What can I expect to happen before the operation?
If the surgery is elective (planned), you should have time to talk through the options with your health care team and to discuss the best way to prepare for the operation. It is important that you are as fit as possible before having the surgery. So, if you are seriously underweight you may be advised to take extra nutrients, perhaps in the form of a special liquid feed as a supplement to your diet. If you smoke, you will be advised to stop.
Exact procedures vary from hospital to hospital, but you will probably be asked to attend a pre-admission clinic for a health check a week or two before your admission. During this appointment a doctor or nurse will examine you and ask about your general health as well as your UC symptoms. They will take a blood sample for routine tests and may send you for other tests such as chest x-ray or ECG (a tracing of your heart rhythms). This information will help the anaesthetist plan the best anaesthetic for you.
A surgeon will meet you to discuss your operation and you may be asked to sign a consent form at this stage (or this may not happen until you are actually admitted to hospital). It is important that you fully understand what operation is planned and what are the likely benefits and side-effects. Your surgeon should also explain the complications that can happen as a result of your surgery. Do take this opportunity to talk through the details of your operation and to ask questions if you feel you do not understand anything, or would like more information. You may also meet a colorectal nurse, and, if you are going to have a stoma, a stoma care nurse, who will also be able to help with any queries you may have about the operation or your after care.
Once in hospital you may expect something like the following to happen:
- A doctor will examine you and a nurse will check your temperature, blood pressure, pulse and weight. This information can then be compared with readings taken after the operation.
- If you have not already done so, you will be asked to sign a consent form to confirm that you agree to the operation. If anything is unclear, ask for it to be explained. If you don’t want the surgery to happen you have a right not to sign the form
- If you are going to have a stoma, the stoma care nurse will visit you again to talk through what this may mean for you and to make sure you have all the information you need. She may make a mark on your stomach where the surgeon will create the stoma.
- An anaesthetist will visit you to talk about how you will be given the anaesthetic and how your pain will be controlled after the operation.
- You may need to take a ‘bowel preparation’ (a strong laxative) the day before the operation. This is to make sure that the bowel is completely clean.
- You will usually be given a pair of white support stockings to wear during and after the operation; you may be given a small injection as well. Both these measures help prevent blood clots in the legs.
What can I expect to happen after the operation?
Immediately after the operation you will be moved into the recovery room, or, in some hospitals, into the HDU (high dependency unit) so that your condition can be closely monitored. Once you begin to recover you will be moved back to a general surgery ward.
You will be given some sort of pain relief, perhaps through an epidural (a fine tube attached to your back) or intravenously (through a drip in your arm, into a vein). The delivery of the pain-killing drugs may be automatic, or you may be able to control it by pressing a hand-held button. You may also be given medication to control anaesthetic side effects such as nausea and vomiting.
There may be several other tubes coming out of your body, including a drip to provide fluids, a catheter to drain and measure urine, and a drain tube near the operation wound or from your back passage. Some people will also have a nasogastric tube (a tube passed down through the nose into the stomach), which is used to remove secretions (fluids) or gas that may collect in your stomach after surgery. These tubes will be removed over the next few days and you should be able to start taking painkillers by mouth if you need them. You may find your throat feels sore from the breathing tube used during the operation. Gargles can usually help ease this.
To help get your circulation moving, you will be encouraged to get out of bed and into a chair as soon as you are able – probably within a day or so. As you continue to recover, a physiotherapist may visit you to show you some simple leg and chest exercises.
Depending on the type of surgery performed, some people are allowed to start drinking water within hours of their operation; others, however, will be asked to wait until bowel sounds are heard and they have begun to pass wind. So it may be a few days before you can start taking fluids and you may need to build up from small sips to drinking normally. You will then be encouraged to start eating a light diet.
If you have a stoma, the stoma care nurse will show you how to look after it and how to manage your stoma bag. If you have any problems, don’t hesitate to ask for help.
Some people have found that a few days after the surgery they do not feel as well as they did immediately after the operation and can feel quite depressed. This is probably a reaction to the ‘shock’ of the operation and this experience usually passes.
How long will I need to stay in hospital?
This can vary quite a lot according to the type of operation needed and also from individual to individual. Most people stay in hospital for between one and two weeks, although you may be allowed to go home earlier and have any stitches or clips taken out at home or in an outpatients clinic. In general, hospital stays for elective (planned) surgery tend to be shorter than for emergency surgery, as people having emergency surgery are usually more unwell and may have a more complicated recovery.
How long will it take to recover?
When you first go home you will probably find that you feel weak and tire easily. You may not feel like doing much. On the other hand, you should no longer have the symptoms from your UC, and, as you recover, should begin to feel a lot better than before the operation.
If you have a stoma bag, it may take time to learn how to manage it. Talk to the stoma care nurses if you have a problem or need more information. Specialist nurses should also be able to help with advice about living with an ileo-anal pouch. Patient associations such as the Ileostomy and Internal Pouch Support Group (0800 018 4724 www.iasupport.org), or the Colostomy Association (0800 328 4257 www.colostomyassociation.org.uk), can also be helpful.
As time passes you will regain your strength and stamina, and will probably be able to return to your normal daily activities including sports and hobbies. Everyone is different, however, and how long this takes can depend not on only the type of operation you have had, but also on your age and your general state of health. During your recovery it is important to strike a balance between trying to do more each day and over-doing things. Listen to your body and only do as much as feels comfortable.
A gentle exercise program may help speed up your recovery and you will probably be given some advice on this by the hospital or your IBD team.
Most people are advised not to do any heavy lifting or housework like ironing or vacuuming for a period of time following their operation. You should not start to drive again until you feel strong enough and comfortable enough to control a car properly, including making an emergency stop if you need to. This may take several months. Your car insurance may not cover you if you drive before you are fully recovered.
When you can return to work will also depend on the operation you have had, your general health, and the type of work you do. People with jobs that involve a lot of physical effort may need more time off than those with less active jobs, although even sitting at a desk all day can be very tiring after surgery. On average, it probably takes about 2-3 months before most people feel able to return to work. Working part- time for a while, or only taking on lighter duties, can often help the recovery process.
How might an operation affect my everyday life?
Diet
You may find that once you have recovered from the surgery you are able to eat larger meals and a wider range of foods. Eating a balanced and nutritious diet should help your recovery. You may be advised to follow a low residue diet for a while: the hospital will give you details of this. People with a stoma or pouch do not generally need a special diet, although it can help to make a point of eating regular meals, and to take extra fluids and salt. You may also prefer to avoid certain foods. The hospital dietitian should be able to advise you. Our booklet Food and IBD also has further information on diet and Ulcerative Colitis.
Sex and Pregnancy
Most people are able to resume sexual activity after surgery for Ulcerative Colitis, although it may take a little time, perhaps several months, to recover fully. In men, operations on the rectum can occasionally lead to impotence. This may resolve itself – if not there are several aids and medicines which can help. There is some research to show that both of the main operations most commonly carried out for UC, but especially IPAA surgery, can affect fertility in women. Couples who may want to have a family after UC surgery should discuss this with their consultant. Doctors also usually recommend that women with a stoma or pouch give birth by caesarean section. (For more information see our information sheets Fertility and IBD and Pregnancy and IBD.)
Emotional Reactions
Everyone reacts to surgery in their own way and some people experience a range of emotions, both before and then after an operation. You may feel apprehension, doubt, acceptance, relief, confidence, a sense of well-being and perhaps even some disappointment. It is not uncommon for people with an operation scar or a stoma to feel depressed about their changed body image. This can be a time of worry for family members as well.
You may find it helpful to talk to someone about these feelings. Stoma care and IBD nurses can be an excellent source of support. If you would like to speak to a professional counsellor, check whether your GP has a counselling service. There may also be a counsellor attached to your IBD team or hospital. (See our information sheet Counselling for IBD for more details on how to find a counsellor.) Ostomy Lifestyle: 0800 7314264 www.ostomylifestyle.org.uk
At Crohn's and Colitis UK we have a confidential supportive listening service, Crohn’s and Colitis Support, staffed by trained volunteers with personal experience of IBD. Trained staff on our general Information Line can answer queries on any aspect of IBD. 0845 130 3344 or info@crohnsandcolitis.org.uk
We also have available a list of 10 questions to ask your surgeon based on those recommended by the American College of Surgery.
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