How long does it take to get back to normal after colon re-section?

Just popping this back up to the top as I am

no use to you but hopefully others will be ! 
Court 

Hi Chocoblanc , I hope this helps a bit . I didn’t have a stoma but after my resection it took many weeks to start feeling I could venture away from a bathroom . The first month or so I seemed to be be going a lot and little bits at a time . I also had the feeling I needed to go but it would just be wind . I was given some liquid Imodium  which helped with the frequency but wanted to try and sort it on my own with what I was eating . It very slowly got better over time . It’s now been a year and I still struggle some days but I’m mostly good in the day . I go about 2 or 3 times a day and anoyingly it’s mostly in the evening . I found taking psyllium powder helps bulk my stools up ( I had to play with the dosage) . My colorectal nurse said this is probably my new normal now . It will get better , it just takes time . Take care XX

Hello Chocoblanc,

Sorry to hear you are having problems after your reversal.  I had my ileostomy reversed a year ago  after a Lower Anterior Resection a year before that. The first few days after I came out I was going every hour producing peanuts. After another couple of weeks I felt I could go out if I knew there would be a toilet if I needed it. It gradually gets better and now I go a couple of times a day, I eat what I want and sometimes something I eat might cause an upset.

If I try to analyse what happened and suggest anything it would be:

When I had the urge to go I would try to hold on as long as I could. By clenching the sphincter sometimes the urge would go away, but don't risk accidents.

When I went to the loo and passed something I would then wait for a while to see if more was coming rather than think I was finished and then have to pop back soon after.

If I was going too often I would use loperamide but not too much as you don't want to go too far the other way..

I increased the fibre gradually in my diet

I used, and still do, a daily probiotic on the advice of a chemist friend and the hospital. My gut hadn't seen any food for a year and it helped re-populate the gut with the bacteria it needs.

I think that the end result may depend on how much rectum you have left  for storage and how the operation or radiotherapy might have affected the nerves. Where was your resection?

There are a lot of happy people who have had the reversal and manage the change ok. I hope that you will as well, it does take time and as you are now a month in hopefully you will see some improvement soon.

All the best, John

Dear John, thank you SO MUCH for taking the time to send me so much invaluable advice. I feel so much better! Your ideas are spot on for me and infact you answered another question I has been hoping for a reply to on here re: Probiotics. So I will definitely start them today. My tumout was about 17cm deom my rectum so I don't think there was damage actually to the rectum but I did have a secon piece taken out higher up on rhe right side of the colon. I shall follow your advice (and stop doing those x3 trips to the loo every time!). So goos to know what I am going through is normal and that it should clear up soon. Just one more question: does the colon normally return 100% to normal or do you think it stays sensitive re: BM, food etc? Thanks again for your support. Have a great day! Amelia

Dear Nelly, thank you so much for your support - it really is invaluable. I left hospital with only one piece of advice: don't eat nuts or raw veg for a week!! Even hearing your "new normal" may be permanent helps - expectation is everything. I am now starting to understand what a big, gradual transition it is. I will think about adding psyllium powder in a month or so. Do you take probiotics? Thanks again for your comforting advice. Have a great day! CB

Thank you Court!

Hi Chocoblan.That's me a year since it all started I won't bother you with all the details  I got my loop Stoma a reversed in Feb  I find that morning is the hardest part of it after being in bed and your body has had time to fill up .Walking down the stairs ,it's the movement .left right ,left right.So all depends on what I eat. I am eating a lot more now than I ever have.It's  amazing  As for salads and anything with a skin they don't have time to digest  As John said it's how much you have left of your  bowls . As for energy some days in a new women but You have to remember that you went through a life saving operation .You will get through this day at a time.Try and eat something that you know you like ,even if it's only a child's portion .

It's take me 6 months to put on 1\2 stone. Good luck .le

Thank you so much Aidan. It does make me realise that it was a really big thing to put my body theough and maybe 1 month isn't very long after all! Have a great day!

Remember your body and Wee b bowl will tell you when you have go to the toilet .Ignore it at your peril.I keep forgetting that I had to go through 2 ops on the same day 1 was reversal  then blood leak ..(husband got a phone call at 2-30 Can someone sit with him ).

It's hard going for you at the start but you can do it.So No heavy lifting and no stretching .You will start before you know it All the best .Alaine

You’ll get there , yes I have a Yakut a day and a probiotic yogurt . Don’t know if it helps but I’m definatley getting better . There is some great advice on here . You’ll get there me dear , love NellyX