The Colon Club

Yes, time to see the doctor. Good luck, Hope they can get the pain resolved, that is no fun.

Lee

UsmcColon, To focus on good prospect: surgical removal of diverticulitis can be a PERMANENT CURE. It has been for my wife. She finds it interesting that our colorectal-surgeon friend did resections of both do us. Too often the GI doctors never tell you of surgical options. And they seem happy to have you as a patient for life - the drug companies prefer such.

We pray that the other symptoms go away and that you fully regain your strength.

I went to appointment today and saw a PA. She said she talked about my case with my surgeon. She didn't feel any bulges from the laprascopic site and I haven't either.

I use the VA for healthcare and let me just say this community Care practice I've been seeing is amazing. They actually listen to me and care. The PA mentioned that the surgeon told her I was a "go getter" because when I first met him in hospital before surgery I was admitted for possible sepsis. He still remembered that the day I was released I asked for note to go back to work and he told her that. So that meant a lot to me and think I'm going to ask for a new primary at VA because I am literally ignored.

Anyways Monday I am going to get CT to rule out hernia. Another possibility is maybe an adhesion. I said I wondered if it was just a neurological issue too and again it was so reassuring to hear her say that we'll get there after we rule out other things first.

Going to try heating pad tonight and take it easy this weekend because it's been getting worse last couple days.

I hope they find a fixable cause!

I had pneumonia when I was about 6 yrs old, and would have adhesions occasionally thereafter for several years. It really felt like something was ripping apart inside my chest. Which I guess it was! Very painful, but eventually went away with no intervention.

I'm glad you have an appointment in the near future. Best of luck.

Boxhill, You’ve been through the wringer. Good to see you came through it.

UsmcColon, I wish the government would sell-off VA Healthcare System. We citizens of the US care deeply about Veterans; we tell such to our Congressmen, who keep increasing funding. The VA can accomplish its mission without the doctors being employees of the government these days. Such wasn’t so post Civil War.

We pray that you are feeling better and that the medical community will work for your cure and comfort.

Thanks everyone.

I've been taking it easy this weekend and little things hurt so I'm pretty sure it is an adhesion. I had the ripping and tearing pains month or so ago intermittently. The more I pay attention it seems like yes being really active makes it worse but even if I'm taking it easy simple position changes can cause pain. I'm not looking forward to going back to work and don't know what I'm going to do if this keeps getting worse.

As far as VA goes I don't blame the providers themselves but rather VA leadership. It doesn't seem like a great place to work and they have to follow guidelines and I don't think they have a lot of autonomy. It's easy to tell who a new hire is. They are happy, smiling, and try to help. Then a few years later they seem burned out and on autopilot.

Had CT Last Monday. It didn't see anything that would be causing my issues. Surgeon told me to use ice and heat on painful areas and to reach out in 2 weeks if was still having issues. I sent message saying I was still having issues and I see him Tuesday for him to personally check things out. I'll have to ask him about CT report as well since it mentions "post hysterectomy" in part of report. I've never had a uterus.

Overall pain is much more manageable. I'm in pain more often though and I have to be very careful what I do in order to maintain this bearable level of pain.

I'm sorry you're having such a hard time and I hope the surgeon will be able to give you more of an insight into your CT results. I hope you feel better soon and get answers!*hugs*

Thank you.

Update from appt today: i was told that it's possible gastritis and that when it hurts to try tums to see if it helped. If it does then I should get stomach scoped. Tums didn't help today though but I'll keep trying for this week to be sure.

Also said it could be entrapped nerve at the surgical site but that it would be highly unlikely. If it was he said maybe long term block or they could kill the nerve but then I wouldn't feel there anymore and wouldn't know if I was hurt there.

Another option if it doesn't get better is to go back in with scope to check for scarring issues. That's no guarantee and could cause more issues.

We did agree that for next month or so to try and take things easy since rest and not overdoing it helps relieves and prevent pain.

Update:
Reached back out to surgeon and awaiting response. Basically I can minimize pay by inactivity but I can't be as inactive as I need to be without going crazy because it basically means I would have to walk slowly and sit most of day.

Still getting pains mostly upper right and left abdomen. Wednesday night I was hurting when I got home from work so I started looking and feeling to see if I could pinpoint it. Incidentally I found a mass below left nipple and to left around rib 5 or 6. It doesn't hurt and is mobile so the next day I called VA to let them know and they got me in that day. My primary said he didn't feel it and I pointed to where it was and insisted it was there. He felt area for 2 more seconds and said he couldn't find it. So I left and went back home and I could still feel it and so could wife so I went to urgent care. Urgent care didn't have a problem finding it and did an X-ray which didn't show anything emergent. Provider there said it was about 1" x 2" and I needed follow up with primary who may want to do outpatient ultrasound.

I think I'm going to try and get new primary at this point if they let me. I've had a lot of issues for a while now . I'm in pain everyday day and I'm finally realizing that my complaints have been minimized for years and I really thought it must all be in my head but I'm realizing that's not true.

I did find out from appointment with primary though that I'm having lower left pain tenderness again as well.

Have another appointment now with surgeon next Monday, sounds like he is going to want to do put camera in abdomen to check for scarring.
Anyone know if that means another 6 weeks out of work?

Couple updates. I asked for a new primary and my request was granted so I'll be getting new one in next week or two.

Sept 21st I'm having a colonoscopy, assuming benign results surgery is scheduled for Oct 1st to go back in laparoscopically and look for and get rid of adhesions.

That said I was able to get rid of most of my pain for a week!

So currently my entire body hurts. Even if I don't feel pain I catch myself acting like I am in pain and if I keep pushing then I really feel pain. I just don't have the endurance I'm used to having even walking. I have to get the energy up to get out of tub. I work on my feet all day so I'm sure that's not helping.

Anyways the important part I wanted to share. I've had 2 massages since surgery. This last one was by a new person I haven't seen before. She found 6 points that hurt really bad. My shoulder blades, lower back, and glutes. She spent most of time on those spots. I noticed that even though I was sore in those spots I was walking normal again and even my fast walking wasn't causing the really bad pain when I push myself. First couple days things got better. Still had abdominal pains. Not sure if it's just because of the relief but that level of pain is something I could live with unlike the pain I'm in now. 6 days after massage those 6 points really hurt again and the next day my abdomen was hurting again, I was having malabsorption issues again and just hurt all over.

I'm going back for another massage this Sunday to see if I feel better again for a week. Definitely worth trying for those of you who have chronic pain. Massage therapist didn't even touch my abdomen which had me most surprised because it helped my abdominal pain.

This is hopefully last update. I had a second surgery in Oct because of pain from first surgery. Saw some adhesions but nothing that would cause my pain. Pain remained.

Next step was nerve blocks or killing nerve. Decided to try PT. Long story short I've had a chronic cough for years, pretty sure it was stopping incision site from healing completely. Been wearing a wrap around abdomen in that area and pain is gone!

Usmccolon wrote:This is hopefully last update. I had a second surgery in Oct because of pain from first surgery. Saw some adhesions but nothing that would cause my pain. Pain remained.

Next step was nerve blocks or killing nerve. Decided to try PT. Long story short I've had a chronic cough for years, pretty sure it was stopping incision site from healing completely. Been wearing a wrap around abdomen in that area and pain is gone!

I am just now reading through your story. Wow, what a rollercoaster. I’m glad you are pain free as of now.
Ksue

Just thought I would update.so I've been wearing a 6" ace bandage wrap around the incision that has been bothering me. Sometimes pain was also around the incision. Anyways I've had some bad days but overall 75% better at this point. Was wearing 24/7 except bathing and then I stopped while sleeping about a week ago, now I'm slowly not wearing it at home when I'm not doing anything strenuous. Probably will do this another week or two then stop wearing it at home all the time then a week or two after that try and not wear it at all.

Another issue I'm unsure of if it's related but I've learned the abdominal pain at incision can be pain free for days and still experience whole body aches. Been having some bad knots near shoulders and lower back. My winter spasms are back as well in torso.

It anyone reading this has had any pain similar I urge you to try the ace bandages. The binder was to uncomfortable and the self adhering ace bandages didn't last long before bunching up way to much on back.