Hemicolectomy after-effects

[Guest]

To those with Carcinoid Cancer of the appendix, you need follow up with a Carcinoid Cancer expert. For more information on Carcinoid Cancer go to Carcinoid Cancer Foundation. com. Carcinoid Cancer is life long battle, and you need follow up care. You should be seeing an Oncologist who knows something about Carcinoid Cancer. One doctor is Dr. Wolin at Cedars Sinai in Los Angeles, California. Another great doctor is Dr. Woltering in Kenner Lousianna. You can find both of these doctors by googling there names.

Nancy from LV NV

[michael 58]

I am a 58 year old male. In spring of 2010 I started having gas and abdominal pain out of no where. I tolerated it for few moths thinking it was my body's reaction to some foods(milk, wheat,..) I have been very careful with my diet and exercise regularly. I don't smoke and drink very moderately. I was very healthy and played sports in college. The last time I had a flue was in 1993. There was no family history of any cancer.
I went to see my family doctor. He put me through a series of blood/stool tests and abdominal radiology. I learned that my red blood cell count was very low. There was also blood in my stool. My doctor suggested a colonoscopy that showed cancerous tumor in the cecum of my ascending colon. A CT scan re-confirmed it. I was totally surprised. I had right hemicolectomy surgery a week later( August 22, 2010). The surgen removed 1/3 of my colon and 2" of my small intestine during an open operation. I spent 5 days in the hospital. The pathalogy report showed adenocarcinoma of cecum. 7 of the 28 lymth nodes that were removed during the surgery were affected. I had stage three colon cancer. Two weeks after the surgery I started six months of chemotherapy with Oxilaplatin injections and Xeloda caplets(3000-3500 mg per day). I had severe reactions to chemo. Acid reflux and pins & needle of my feet were the main ones. Low energy, lack of appetite, no ability to taste food, hick ups,.... It has been one year since my surgery and six months since my last chemo cycle. I have gained my energy back. I still feel a burning sensation on the bottom of my feet. All my body functions are back to normal. The only effect I can feel is a pressure against my right lung when I take a deep breath. I feel something is preventing the expansion. It is not painful just uncomfortable. I am going to have some tests(CEA, liver enzymes, CT, CBC ..) done in the near future. My oncologyst said a CT scan once a year is all I need. Thank you for reading my story. If you have any advice please let me know.

[HibiscusQueen]

I am a 31 year old female. I too had an emergency open appendectomy in April 2011 and two weeks later received the pathology report that a 1.8cm carcinoid tumor was discovered and had spread into other tissues. Into May it was recommended by the oncologists and colon-rectal surgeons that the additional surgery be done (a right hemicolectomy ). I didn't have my surgery until August 2011not sure why but the surgeon opted to wait three months because of scar tissue etc. But I was able to have a laparoscopic surgery done for the hemicolectomy But I too am still noticing a lot of gurgling and undigested bowl movements (from raw vegetables, fruits etc.) and am worried about nutrient absorption etc. I'm just wondering if this is normal etc. other wise I feel just fine. Weight loss and not gaining is the only issue but I am maintaining the weight and not losing any more weight. I am trying to supplement with vitamins and V-8 fusion juice blends and other liquid vitamins. I will be seeing the oncologist every 6 mos for imaging.

[Amy377]

HibiscusQueen,

Your story is so similar to mine!!! I am also from PA and had my right hemicolectomy done at 31 years old and done laparscopically (I posted my story on this page back in 2009). I have been getting scans every 6 months and so far there are no signs of reoccurrence. Unfortunately I did have another emergency surgery 3 years after my right hemicolectomy due to internal hernia and a twist in my intestine. I was having severe stomach pains and throwing up. They had to do an emergency full open laparatomy to untwist my bowel. I found out after this surgery that this can be a side effect of getting laparascopic abdominal surgeries. I still have some stomach issues, but I've been taking Align probiotic regularly and that seems to help. Hope your recovery goes well!!

[HibiscusQueen]

@Amy377

Thanks so much for the reply. It's nice to know that there are other folks in the same/similar situations. Most recently I have had some digestive upset and am scheduled for an Upper GI in two weeks. Hopefully, I'll get more information on my situation and what to do. Thanks again and hopefully your recovery is going well.

[Amy377]

HibiscusQueen ~

Hope your appointment goes well and they can get you some relief! Take care!

[ebauman75]

I had an appendectomy in april '04, followed by a right hemicolectomy in sept '04. About five weeks after surgery I was told to get back to work, no further care, NO DIET RESTRICTIONS. For about 6-8 months everytime I thought I had gas, there was liquid also. Eventually the "liquid farts" stopped, but now everything gives me gas (and beano/gas-x do absolutely nothing for it). Since that time, when I eat, there will be a liquid bowel movement within 30 minutes. These come virtually out of nowhere, and with little to no warning. My surgeon told me that this was normal and would subside given time. It's been seven years... shouldn't all of this have gone away by now? What can I do?

[HibiscusQueen]

ebauman75

I was told the same thing about 6 weeks after my hemicolectomy. I still have some digestive issues. My digestion hasn't really been the same since my appendectomy in April 2011 - after which I had a bout with C. Diff. and it never really returned to normal. I am sure my colon is confused after the prep for the colonoscopy and the surgery so I am worried about nutrient absorption and depending on what I eat (raw veggies, or a lot of veggies/fruits vs starches etc) I will have frequent bowl movements 2-3 a day but not watery or liquid. I would maybe get a second opinion or see a different gastroenterologist regarding your digestive upset (could be IBS or infection in the colon). I hope it all works out.

Amy377

Thank you again. I see my oncologist this week to discuss follow up and scans. My endoscopy isn't until December but it is very likely I have GERD/Acid Reflux just another bump in the road for this recovery. Keep us posted on your scans too and how they go.

[colemac]

Hello All,

I had a right hemicolectemy after thinking it was my appendix about 8 years ago now. I have been having issues with my stomach after I eat something. I get extruciating pains in my stomach and its almost like constipation after I eat sometimes an hour and sometimes 4-8 hours later. Until I have a bowel movement, it feels like knives cutting through my lower abdomemen, almost unbearable and then finally when i pass a bowel movement its usuually not much, it feels better but sometimes i have to go back to bathroom 3-4 times before it completely passes. I just had a cat scan and have to get results from family doctor. Should I see a specialist, get meds, do you think I could have IBS from surgery?

Anyone have anything like this after this surgery

Thank you for your help in advance

[E0367]

Good morning all,

My surgery experience won't help you but I still thought I may be able to give some suggestions since I had a long history of irritable bowel syndrome as well as I have treated many patients with abdominal pains with frequent loose BM's (bowel movements) or frequent diarrhea or a combination of the two. Of course, if your symptoms persist over next few weeks to months, I recommend a follow with your colorectal surgeon or your gastroenterologist. My suggestions are rather simple and same type of conversation have been floating around this forum for years, I believe.

- Basics like being well hydarated and doing regular exercises for healthier bowel movement should go without saying.
- Daily stool softeners fiber product, like Citrucel, Benifiber, and Metamucil with fluids and slowly titrating the dose as need to bulk-up the stool to result in few BM's daily that is not too loose and not too hard. Everyone gets individual response and your extensive colon resection makes these supplements' effects a little more unpredictable in my mind. But they are cheep and the surgeons do recommend these trial. BTW, lots of people like to use Metamucil, but it can cause more gas symptoms that may improve with time. For me, I prefer Citrucel.
- Daily probiotics. I just eat Greek yogart daily, but lots of patients have given favorable reports to Align and Floraster and many other products, but I have not tried them personelly.
- While suffering from bloating, gas and other abdominal pain, and BM problem of diarrhea and/or constipation, I recommend avoiding other dairy products; with diarrhea, I would recommend avoiding fresh vegetable, high fiber food, fruit peels and nuts ( sounds familiar? ) Here's the link to Low-residual diet fro MD Anderson:

http://www2.mdanderson.org/app/pe/index ... c&docid=34

- Once several weeks have passed where you notice any improvement in your symptoms, then continue with the walking, being well-hydrates, with the probiotics of your choice, and with the stool fiber product, and now start introducing slowly, a small amount of food that is on the side of "Food to Avoid" from the above MD Anderson website. It's all a trial and an error process and also re-training your bowels.
- The goal is to be where you aren't bothered by frequent abdominal discomforts and you are no longer needing to focus/be fixated/have life activities and social outings limited by these symptoms. You intestines have been through a lot and may never be the same as they were precancer and pretreatments, but I believe above regimental trial should help some or even significantly for some of you.

Good luck!

[E0367]

One more thing! Yeah, sorry, but I'm a tad long-winded.

Some of you were mentioning upper GI issues with possible reflux disease or gastritis and planning GI evaluation. It's important to go ahead with the upper endoscopic evaulation and GI consultations if your symptoms are persistent.
In the mean time, avoid aspirin products (including Alkaseltzer and Peptobismol since aspirin in them), avoid NSAIDS (eg advil/motrin/ibuprofen, aleve/naprosyn, other prescription NSAIDS), avoid caffeinated products, chocolates, fatty food, spicy food, mints, and acidic food. Yeah, sorry, it doesn't leave much to enjoy food - but this just temporary until you have done a trial and an error regimen and/or seen your GI. Also, if you are bloated, somewhat constipated, and not feeling well in the lower abdomen, as per my earlier post, then these symptoms transmit upto the upper GI system. So, if lower GI issues improve with a trial of the regimen I suggested earlier, then hopefully there is less acid and food stuck and reluxing upward.

Keep us posted on your progresses! Especially to re-educate me if I am totally off with my recommendations!

[colemac]

Thank you for your prompt response. Could I call or email you? I am not sure if you can send me a PM or I can send you one with my email and phone number.

Thank you

[E0367]

Good morning Colemac,
Just for privacy and safety issues, I haven't been wanting to post my email address or phone number in a public forum, however, I'll be happy to correspond with you via this Forum's email and PM features. Have you registered officially? I believe you just need few more posts or to reply to posts in order to have the access to email and PM features. Sorry for being too cautious, but I have been phished in the past and it was a total pain! Looking forward to here from you soon.

[Terry]

I'm not having a right hemi, but a colostomy and I would imagine these things I was told would be pretty much the same for both. He said it will be very important for me to drink 3 32oz. of liquid per day (my husband said 5 so I'll have to verify that before I go home) since my colon will be gone so I don't get constipated. He also said I may be able to eat whatever I want, but to start with foods such as coleslaw, any raw vegetables, fruits such as raspberries or strawberries (little seeds) in very small amounts and chew them well to see how my body reacts. This is for one to see how gassy it makes me and second to prevent a blockage. Other than that he said it will become a normal part of life. I've spoke to 2 people that live in this area, one is 85 and just had an ostomy and they are both doing amazing with it. The second one has had his for about 15 years.

I'm sure you'll do great and you'll be so much decreasing your risk for cancer so you don't have to go through all of this chemo and scans and wondering. Good luck to you:)

[Scooby]

Hello all,
So glad to have found this website I had a right hemicolectomy in August of 2011. This was planned after removal of my appendix in June 2011 and they discovered a 2cm carcinoid on my appendix and surrounding tissues. The surgery went well they did remove 11 lymph nodes and 1 came back positive. I am on a wait and see approach to chemo and further treatments. Anyone had to have further treatment? I am 35 and in good health now that tumour was removed. I have been suffering with terrible bloating, horrible gas some nausea and fatigue since January and I am unsure if it is because of my diet? I was given no special diet or exercise restrictions but I am finding it difficult to exercise like I use to (I'm always tired) and that raw vegetables, salads, fibre tend to make things worse? Meanwhile I thought these were healthy foods? what does one eat to promote a healty digestive track? I often wonder what is normal at this point and what could be a potential issue? has anyone had further problems related to there hemicolectomy? I appreciate any feedback. It's comforting to hear stories from othere out there in the same situation as myself. Neuroendocrine cancer is so rare and it's hard to find a lot of others with same cancer let alone someone with a carcinoid in the same place as yours.