Hi Susan

My partner had a bowel resection, she was kept in hospital for 3 weeks afterwards, it seems you are home quite early, she had morphine on a self administered basis. By pressing a button a small dose would be given and it would not give more until a certain time period elapsed. Paracetamol etc gave her no relief from the intense pain. The pain did subside after a four weeks, she suffered withdrawal effects for a week once the morphine was stopped these included intense itching anxiety restless legs disturbed sleep and flu type symptoms. Her stoma was reversed and she now has a fairly "normal" pain free life. There is light at the end of the tunnel but right now you need some help to get there. Get straight onto your medical team, GP or emergency services and tell them you are in severe pain, you have to make a fuss about this or you will be fobbed off. No one should need to suffer  in the 21st century. Hope you can get sorted out soon. Best wishes

Hi ,you have my every sympathy ,post op pain is horrid .I had a different op to you upper right lung lobectomy in March ,i too had a lot of pain but in the end it got easier once I got moving around and you probably don't want to hear this ,once some healing time had passed .It is time that is what is needed, its all a bit of an assault upon you physically and emotionally but your body will heal in time you will feel better .A lot of the pain killers made me feel awful ,ie constipated emotional and basically drugged up .I had paracetamol and codiene when desperate ,and ibuprofen .I also I had an occassional stiff brandy when I felt uttertly beat by pain ,which did sooth frayed nerves .So take heart things will improve just eat well and do what ever works to relax yourself you will get there. All drugs have side effects but talk to your doctors they come up with something .Good luck .Its early days give yourself sometime , you can't rush these things .

Thankyou  for  replying  to  me, it  makes  me feel  so much  better knowing  that  other people  felt the  same  as  I  do  now  and  that  there is  light  at the  end  of  the  tunnel, my  hubby  wasnt  very happy  when  they  let  me  home  but  I  was  doing  so  well  and  never  expected  to  be  in  so  much  pain,  anyways  I  took  a  tramadol  and  2  paracetamol   last  night  and  eventualy  got  about  6  hours  sleep (whoop) so  today  I  know  I  will be  able  to  cope  better, Thankyou  again  and  I  hope  your  partner  continues  to  have  good  health.

                                  Best  Wishes   Susan

Thankyou  for  your  reply,  I  know  its  going  to  take  a  bit  of  time  and  everything  you  have  said  makes  sense  but  I  am  not  a  patient  patient  lol, I  took  2  paracetamol  and  a  tramadol  and  managed 6  hours  sleep  so  have  woken  this  morning  in  a  different  frame  of  mind. Take  care  and  wishing  you  a  continued  recovery.

                                                    Best  Wishes  Susan

Hi Susan,

You've had some supportive replies from Kim and Brewster and I just wanted to add a note of reassurance. 

I had a bowel resection op back in September 2013 and like you, I was doing so well they let me out after 6 days (once I'd shown I could take care of my stoma) 

In the early days back home, I remember watching the clock to see if it was time for the Tramadol and paracetamol, but gradually, I was able to go longer between doses and the pain certainly reduced significantly. 

It's still worth getting in touch with your medical team though as they have access to Pain Management teams who can find the right medication to help you. 

Take it steady, it's very early days as Brewster said. Take care, Jo xx

Hi  Meerkat

Y

Thankyou,  its  reassuring  to  know  that  other  peopke  have  been  through  this  op  and  came  out  the  other  end (so to speak) My  hubby  is  not  happy  at  hospital  putting  me  home  so  early, he  thinks  the  infection  in  my  wound  would  have  been  dealt  with  quicker  had  they  not  put  me  home  after  only  4 days,  I  have  to  say  that  things  are  not  quite  so  bad  today   and  I   am  hoping  the  pain  will  start  to  ease  a little,how  have  you  coped  since  your  resection  and  did  you  have  your  stoma  reversed?

 Best  Wishes  Susan

Hi Susan, 

I hadn't realised you had a wound infection too. But glad you  had a better day yesterday. 

In honesty, I coped well after the operation and soon became confident about stoma care and managing my diet to suit my 'new plumbing' 

Someone on the forum recommended a closed Facebook site called The Colostomy Association which I requested to join (you have to ask to be a member and if you're already on facebook, any posts from the Colostomy Association do not show on your own face book page so it's very discreet.) I got lots of information and advice, just reading the comments and questions that other stomates posted, but I appreciate, social media is not for everyone.

It was also reassuring in the early days, to know there were more stomates out there! I found out about products, tips about going on holiday, dietary hints etc. from people who really understand what it's like to have a stoma. 

I have not had a reversal due to circumstances, but I have a friend (met through the FB site) and she has successfully had her stoma reversed just recently. 

If you have any questions you think I could help answer, please post again. 

Take care, Jo xx