Stigmoid colectomy.

Hi  and welcome to the board. I had a low anterior resection so my tumour was in the rectum but hopefully some of my experience will be relevant.

The nurses will be keen to get you out of bed as soon as possible and taking short walks up and down the ward. You may have a catheter in at this point as well as a couple of IV lines but this is usually removed  after the first day or two which makes it a bit easier.

If you’re not having a stoma then I don’t think that there would be any particular foods to avoid however do not dive into a 3 course meal! The bowel does not like being manhandled and this can result in ileus ie. vomiting. It is not pleasant and you could then end up on nil by mouth for a couple of days so stick to small plain food portions initially. I lived off soup and jacket potato’s but had to leave the skin due to having an Ileostomy. You will hopefully be in hospital for about a week then they normally say you should be feeling a lot better after 5 weeks. You won’t be able to drive during this time or lift anything heavier than a kettle of water with one cups worth in.

I was scared as I’d never been in hospital before but everything is explained to you beforehand and you will meet with the anaesthetist before the op. I had an epidural which I was dreading but it wasn’t painful and that’s the last thing I remember before being wheeled back to the ward.

Ive attached a link to a booklet about the operation which has lots of useful info (including suggesting an extra long charging cable!) so hope this helps but if there’s anything specific you’d like to ask then fire away. I’m also tagging Technical guru and dom1969 who I think had sigmoidcolectomys and might be kind enough to share their experience too

https://bowelcancerorguk.s3.amazonaws.com/Publications/YourOperation_BowelCancerUK.pdf

Take care

Karen x

Thanks so much Karen, that’s so helpful. I was last in hospital 40 years ago having teeth extracted so it’s all a bit scary and daunting as you can imagine. So I appreciate any guidance, info and tips. 
My case is packed, with my extension lead , complete with usb points for my phone/iPad . I’ve my consultant appt tomorrow at 2 so hope to get my date then to get this thing out. Thanks once again . 

I had a a tumour in my sigmoid colon removed 6 weeks ago. In my case it had to be an open (big cut) procedure as there was a hint on CT that it had spread to the bladder. 41cm of bowel were removed along with dozens of lymph nodes, part of the bladder, veins and arteries. I did not require a stoma, although there was always the possibility depending on what went on during the op. You may well wake up with a urinary catheter, they are a little unpleasant but do not normally stay in for long. Mine was in for three weeks dues to partial bladder removal.

The anaesthetic was fine, I am also very nervous about hospital procedures, but I asked the anaesthetist to get a line in and get me to sleep before she put in an arterial line etc. Post op pain relief can be discussed and I opted for a 'pain bomb' rather than a spinal block - you too will have these choices. Laparoscopic operations should be much less intense, pain relief not required quite so much and recovery should be faster!

I spent 7 hours in theatre and the same time in recovery before they decided I was suitable to go to a ward rather than ITU. I remember screaming in pain in the immediate post surgery period until my pain relief was adjusted and then after that it was always well under control.

The 'enhanced recovery program' saw me up and in a chair the morning after the op. To be honest, I was still pretty much out of it on morphine, but at least I was up. The following day I was walking around with a little help.

The next stages were fairly simple. Chew gum to stimulate the bowel into working as it tends to have a little sleep after surgery. Drink plenty and eat normally. What everyone wants to happen next is for you to poop. Poop is very important. I did not poop and need some help, but in the end I pooped and all was well.

From experience avoid spicy foods and anything high fibre. Soluble fibre as in Fybogel is good however. 

Six weeks on, I am healing fairly well, if you have a laparoscopic procedure then you will be great by 6 weeks. If you avoid a stoma then the bowel is pretty messed up and it will take some time to get back to normal and I'm not sure that will have happened within three months. For me, I have to have three months of chemotherapy so I don' expect my bowel function to improve so much while that is going on. 

Was it all a fairly horrible experience, well, yes it was, but if i can get through it, then anyone can.

Many thanks Prof_T for all the info, that’s eased my concerns greatly. I drink kefir which is exceptionally good for gut health so hoping that and some probiotics will also help with healing.  I’ve been told I hopefully won’t need chemo. It has spread to a few lymph nodes but thankfully no further. I’m eager to be as prepared as I possibly can be and try and reduce my huge anxiety I have about all this. I’m very grateful for everyone’s input to my queries, it really has helped ease my fears. Thank you. Wishing you well and soon Prof_T. 

It will be laparoscopic but also a cut lower to get it out, so not sure if that’s going to hinder recovery like a full cut would? 

Hi Prof t has hit the nail on the head really, I had a morphine pump after the op but got rid of it the next day, I went in on the Thursday, 6 hour op, out of bed on the Friday, walked about on the Saturday and was home Sunday t time.  I had laproscopic which leaves a decent scar around your belly button about a 3cm scar lower down where they pull it out and two tiny scars mid abdomen, you will wake up with a catheter in and a line attached to a morphine pump, when ypu get pain you press a button and you get a hit of morphine, dont worry you cant OD as its measured by the machine, it can make you feel sick but if it does tell the nurse and theyll get you some anti sickness meds.

You should get a diet sheet when you leave but rule of thumb low fibre for 3 weeks ish then slowly start building fibre back in, 

Im very sorry to be the bearer of bad news but if they think it is in lymph nodes they really should not have told you you might not need chemo BUT they really cant definitely tell until they have tested the bowel they cut out.

When is your op?

Hi Dom, I’ve got a lengthy call on Monday to discuss what meds I’m on currently and been told lots of other questions will be asked. I’m assuming this part of the pre op then in for blood tests and ecg?  So if that is right (again only assuming) I will be in shortly after that? 
had a call Tuesday of this week with one of the cancer nurses and explained my symptoms were getting worse she said I was on a waiting list but as I felt I was getting worse she said she’d speak to the team. Then I got the call the next day to make the telephone appt for next monday. So hoping it will be soon. 

Hi, that could well be your pre op on Monday, I had to go in for a minor op last year and the pre op was done over the phone due to covid, the ecg only takes 5 minutes and could well be done on the day

I did speak to my friend who is a nurse and she said it was my pre op too. It’s all of a sudden VERY real. Whilst im petrified I’m also very keen to get this thing (‘affectionately’ nicknamed by friends as c***y Colin) Out of my body and continue with life.  Being part of this online community makes me feel less ‘alone’ if that makes sense. Whilst I have such a tremendous amount of support around me, I still feel alone....if that makes sense? 

It makes perfect sense, cancer is a very lonely disease, i really think it can only be fully understood by the people  have had / have it.

I actually think your doing really well, when I was diagnosed I was a gibbering wreck for months, watch out for the air beds in hospital btw, they are shocking!