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Had Anterior And Posterior Lumbar Fusion. Colonoscopy Indicates Ulcerative Proctitis. Treatment?
Question: I just had anterior and posterior lumbar fusion of levels L5 & S1 last Wednesday. Before my surgery I had a colonoscopy which indicated I have ulcerative proctitis which I was using Canasa suppositories to help. The surgery went well and my doctor told my husband (and later to me) he was very happy with result. During my 7 day stay in hospital I had low blood pressure counts the entire time, extremely nauseous and no appetite ...more towards the last few days. I had taken an enema to speed up what the colace, senecot, half bottle of citrate of mag (which I do think worked later that night at home) and two treatments of 17 mg of Miralax couldn't do.
Since being home (Tuesday night), tonight is Thursday, I have stopped taking Vicodin and am only taking two ref strength Tylenol every four hours. I am still nauseous and have no appetite ...when I do try to eat I feel nauseous as soon as second bite and stop eating. I am scared something more is wrong with me. I have a flushed feeling that I get over my body accompanied by a prickly pins sensation.
Since being home (Tuesday night), tonight is Thursday, I have stopped taking Vicodin and am only taking two ref strength Tylenol every four hours. I am still nauseous and have no appetite ...when I do try to eat I feel nauseous as soon as second bite and stop eating. I am scared something more is wrong with me. I have a flushed feeling that I get over my body accompanied by a prickly pins sensation.
Hi XXXXXXX
The fact that you have ulcerative proctitis probably has nothing to do with the way you are feeling, as this entity is usually related with mild diarrea with blood, easily controllable with Canasa suppositories.
Constipation is very common after any surgery, particularly if you received opiates for pain (such as morphine, dilaudid, vicodin, percocet, etc). Those are very constipating medications, and actually slow down the entire gastrointestinal tract motility and contractions, including the stomach. That is why you might feel nauseous right after eating small amounts of food. Also after any "big" surgery patients are usually less active, and rest more time in bed, which can also be constipating.
The flushed feeling over your body and the prickly pins sensation can also be a side effect of the pain medications.
So my advice: take as little pain medication as you can tolerate, be as active as you can (and as your doctor allowed), drink a lot of fluids, take a combination of a stool softener (such as colace twice a day) plus a laxative (such a miralax 17gr a day).
If your symptoms fail to improve after a few days you should be re-assessed by your primary doctor.
Hope that helped.
The fact that you have ulcerative proctitis probably has nothing to do with the way you are feeling, as this entity is usually related with mild diarrea with blood, easily controllable with Canasa suppositories.
Constipation is very common after any surgery, particularly if you received opiates for pain (such as morphine, dilaudid, vicodin, percocet, etc). Those are very constipating medications, and actually slow down the entire gastrointestinal tract motility and contractions, including the stomach. That is why you might feel nauseous right after eating small amounts of food. Also after any "big" surgery patients are usually less active, and rest more time in bed, which can also be constipating.
The flushed feeling over your body and the prickly pins sensation can also be a side effect of the pain medications.
So my advice: take as little pain medication as you can tolerate, be as active as you can (and as your doctor allowed), drink a lot of fluids, take a combination of a stool softener (such as colace twice a day) plus a laxative (such a miralax 17gr a day).
If your symptoms fail to improve after a few days you should be re-assessed by your primary doctor.
Hope that helped.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
So is it normal that my urgency to unrinate is different at this moment and is sometime accompanied by the prickly and flushed sensation. I am just nervous I am dying since I have lost weight and am so out of it.
My gastro doctor has me taking two 17mg of Miralax a day (started yesterday). Nothing yet ...I did not take colace last night but did take it night before and have been since in hospital. My energy is shot and I feel drained.
My gastro doctor has me taking two 17mg of Miralax a day (started yesterday). Nothing yet ...I did not take colace last night but did take it night before and have been since in hospital. My energy is shot and I feel drained.
The pain medications can also cause urinary side effects, however i would be more concerned the you contracted a the urinary tract if you had a foley catheter (to urinate) inserted during the surgery. If symptoms continue you can get a urine test to check. Give it time for the stool softener to work.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Last question ...so my incision on front (belly) looks great. My back is still bleeding as of a few hours ago when we removed dressing to update. I fainted mainly due to reaction of blood and bandage sticking to wound. Is it normal for this wound to be bleeding still and is there something I can do to help the healing process along.
It is normal for wounds to drain a little bit of bloody drainage a few days after surgery. It also depends on the type of incision, suture, dressings, etc. You should talk to your surgeon about it if it is over a week and still see drainage.
I don't recommend you applying anything to the wound, just keep it clean. Applying creams or keeping it moist can actually delay healing and increase the chances of infection.
And again if concerned, have the surgeon or assistant take a quick look at it.
I don't recommend you applying anything to the wound, just keep it clean. Applying creams or keeping it moist can actually delay healing and increase the chances of infection.
And again if concerned, have the surgeon or assistant take a quick look at it.
Note: For further follow up on digestive issues share your reports here and Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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