To begin with, Hi to everyone, it's been awhile since I have posted.
Anyway, two weeks ago I had a molar extracted. When I got home I couldn't help but cry. I felt so depressed about loosing a tooth. It really bothered me that I had another part of me pulled out. Has anyone felt this way before after having colectomy surgery, j-pouch removal, or any other surgery to remove something? My emotions were already all over the place because my grandmother and uncle had passed the week before but my tooth extraction really pushed me overboard. I guess I want to hold on to what I have left.I feel like I have lost so much already. Silly, huh? Thanks for listening, I had to get this off my chest.

I don't think its silly at all. I've had an appendectomy, gall bladder , then colon....I keep wondering what they will cut out next...maybe I'll end up a skin bag with nothing left inside. No, I don't think its silly, I kind of prefer to keep my parts where they belong. I do seem to take a little longer to adjust to changes sometimes.
LoriP

Hope,

There are other threads discussing this issue. It is related to the grieving process, as you are indeed grieving a loss. And for some people losing a part of their body causes this response - perfectly normal. For others, this can even be one of the triggers for depression they are suffering. You are definitely not alone.

Steve

Thanks guys!

I think there is a natural grieving process attached to any surgery. But you are dealing with several types of loss and grieving. Be nice to you and take some time for yourself. Take a nice warm bath with a good book and reattach.
Feel better tomorrow.
Cheryl

If I allow myself to think about it, I still sometimes feel grief over Thomas' childhood surgeries--hydrocele repair at 5, colectomy (4 surgeries), gall bladder and sinus (3 surgeries). It does make the recent minor ones--ingrown tonail surgery on both toes (very painful), wisdom teeth removal, mole removal--seem like adding insult to injury. Even his his baby teeth failed to fall out on time naturally, and all but one or two had to be pulled .
So I try to keep those thoughts in the closet. Him?--one tough hombre.

Cher, reattach. I like the way that sounds. I have been feeling very well since my j-pouch removal almost a year ago, physcically and mentally. I think everything just hit at once. Thanks again!

It is not silly. I think it is completely normal. Your writing about it is a good idea. I am glad you posted.

I'll share a story about me...
I like to think that I'm fairly tough. I would never cry about anything. When I'd get my blood drawn, it would be no big deal - no wincing, etc. I blew out my knee, tore my ACL and MCL playing indoor soccer, and got up under my own power and drove myself to the ER. I've repeated dislocated my shoulder and will put it back in myself. I never take pain medication. Bottom line, I had a very high threshold for pain.

Then I became ill with a rampaging case of UC. I had a really tough time with my surgeries for my J-Pouch. I was extremely sick and had to have my colon removed in an emergency procedure. I had a really tough time with my surgeries for my J-Pouch. I was in the hospital for a month straight and had lots of blood draws and all sorts of complications.

After my surgeries, I found that I developed a fear of the doctor and would have a hard time even getting my blood drawn. I had seemingly lost my entire threshold for pain.

Over time, I've gained my threshold back, but it has taken about 4 years.

So...
I kind of view it as a pain or emotional bank. If you make too many withdrawals, then you lose your reserves and struggle handling the little things that shouldn't seem like as big a deal (blood draws or molars). Over time, I think that things will stabilize out, but you'll need time to build your reserves back up.

Perhaps this is a crazy way to think about it, but it has helped me.

Bottom line (pun intended): You aren't alone in feeling the way that you described and certainly aren't silly.

Hope that helped!

There is definitly a grieving process. This would hold true for a arm, leg and colon as well. I'm not sure why a lot of doctors call it post traumatic stress disorder since that isn't really a grieving thing(maybe someone out there can explain the difference).
I had to have some teeth pulled this last year due to my medications and dry mouth. It obviously was not a pleasant experience.
as for M man...I kind of feel the same way...I don't want to go to my doctor's office anymore. I'm tired of being poked, worse yet is the ER. I dread going there because I feel like I always have to prove that I am sick(obstruction-wise) I hate some of the looks I'll get every once in a while as some folks seem to assume I'm drug seeking. The other thing that really bothers me is that I have to go in monthly to get my pain meds refilled and they can and do ask me to take a pee test to make sure I'm not using any street drugs. I've been on the same dose for 2 years(+)and don't abuse my medications. I know there are people out there who do but it's kind of belittling to me.
Bottom line...Being depressed after all the stuff we have been through is not abnormal at all. If you feel it is too much to handle then get yourself some therapy and if that is not enough then try some AD's and see if that helps. You are certainly NOT ALONE in this department!
Julie