Shock and meltdown after Drs. Appt.

Just some background. I'm 51 and in October had a bout of diverticulitis. Since I didn't recognize what it was (I just thought I was constipated from narcotic use) I ignored it until I was very ill. I was in the hospital for seven days and came very close to rupturing my colon and having a temporary colostomy.

Last Friday I was bloated, and yes constipated, but I was awoken from a nap by a mild/moderate pain in my lower left side. This time I knew what it was, called the Dr. At 4:45 pm on a Friday and they immediately called in Cipro and Flagyl. I've done great all week, I finish up the antibiotics tomorrow, so I go bouncing in for my check up with the GI thinking everything is cool.

Instead I was referred to a colon surgeon so that I will be an "established" patient for WHEN it flares again ( and she said it is a WHEN, not an IF) because I will probably need a colon resection.

WHOA!!!

She went on to tell me I'm lucky, it's only in my lower colon. Why am I not feeling very lucky??

I have a friend who calls me Liz as a nickname. After Elizabeth Taylor. And it is not because I look like her. It is because of the number of surgeries and things I've had go wrong. I hate having to list my surgeries because I get writers cramp.

So I called hubby and have been bawling ever since. Shock and meltdown....

Oh Gosh! I am so sorry to hear this. Gee, I guess since it is ONLY PART OF YOUR COLON, you should rejoice!!! LOL Who wants to lose part of their colon? Who even wants a smidge of their colon on the big screen with doctors scrutinizing it, trying to decide what to do about IT??? Yeah, I agree with you, one thing you never want to hear at a Dr is the word ONLY. It is a precursor to something painful and not-so-minor!!!

I'm so sorry to read this Char. I hope she is wrong. As we all know, docs are wrong all the time. I wish I had something better to say, but I'm at a loss for words. I'm so sorry girl.

I am past meltdown and pity party mode and am on to research. Knowledge is power

I found a fantastic diverticulitis forum and learned more in an hour from the folks there than I have in months of researching medical sites.

It's not uncommon to be recommended for surgery when your first bout was a bad as mine and you have a second flare so soon. The surgery is done laprocosicly ( sp?) but even with that has a three to eight day hospital stay. But, given I have a office job I can probably go back to work shortly after my hospital release.

Most of the folks, and there were many, said they wish they would have done the surgery long before they did.

I guess with each bout your intestine "thins" leaving you more susceptible to rupturing in your next bout. And if you rupture, it is bad, bad, bad... Perontinitis, colostomy bag, possibly death...soooooo, I think I'm a little less scared about a planned elective surgery, don't cha know?

Still a little stunned...but definitely feeling better than I did a couple hours ago. Thank goodness for the Internet. I cant imagine the old days of 20 years ago when I would have just had to wait until my next apt. To find out anything. I would have worked myself in to a tizzy by then!

Holy crap! I am stunned too!

Char my sympathy goes to you. To have so many pains and aches and other ailments and now this.
I am so sorry honey!

But sun thru tears, smart cookie as you are, you already found out knowledge that helps you to look at it thru perspective.
From what you wrote:

Most of the folks, and there were many, said they wish they would have done the surgery long before they did.
I guess with each bout your intestine "thins" leaving you more susceptible to rupturing in your next bout. And if you rupture, it is bad, bad, bad...

I supposed what needs to be done has to be done, for you to be safe and healthy. At least in this department.

And if laparoscopic surgery (thanks be for an automatic speller!) (if only there was also one for grammar...) is the way to be free of pain, of chronic abdominal problems - then let it be!

One thing I would worry over everything now in this scenario - is to make sure the surgeons are really good.
Hope you can ensure that somehow. Sure you do, you can do everything!


Hugs, 'Lottie,

Risa

My mother has all of this also, Char. So far she has been chicken to have the surgery. My heart goes out to you!

Cheryl

Things have moved up a bit. Saw the GI today and he doesn't like how tender I was. So back on antibiotics, had blood work done to check my white count and another CT scan tomorrow in the a.m. Then another appt with him Thursday, and the consult with the surgeon Monday.

It's very late and I'm very bloated and nauseous but am hoping that's just from the barium chalk prep I drank.

Today he was very interested in all my abdominal surgical scars. That got me thinking, wouldn't it be a relief if I'm having problems with adhesions? Go in with a laprosocpe, snip, snip and good for a couple years until it sticks together again. I've had 5 surgeries down there and two additional laproscopies so there has to be a ton of scar tissue down there. Two of the surgeries were emergency ones so I'm sure they weren't finessing things the way they usually do.

Plus, I have an extra appendix called a Meckels diverticulum. Maybe that's acting up.

Anyway, in one week my B/P went from 100/75 to 157/90 today. I told them yes, I'm in pain, but mainly I'm scared! I don't want anyone messing with my gut, but elective surgery seems to be the best option. Ugh.

Good news, no diverticulitis...bad news, don't know what's causing the pain and tenderness. But that okay, cause that means there's no bowel resection in my near future. Woo hoo.

The leading theory is that it is adhesions from my five previous abdominal surgeries. Two more Drs visits one with the surgeon and one with GI dr to try and find out what's up.

I'm both relieved and scared for you Char. I'm glad it's not diverticulitis, though I suppose you are looking at another lap to deal with the adhesions/ scar tissue. I hate it when there are a bunch of unknowns, but like most of us with migraines, we just kind of learn to live with unknown causes. Do you have another opinion coming?