Hey all, I just had my reversal surgery after only having the ileostomy bag for 7 weeks. We found out that my excruciating pain only partially alleviated by Oxycontin meds was likely because I had a lot of adhesions. My bowel was really, really stuck to the intestinal wall and my surgeon apparently had to do a lot of work to detach it. Now I'm scared to death of developing more adhesions that can't even be found on ct scans and such. So I've committed myself to bedrest in the meantime, trying not to stretch or do ANYTHING that involves my abdomen for the next couple of weeks. Anyone else ever had this problem with adhesions? I surprisingly never had a huge bowel obstruction but the pain was so severe that I didn't want to eat anyway. Now I'm just hanging in there, hoping that all the adhesions are gone. :/ I know there technically isn't "adhesion prevention" treatment, but I'm guessing that some people have developed some tactics that work for them. Thanks!
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Bedrest is almost never good for you long term, for multiple reasons (lung issues like increased atelectasis (fluid) and pneumonia, and increased risk of clots being two I can think of off the top of my head, and your post op is in June according to your profile; post op patients need to be moving and grooving, not lying in bed). When I had an adhesion that pulled during pregnancy, it was by moving around that I got it to stretch out and let go. Lying around isn't going to prevent them from happening. Not sure where that logic is coming from, nor do I think it's good practice to do that!
The reason I'm thinking extreme on laying around just at first is because I think I may have caused my initial pain problems after the first surgery when I lifted something I shouldn't have. I'm walking around some, I don't mean literal bedrest. I just mean I think I strained my abdomen last time and doing that can cause tiny tears that turn into adhesions.
Kblgal,
I am an oldtimer and poly-operate as they say (over 30 abdominal surgeries under my belt if I remember well...and by now I don't!!!)...anyway, moderate exercise meaning light walking every day (morning and evening if possible even if it is only a few minutes at a time at first)...then increase the distance or the time but not necessarily the pace...personal rules? NO bending, stretching, pulling, pushing, reaching (hardest one), garending or searching for slippers under the bed (goes for searching for those darn tupperware lids at the back of the cupboard too!)....and NO carrying anything heavier than cantelope....(not antelope!)...keep busy or active, get up often but slowly and remeber that what you do now can effect your healing process later (no yoga!)...
Sharon
ps...for those darn adhesions? Nothing for the first year then you may look into deep tissue massage if you feel that they are back...if not, do not try it.
I am an oldtimer and poly-operate as they say (over 30 abdominal surgeries under my belt if I remember well...and by now I don't!!!)...anyway, moderate exercise meaning light walking every day (morning and evening if possible even if it is only a few minutes at a time at first)...then increase the distance or the time but not necessarily the pace...personal rules? NO bending, stretching, pulling, pushing, reaching (hardest one), garending or searching for slippers under the bed (goes for searching for those darn tupperware lids at the back of the cupboard too!)....and NO carrying anything heavier than cantelope....(not antelope!)...keep busy or active, get up often but slowly and remeber that what you do now can effect your healing process later (no yoga!)...
Sharon
ps...for those darn adhesions? Nothing for the first year then you may look into deep tissue massage if you feel that they are back...if not, do not try it.
I can absolutely understand taking it easy, limiting lifting, bending etc. at the get-go, but *extreme* bedrest can't be good for you in the long run, especially early post-op. Most often, adhesions are related to surgical technique and your body's decision to create them (genetics). If you had your surgery done laparoscopically, you have lesser risks of adhesions than with "open" surgery, too.
Sharon, are you saying no yoga in the beginning and all of that in the beginning? You are certainly in a different boat, with 30 surgeries vs. my four, but I've exercised all my life, and I've done yoga for years, with no issue. Again, certainly good to go slow at early stages, but I've never had to limit my activities after initial post op periods.
Sharon, are you saying no yoga in the beginning and all of that in the beginning? You are certainly in a different boat, with 30 surgeries vs. my four, but I've exercised all my life, and I've done yoga for years, with no issue. Again, certainly good to go slow at early stages, but I've never had to limit my activities after initial post op periods.
kblgal,
I think Rachelraven is a nurse and Sharon is a veteran poucher. I'm 2.5 yrs post take down and had 8 weeks between surgery 1 and 2 so not an authority but I also have lots of adhesions.
I was never told to do anything but restrict the amount I lifted. That said my surgeon noted my adhesions, from my prior hysterectomy, in his surgical notes. Therefore I had pre-existing ones and my open surgeries contributed more to the pain party.
Your next and I'm assuming. take down surgery is far less invasive. After all of you insides and other organs heal from the surgeries you will feel a better. After I healed enough I could feel them from the outside. For instance I can feel them under my stoma and incision scars.
I'm not saying they are not scary and they will not hurt later on as mine do bother and pain me. They have not caused any blockages so far and I've been tested to make sure of that. You are right that they can't "see" them in imaging but they can see in CT scans and other tests, I had a small bowel study (barium ick) that they are not interfering or blocking the remaining small intestines and j-pouch.
The answer is you can't prevent them. I've heard all kinds of things that some people are more prone to scaring than others etc. I think that might be so but you can't change that. It probably has to do with your surgeon's skill but how would you know about that either. I appreciate that you want to prevent further ones but really think you are through the worst of it. It sounds like you had a nasty colon that attached it's self to your abdominal wall. Just another wonderful gift of UC. I'm guessing that you took a significant amount of prednisone. I read somewhere that over time it softens our insides. You might want to look into that as a potential cause of your colon being stuck to the wall.
I'm sorry to tell you what so many told me during my recovery. There are certain things that will get better with time. You have to look back a month or a few months to see if you are doing better as some days you feel worse than the day before. I'm not a patient person so this has been a very long recovery.
Use the search feature on here and you can look up past discussions about adhesions and a variety of topics about them and potential treatments.
Good Luck
I think Rachelraven is a nurse and Sharon is a veteran poucher. I'm 2.5 yrs post take down and had 8 weeks between surgery 1 and 2 so not an authority but I also have lots of adhesions.
I was never told to do anything but restrict the amount I lifted. That said my surgeon noted my adhesions, from my prior hysterectomy, in his surgical notes. Therefore I had pre-existing ones and my open surgeries contributed more to the pain party.
Your next and I'm assuming. take down surgery is far less invasive. After all of you insides and other organs heal from the surgeries you will feel a better. After I healed enough I could feel them from the outside. For instance I can feel them under my stoma and incision scars.
I'm not saying they are not scary and they will not hurt later on as mine do bother and pain me. They have not caused any blockages so far and I've been tested to make sure of that. You are right that they can't "see" them in imaging but they can see in CT scans and other tests, I had a small bowel study (barium ick) that they are not interfering or blocking the remaining small intestines and j-pouch.
The answer is you can't prevent them. I've heard all kinds of things that some people are more prone to scaring than others etc. I think that might be so but you can't change that. It probably has to do with your surgeon's skill but how would you know about that either. I appreciate that you want to prevent further ones but really think you are through the worst of it. It sounds like you had a nasty colon that attached it's self to your abdominal wall. Just another wonderful gift of UC. I'm guessing that you took a significant amount of prednisone. I read somewhere that over time it softens our insides. You might want to look into that as a potential cause of your colon being stuck to the wall.
I'm sorry to tell you what so many told me during my recovery. There are certain things that will get better with time. You have to look back a month or a few months to see if you are doing better as some days you feel worse than the day before. I'm not a patient person so this has been a very long recovery.
Use the search feature on here and you can look up past discussions about adhesions and a variety of topics about them and potential treatments.
Good Luck
I had extreme pain after a recent hernia repair surgery. It felt like a knife in my gut. I went to the ER the pain was so bad I thought something was wrong. It took a while but the pain went away. Later I had my physical therapist massage the area and that helped a lot. I believe in deep tissue massage for adhesions because it has helped me tremendously. Good luck.
quote:personal rules? NO bending, stretching, pulling, pushing, reaching (hardest one), garending...and NO carrying anything heavier than cantelope
Thank you so much, guys! Don't worry, I have been walking around plenty. I'm just glad to have the confirmation that walking is good, but the certain movements above are BAD. How long did it take everyone to get back to lifting heavy objects normally? I just want to know when I can safely lift without having to think about it.
quote:Later I had my physical therapist massage the area and that helped a lot. I believe in deep tissue massage for adhesions because it has helped me tremendously.
Thanks, I've been wanting to get a massage - never knew it would help with adhesions but that sounds great!
I didn't mean no yoga ever (goodness, I love exercise and have been doing it my whole life...) or to give up on exercise just to take it really very slowly in the begining...just because things look healed on the outside doesn't mean that they are done on the inside...it takes time for your body to heal and adapt to its new anatomy and functions...unfortunately I was always in a hurry to get back to 'normal' and overdid it more often than my body cares to remember...and then paid the price with more surgery...so I guess that I am over prudent for others...
I usually say for light exercise other than walking about 6 weeks...and then work your way up slowly...if it hurts or you get a sudden pain, stop. Dial it back a bit and then try it again a few days/weeks later...
It is always easier to increase activity then to have things restitched!
Sharon
I usually say for light exercise other than walking about 6 weeks...and then work your way up slowly...if it hurts or you get a sudden pain, stop. Dial it back a bit and then try it again a few days/weeks later...
It is always easier to increase activity then to have things restitched!
Sharon
Adhesion are very very painful. I just got out of the hospital from a one night stay after I went in by ER. I had such pain they thought I was blocked. Nope I wasn't. They were not sure so they sent me home. After posting it on here I found out how painful adhesion's can be. I think that was what my pain was. So I feel your pain. Each day is getting better but I am waiting for the next issue with them. I pray not though. I also do still rest. I am exhausted. I wish I felt as great as others. I don't limit myself I just don't over do it. My jpouch has been tough for me. I also had my take down only 7 weeks after the removal of my colon. I had to because I couldn't stop getting dehydrated. I ended up in the hospital 4 times for dehydration and I found out what affects being dehydrated can cause and that is what happened to me. I really struggled with my ileo. It was terrible trying to eat and drink so much.