of them. My husband will be taking off for two weeks after I get home. Is the recoup time different with laproscopic vs
open surgery? I just want to feel better, and it has been a real blessing finding this site.
Hi there! New to this forum but read alot before my surgery. I had a subtotal colectomy done in an open procedure on December 30. Some days are a little more painful than others, but so far so good. Does anyone know when I will not be so tired and weak?
Marcy, I had my surgery almost 1 year ago. I think for most of the girls here, 6 weeks was the magic "feel good" number.
~Somer
Thanks Somer! I guess if I can piddle around the house 13 days post-op I'm doing good! 
I was fortunate to be able to have my small intestine directly connected to the rectum with normal passage so far! Is it normal to now be feeling the "soreness" inside as opposed to the actual incision? Not bad pain, just sore. What kinds of things did everyone eat afterwards? I know I'm limited to an extent, but suggestions would be great!
Marcy
Marcy,
I had anastamosis also (small intestine attached to the rectum). I was still sore when I went back to work. Everything was pushed and pulled around in there, so it's normal to feel sore inside, as long as things are coming out normally. I did not have any dietary restrictions after surgery, I eat anything I want now. It's just great being able to eat and not think how bad it's gonna hurt next week or 2 coming out! 
~Somer
Thanks so much! That gives me great hope! Things are passing through wonderfully (without any kind of bulking agent I might add ) but I still have quite a bit of post-operative pains. The doctor suspects I strained some muscles and that's where some of the pain is coming from, but I know that to will pass and I look forward to a new and wonderful life!
Marcy
my husband just had a subtotal colectomy with about 6 inches of the sigmoid colon left, no ileostomy. My question is this: how long does it take before he will / may have formed stools rather than diarrhea like stools? Breezy62
breezy62-welcome to the forum! I don't have an answer for you...I have a perm ileo, but I think it is an individual thing. It may take a few months for things to settle out, until then, bulking foods might help.
Also, you may want to start a new thread. That might help with getting more replies.
Good Luck