Resection Recovery: What to Expect and Tips to Manage

If your colon is damaged, your doctor may suggest bowel resection surgery. During this procedure, which is called a colectomy, part or all of your colon is removed. The remaining healthy portions are then connected. If your entire colon is removed, you’ll have a second surgery called an ostomy. This creates an opening in your belly, allowing your body to find a new way to remove waste.

Before your procedure, you’ll have blood tests to check your health. Your doctor will give you a special diet to help clean out your bowel. You’ll also be asked to take a laxative and stop using other types of medicines, tobacco, and alcohol. Don’t forget to pack an overnight bag for the hospital with loose-fitting clothing, toiletries, a phone charger, and things to keep you busy, like a book or tablet.

On the day of your bowel resection, you’ll talk to your surgeon, nurses, and an anesthesiologist. You’ll get medicine so you’re deep asleep and don’t feel any pain during the surgery. Afterward, you may feel groggy, nauseous, or have a sore throat. You’ll have a bandage on your belly where the surgery was done. You may be bruised, swollen, and sore, but nurses will give you pain medication to keep you comfortable.

You might stay in the hospital for 3-10 days after your surgery. Your doctor will want to make sure that your bowel function returns, which can take a few days. It’s normal to feel tired and weak, but you’ll be encouraged to gently move around. This can help reduce the risk of complications like blood clots. Your care team will also monitor your pain levels and keep an eye on your incision site to make sure it’s healing.

Right after surgery, you might not feel like eating. Because your colon needs time to heal, your doctor will start you on a liquid diet that includes soup and gelatin. Once you’re ready for solid foods, you’ll follow a limited diet for a while. Avoid fatty or high-fiber foods because they’re harder for your body to digest. Try to drink six to eight glasses of water a day to help your bowels get moving again.

On the day you’re discharged from the hospital, a member of your care team will go over the guidelines you need to follow at home. You’ll get prescriptions for medications that you need to take. If you have an ostomy bag, which collects waste outside your body, you’ll learn how to use and clean it. It’s important that you feel comfortable doing this by yourself. You won’t be able to drive for a while, so make sure you have a ride home.

You’ll probably stay on a soft food diet for a while. Your doctor will give you a list of easy-to-digest foods to eat like:

• White rice
• Eggs
• Yogurt
• Bananas
• Potatoes (without skins)

It’s key to avoid foods that are harder for your body to break down, like whole-grain bread, beans, nuts, and raw vegetables. You may also be more comfortable eating small meals throughout the day. Your doctor will tell you when you can go back to your usual diet.

You won’t be able to sleep on your stomach for a while after your bowel resection. If you sleep on your back, make sure to use a pillow with good neck support. It may feel good to tuck a rolled-up towel or blanket behind your knees. If your doctor tells you that it’s OK to sleep on your side, it’s also a good idea to place a pillow between your knees for more support. 

In the hospital, you’ll be shown how to care for your incision site. It’s important to keep it clean and dry. Don’t put creams or ointments on it. Wash your hands before you change the bandage that covers it. Try to only touch it by the edges. When you open a new sterile dressing, keep it in the package until you’re ready to put it on. Don’t touch the part that will touch your incision. Securely tape it and wash your hands right away.

It’s common to feel sore in your belly and around your incision. As you heal, your pain should slowly improve and your doctor will switch you to low-dose prescription pain medication or over-the-counter pain relievers. Wear loose clothing to be more comfortable. You can also try to distract yourself from any pain by watching TV, listening to audiobooks, or using a relaxation technique like meditation.

Your bowel function may not be the same as it was before the surgery. At first, your poop might be loose. You might not be able to predict when you need to go until it’s urgent. Over time, this can get better, but if diarrhea is an ongoing issue for you, tell your doctor. They may want you to take medication on a long-term basis.

Feeling exhausted after a bowel resection is normal. Your body’s gone through a lot. For the first few weeks after your surgery, don’t expect to return to your normal work or home routine. Listen to your body. Take time to rest, and try to stick to gentle activities. Limit visits from loved ones and ask for help when you need it. It may be three to six months before you’re back to your usual energy levels.

Reasons to call your doctor right away include:

• Not having a bowel movement for a few days
• Bloody or black poop
• Pain that gets worse instead of better
• An upset stomach or vomiting
• Leg swelling or pain  
• Fever
• Redness, pain, or pus at the incision site

If you now use an ostomy bag, call your doctor if it’s empty for more than one day.

In the hospital, you’ll be told when to schedule a follow-up visit with your surgeon. If staples were used to close your incision, you’ll get them removed in seven to 10 days. Because surgery can improve your symptoms but can’t cure Crohn’s, your gastroenterologist will want to keep seeing you regularly. You may need a colonoscopy in six months to a year so they can check your colon and adjust your Crohn’s treatment plan if needed. 

Surgery is a lot to go through, both physically and mentally. It’s common to feel a wide range of emotions, from relief that your bowel resection’s over to worry about your recovery. Talking to a therapist could help you work through your feelings. You could also look for a Crohn’s disease online forum or support group. That way, you can connect with others who’ve had the same procedure and understand what you’re going through.