Surgery for diverticulitis?

Good morning, everyone! I had gastric bypass in December of 2005, and now it looks like I'm going to have part of my colon removed because of diverticulitis.  Has anyone had this procedure done?  I'm wondering how it compares, pain-wise and recovery-time-wise, to the bypass. Lisa

Oh Lisa - I am so sorry for you.  I did not have it but my brother did and it was tough surgery for him.  He ened up with a bag for 12 weeks until it healed and then his surgery to reattached everything was difficult to say the least. His was really bad - the bad part of his colon was about the size of a paper towel cardboard roll.... really enlarged.  Not that this is going to happen to you and I am praying it does not but just to let you know.  His pain was about a 6 on a scale from 1-10, 10 being the highest.   Was this caused because of the bypass surgery?  It would be interesting to know. My thoughts and prayers are with you and I wish you a speedy recovery!!!!  Valerie :)

I'm so sorry to hear about your brother, Valerie!  I'm hoping that I'll be all healed from the diverticulitis before the surgery so they can do just one surgery instead of two.   Poor fellow, that must have been so awful for him! This wasn't caused by the bypass surgery, I'm glad to say -- I'd had diverticulitis before I had the bypass, and my mom had diverticulitis when she was 44, also (though hers wasn't as serious as mine).   Of course, folks who think I took the "easy way out" by having bypass surgery are quick to say it's because of the surgery -- though how I could develop the diverticuli BEFORE the surgery and have it be caused by the surgery I haven't figured out.... Lisa

I had my RNY in December of 2005 as well.  I had diverticulitis in March of 2006.  I was hospitalized for four days on IV antibiotics and was then able to go home.  I had had a prior episode of diverticulitis several years before this.  The doctor told me that if the antibiotics didn't clear up this last episode that I was going to be a candidate for surgery.  The reason they kept me in the hospital was to watch me because if it perforated and got worse, then the surgery would be much tougher - probably requiring a bag and a second surgery.  But, if you do the surgery while things are not inflamed and OK, I think the surgery is pretty easy.  I know a couple of people who have had it and did great with it.  I think the trick is to have it while your colon is not inflamed, etc.  Now this is my understanding of it.  I have not had another episode since March of 2006 but it makes me nervous each time I have pain in my lower left side.  I take a daily laxative (Miralax) to help keep things moving.   Are you currently on antibiotics for the diverticulitis?  I wish you luck - but like I said I know a couple of people who did great with it.   Good luck, keep us posted.

Thank you for your encouraging words!  :)  I'm glad they did well with the surgery.  I'm on antibiotics now -- the third course for this episode.  They're going to try to get this cleared up before doing any surgery, or at least until I finish this course if Cipro.  I'd gone to the ER with the pain, and they gave me two bags of IV antibiotics and sent me home with a prescription for augmentin.  Then came cipro.  And now cipro again.  Believe me, I know what you mean when you say that you get nervous with every pain in the lower left side!  Thanks for posting! Lisa

Wow...I was told that I would need this surgery because of several ER trips for diverticulitis before 32 years old.  I feel the same way about any pain in that area.  That Flagyll and Cipro are nasty aren't they?  But the condition is worse.  I was scoped finally and they said I would need surgery some day, but that it could wait. Have you had a scope yet to see how bad and where exactly it is? Take care.

You are NOT kidding when you say Flagyll and Cipro are nasty!  And I feel awful while I'm taking them!  You're right, though, the pain really is worse.... I had the scope done Monday; I'll go back to get the results on this Monday (since I was in no condition to absorb more than "you need surgery" after the procedure).  I do know that I've got a very twisty colon (yup, I'm twisted!). You take care, too!  :) Lisa

My son had this surgery at 30 yrs old. He was sick several times in a short period, and finally had to have a colon resection. He lost about a foot of large intestine, but did not have a bag. He was fortunate. So not everyone ends up having the bag. His colon was inflamed when he had surgery, because they couldn't get it cleared up any other way. The pocket was stretched so thin, it was in danger of bursting so they kept him on antibiotics for a week, NPO, and then did the surgery. His pain level wasn't too bad, and was much better in about 2 days. Good luck, and take care of yourself.

Thank you so much for responding!  I'm so sorry he had to go through that, poor fellow!  I'm so relieved to hear that the pain level wasn't too bad, because that's a big fear of mine this time (for some reason I wasn't too concerned about it with the gastric bypass, and the pain wasn't bad for me). Have a lovely day! Lisa