NHMike wrote:I asked my Surgeon and she said no. But I'm only three months out. The reversal has been difficult. It is improving very slowly.
Phillypatient wrote: . . . my surgeon who said "oh, you'll just make a couple extra trips to the bathroom...no biggie" , , , !
Lee wrote:Phillypatient wrote: . . . my surgeon who said "oh, you'll just make a couple extra trips to the bathroom...no biggie" , , , !
WOW just wow
My surgeon was a bit more honest. 2/3 of my rectal muscles were destroyed due to radiation damage. I was already doing 20+ visits to the bathroom on a daily bases. She talked about taking muscles from some other part of my body (can't remember now, too long ago), and it would take about 2 yrs to "train" these muscles to act like rectal muscles. I could still be living with 20+ visits to the bathroom if it was not successful. Yes I would have taken it if I had to, as I had 2 young kids I needed to raise. Butt she want my husband and I to see an Ostomy nurse. That is when we learned what a colostomy bag was. I walked out of that meeting knowing that is what I wanted. I had my husband's full support. As he put it, you can your life back.
I was about 6 months from that surgery, I was on an all day field trip for my son. One of his teacher's was picking my brain. "you do know I have a colostomy bag" I said to the teacher. "Yes", was her response. She told me about her neighbor who was diagnosed 6 months prior to me. Guess this neighbor is mostly house bound. "You are not. I believe that bag that you have was the best decision". She always wanted me to talk to that neighbor. Never happened.
Daily Enema was not an option that was talked about then, butt if I had not taken the route I did, I'm sure I would be doing them today.
Good luck,
Lee
susie0915 wrote:My surgeon basically said all I needed was benefiber and Imodium. . .
The only thing I take anymore are a couple lomotil just to make sure I'm okay all day. I use for peace of mind, don't really think I need.
Phillypatient wrote:The only thing I take anymore are a couple lomotil just to make sure I'm okay all day. I use for peace of mind, don't really think I need.
Did your doc ever mention any long term effects of immodium? My surgeon said it can mess with the natural process of peristalsis and warned against using it.
Return to “Colon Talk - Colon cancer (colorectal cancer) support forum”
Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 375 guests