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I posted this before but I was not getting any feedback so I will try again. I had my 90% of my colon removed in Sept, 1993.  J-Pouch created in Jan, 1994, Total take down where it was all reversed in April, 1994 so I no longer wear a bag.  That resulted in complication as I was in hospital with a grade 14 staff infection so was in hospital 24 days.  Then in Feb, 1999, I had a major bowel obstruction that resulted in having 32 inches of small bowel was gangrene and was removed and that should have killed me.  In the summer of 2006, I had another bowel obstruction but that only required me 5 days in hospital on complete bowel rest, no food and nothing to drink. 

In April, 2009 I had a partial nephrectomy to remove 15% of my right kidney and had 3 tumors, 1 malignant and 2 benign.  Later that summer, I had an inguinal hernia of my left side, the size of about a grapefruit.  In 2010, I had an Inguinal Hernia surgery on my right side. 

Currently, I had my 2nd bout with being a Lovenox because of an unprovoked blood clot in my lungs.  So I have to give myself injections each morning for life.

I have known about the Incisional Hernia since 2009.  Its gotten bigger.  I want to have a surgeon take care of this but my only fear is the last thing I need is to add more scar tissue and adhesions which increases the risk of having another bowel obstruction.  I was treated at Memorial Sloan Kettering in NYC for the other two inguinal hernias I had.  But the doctor does not do non-invasive surgery like Robotics or a Laparoscopy.  Either way, I will have to wear a mesh unless there is another way.

I live in New Jersey but I do not know if any surgeon would do this type of surgery that is not as invasive as this.

 

When I move my bowels all the time, I must bend over in order to push the gas out.  Is there any other suggestions I can bring to the doctor when I see her on March 12th?  I mean can they remove some of the existing adhesions and scar tissue? 

 

Question 1: Because I lost so much of my small bowel from all my surgeries, I normally have 10 to 12 bowel movements in a 24 hour period. That is a good day. Sometimes I go more than that. Last year I had to purchase discreet seat (toilet seat covers).  I started using them on January 1st.  By the middle of December, I went through a 1,000 sheets, and that is what I just use at home. It does not count going to the bathroom at work or anyplace else. I am on Lomotil and take 2 tablets 2 x a day.  Sometimes I must take more than that.  How wonderful would it be if I could sleep thru the night without using the bathroom? Any suggestions please so I don't go so much would be helpful.

 

Question 2: The second question relates to my Incisional Hernia that I want to have removed but fear of an obstruction scares me. Can a surgeon remove some of the existing scar tissue and adhesions? Does anyone know if this can be using Robotics, Laparoscopy or any other noninvasive surgery.

 

I appreciate any help you can give me.

 

Thank you.

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Rocco, do you know how to search old posts on this site? There’s lots of wisdom on sleeping through the night. Do a search for “peanut butter” and you’ll find a lot of them. If you can’t figure out how to do a search, just ask.

Hernia surgery is an operation directly on the wall of the abdomen. While there are a variety of techniques, all of them will have to repair the abdominal wall, whereas the less invasive surgeries are mostly about getting *past* the abdominal wall with as little cutting as possible. You can ask a couple of surgeons whether they’d be willing to remove some adhesions during the hernia surgery, but it’s no better than about 50/50 that it will help you.

If you use your toilet seat covers every time, that’s only three times per day. Are all the rest of your bathroom visits at work?

Thank you Scott,

I talked to my GI Doctor yesterday and he did say that they can remove some existing adhesions so I will ask the surgeon when I see her on March 12th.  It is really Insightly and uncomfortable.  It is worth looking into.

The toilet seat cover I use is every time I go to the bathroom.  My problem is that in order for me to pass gas, I have to bend over otherwise it  sit in my abdomen.  Consequently, in passing gas, some stool comes out with it.  So I can never pass gas laying down, sitting down, standing up, walking, etc.  I have to do my business in the rest room.  Worse, I have to always clean my bathroom so some of my stool in on the toilet seat covers and even on the wall behind it so I put paper towels back there.  That is why I go thru many seat covers.

I have not done a search on peanut butter, not sure how to do it but will give it a try.

Thank you for your help.

 

Rocco

Rocco, lots of us find it too risky to pass gas unless we are on the toilet, though I think soiling the wall, etc. is a much less common problem. Are you using a bowel slower like Lomotil or Imodium? These could potentially make it harder for you to pass gas, and thus in some cases could lead to more bathroom visits. There are also ways to reduce gas a bit, including dietary changes and Beano.

In my browser the Search button for this site is a little magnifying glass next to the “Donations” tab.

Hi Scott, Yes I am on the generic brand for Lotomotil and I take 2 tablet 2 x a day.  When it is really bad, I have had to take 3 sometimes 4 in all at once.  My doctor does not know that.  I used to be on 1 tablet once a day.

I did find the peanut butter and so I will incorporate that in my diet.  I used to have peanut butter every now and then so I will have it now every night.  I used to take beano and I never should have stopped that.  I only have gas when I have to use the bathroom.

I will look into the search button next to the Donations Tab and if I have trouble I will write again.

Thank you.

Rocco

“My browser” is just the particular browser I am using to access this discussion board. Since you are probably using a different one, it’s possible that the search button looks a little different. AT the top of this window I see a series of tabs/words that start with “HOME,” “FORUMS,” “MEMBERS,” ... “SHOP,” “DONATIONS,” and then the little search/magnifying glass icon. That’s the search button. “Search Member” is a different thing.

Hi, Rocco. I'm sorry you've been having problems for such a long time. Regarding the position you need to be in to allow gas to come out, have you heard of a squatty potty?  If not, Google "squatty potty" on the internet and consider if this position might help you. You can also just use a small step-stool (from the Dollar Store?) if you just want to try it before spending more than a few dollars for a trial run. 

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