I’m back in the hospital for a “blockage…”
Well, I thought I was done with the complications when my iliostomy was reversed and frankly, I was very excited. But to be honest, I always had a bad feeling that something was going to go wrong.
Well, here’s what happened in greater detail…When the surgeon re-connected me after the iliostomy the surgery was more complicated than he expected. Due to being able to finally eat after 2 years, I had gained a good amount of weight.
Add to the weight the massive amount of scar tissue from the prior surgery and the intestines were way too deep for the surgeon to properly connect my small intestine to my colon using just tools and robots with a minimal incision.
See, their SUPPOSED to connect the small intestine and the colon in a “V” shape - this creates a much larger hole and far less risk of that connection area closing up due to inflammation or scar tissue. However, they can only do this using STAPLES.
Now, with my surgery, they were unable to use staples at that time - so now he had to STITCH it. Well, when they stitch, they cannot connect in the V shape, they have to connect it straight. Now this put me at a much higher risk of having a “anastomosis stricture” among other things.
So, low and behold about 3 weeks after surgery I started having severe pain in that area.
The pain would RISE, get worse and worst then ALL of a sudden I’d hear all this gurggling (as if stuff was SHOOTING through) and that would relieve the pain.
The situation continued to get worse and worse, day by day until the day after Christmas, the 26th when I landed myself back in the hospital.
We have since run X-rays, CT scans and an upper-GI scan using contrast. They have confirmed that I do have a stricture there - a partial obstruction.
9/10 chances I need to get surgery again this week to take that part out and re-connect. This time, to re-connect they are going to have to make a large mid-abdomen incision and go in, clean out the scar tissue and re-connect me in the V shape.
I’ll keep you posted as to what the surgeons decide to do.
But, from this, please take the following lessons in case you ever get or currently have a temporary iliostomy:
1. Watch your weight, don’t gain too much or else the reversal surgery becomes more complicated.
2. Stay on LOW RESIDUE diet for at least 4-6 weeks no matter WHAT your doctors say. Mine approved a “eat anything you want” diet too soon in my opinion.
Unforunately there is not much more you can do to avoid this from happening. It is just a known complication that can occur and even if you take all the procautions in the world, it may still happen.
Make sure to talk to your doctor about this much before your reversal surgery so you can prepare properly.
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8 Responses to “I’m back in the hospital for a “blockage…””
1 Michael J. Morgan 1 January 2007 @ 9:23 am
oh gosh, im so sorry to hear this news. i JUST got out of the hospitol the other day, i missed christmas and everything and it was horrible. i have crohnes disease btw, which you probally figured. i wish you well and for a speedy recovery. both my father and sister also suffer from the disease. its so tough, i seriously wish you the best.
2 thbjork 5 January 2007 @ 11:01 pm
Man, what a bummer. Keep your spirits as high as you can. Let’s all hope for a SPEEEEEEEDY recovery!!
3 Randy 6 January 2007 @ 11:55 pm
We met during Remicade Me very over wgt with long term ileostomy. I wish you the best with whatever you choose. Going on TPN is probably the most difficult decision, but might be your best. I don’t know that waiting this long for results is going to change the prognosis, if it is a “mechanical obstruction” meaning your body causing the obstruction, it probably won’t help to wait to long. If it is from the surgery ie: swelling then obviously waiting will help. I just hope for the best. You might want a second opinion outside the practice. Dr. Allen Wolland in Bethesda MD is a Top Doc, I highly recomend him. Be well, and know people care. Randy
4 Anik Singal 7 January 2007 @ 3:18 am
Hey!
Yea actually my pain has gotten worst even with just liquids, looks like Im getting surgery on the coming Friday.
They’re pretty worried, apparently not a good idea to go in so soon.
Anik
5 randall 7 January 2007 @ 8:42 am
sorry about the surgery. I just wanted to let you know that I am 7 yrs
post op, (major surg. lost 8″ lower intestin - kept the colan) Have been
on remicade every 8 weeks and in remission. DIET most important w/
me. Low fat-high protien.. my wt.is stable at 180 lbs, ht is 5′11′’ so I
feel pretty good and have remained active, skiing,white water rafting and travel. My Doc feels that with the new biologics and perhaps stem cell that our CD community might have a better future. hang in there.
6 randall 7 January 2007 @ 8:45 am
sorry about the surgery. I just wanted to let you know that I am 7 yrs
post op, (major surg. lost 8″ lower intestin - kept the colon) Have been
on remicade every 8 weeks and in remission. DIET most important w/
me. Low fat-high protien.. my wt.is stable at 180 lbs, ht is 5′11′’ so I
feel pretty good and have remained active, skiing,white water rafting and travel. My Doc feels that with the new biologics and perhaps stem cell that our CD community might have a better future. hang in there.
7 Margaret 8 January 2007 @ 9:38 am
If I ever get an ostomy and can eat they can forget reversing it! I’ve been on a liquid diet for seven fricking years now…hope things go well with your surgery. Are they using an adhesion barrier to prevent reformation of adhesions?
8 maggie 24 September 2007 @ 9:17 pm
Sure hope you have a speedy recovery. I had a temporary iliostomy inFebruary and I feel great now. I am getting the reconstruction surgery in a couple of months and I am worried that it may ahve to be permanent. Sure hope not. Again, GET WELL SOON.
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