Long term effects from a low anterior resection

I had this surgery on 9/15/2016.. I feel great.. no problems whatsoever. Stick to a low residue diet for a while and keep a food journal until you gain confidence. No cancer was discovered but my surgeon was fantastic.

Can you email me about lower anterior resection recovery?

I had LAR over 5 years ago for treatment of rectal cancer. I was informed of the possibility of what is called Lower Anterior Resection Syndrome. You can find info on the internet about this. Many people are affected by it. I still am but I will say that it does get better over time. It's always a challenge to keep yourself regulated. For me its now either feast or famine. I'm either going too much or not enough. And it seems like there is no rhyme or reason to it. Like you can't find a cause. Unfortunately your bowels may never be the same as they were before the surgery. I think you just get used to it and learn to live with it. At my hospital we have a support group for people that have had this and other colon surgeries, mostly for cancer. That helps as well. Humor helps. We spend a lot of the time laughing about our bathroom stories. I'm grateful to still be here to talk about this. Without the surgery I would not be. Hang in there you'll adapt.

Dear friend, I have had the lower anterior resection operation, early this year. Have just had the stoma closure operation too. Appears to have gone well, have my review next week. You have my full sympathy. You are very brave,and I wish you all the best.

Best regards

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Please send me your info. thanks

Sir underwent ileostomy closure 8 months back. Still have high frequency loose stools alternate with constipation. Also have bowel distension with pain. Is these symptoms include anterior resection syndrome? Any advice will be of great help.

It will get better over time. Everything requires some adjustments in life. God willing, you will live a long and near normal life.

I fully agree with your statement:

"Most all that has helped me is trial and error and researching on my own. I kind of feel like surgeons feel...."well I compeleted my part, now how you the patient will go on to live with this is your problem"."

I had a stoma reversal in March 2016 after a cancerous tumour removal in October 2015 when the rectum was removed.

Since then the LARS symptoms have continued relentlessly.

I have met my surgeon 4 times over the last year (and colorectal nurses several times), and I get told "try this, it should help" type advice - nothing definitive.

Although the average number of bowel movements per day has reduced from 10+ to around 5, I still have lots of ups and downs. I keep a detailed diary listing what food, drink, medication (loperamide, fybogel, psyllium husk capsules) taken and when, with BMs and a subjective Quality of Life score on a scale of 1-10 for each day. The percentage of acceptable QoL days (scoring 7 +) has levelled out at 55% over the last 3 months and doesn't appear to be improving.

I have tried using a water enema kit which did precipitate many BMs soon after use but on both occasions left me with severe bowel spasms for a day or so afterwards, so I have stopped using it.

On a few occasions I have felt "normal" for over a day following a very large BM, so the secret to me would appear to be able to precipitate such a BM, especially "on demand" if possible - but I haven't been able to figure out how to do this so far.

Like you I would welcome any definitive advice on how to improve my situation.

Regards,

Bob

I so agree with your comments! I had my surgery in Oct 2016, and I'm still struggling! The only way I can achieve any normality is by taking Buscopan every 6hours, but even this has problems as the constant bowel movements and pfeelings of pressure in my disheartened rectum are very painful. I endure this for up to 18 hours before resorting to Loperamide.... this then prevents defecation for at least 24-36 hours, by which time I'm struggling to pass any motion, but have lots of gas. Professional advice from my surgeons is to "persevere" and "it will get better eventually" : I am told that I'm expecting too much too soon, and that after all, if I hadn't had the surgery my prognosis soul have been poor!

Hi, I'm only 10wks prior to stoma reversal and I feel I'm in a living hell, with all the symptoms everyone has been talking about not emptying your bowel going some days up to 14 times a day, the symptoms go on and on I personally wish I hadn't got the reversal. Living with the stoma gave me a quality of life, living like this there is no quality of life, I'm stuck in the house every day. I saw the surgeon today and told him all this and he was astonished I felt like that, he said some people are like this and it's early days. I've been reading lots of different peoples stories and what comes across is very little information before surgery which is very sad. I work for the health board and I've been off my work for 15 months now due chemo, radiation and then three different surgeries and it looks as if they may be getting ready to talk about them paying me off, it's great as if you don't have enough stress in your life, it's not as if I'm costing them anything I'm not even getting paid now.

First person whose experience has very closely mimicked mine. Stage 1, rectal cancer with no lymph node involvement seen but still recommended for LAR. But my doc also advised a total hysterectomy and during surgery decided to remove my appendix - whatever. I am 56 yo and 5 years past menopause so I really didn't care about the hysterectomy. My daughter passed from ovarian cancer at a young age and the docs thought it best to just remove the female parts too while in there - again ok whatever. What I am not happy about was I was not given any info prior to or after the surgery to deal with what I have learned is LAR syndrome. I have some good days but mostly bad. Have tried so much tweeking of my diet that basically I can eat canned green beans, rice, applesauce and 0% face yogurt. Take 1 TBSP Metamucil daily at bedtime. It helps make some BM's close to normal. Still have all symptoms of LAR Syndrome. Will not go one day the the next will go 15 or 20 times. Usually a teaspoon to a tablespoon after the first or second BM. Will take 1 2mg lomotil, then after 30 min a second lomotil. Then after 30 minutes a 3rd if necessary (only have done this 3 times, usually 2 work). Have had numerous "leaks" or just plain not getting there in time. These "cluster" BM's have caused the worse painful episode of hemorrhoid inflammation in my life! They have also caused my to buy and use a sitz bath 3-4 times a day on bad days which do help.
My problem is I need to work and am unable to do so with this type of bowel control issue. I have applied for disability and m so depressed about it. Would much rather be a contributing regular person again. I am usually a social person and am now stuck in my home. It has been 6 weeks since surgery and I pray it gets better.

Hello I had Low Anterior Recto-sigmoid Resection in 2008. I was in the hospital almost a month. I was stapled down my stomach from my navel to just before my privates. I had a tubing inserted inside my lower abdomen so I could give myself morphine doses because the pain was so bad. I was blocked 83% and my body was truly shutting down from the bowel blockage. I was told i had a rare case of endometriosis in the colon/rectum area as well. So this was a very painful process. Prior to the surgery I had bleed off and on for almost 10 years and had issues with bowels. I thought I was constipated, but was told I was really just full of s**t. Really horrible!! Anyways now nine years later I'm doing very, very well. The surgery was the easy part, the recovery is what's so bad. I mean I regretted having it until I figure out what will work for me. I sat in a pillow donut to relieve pressure from that area. I had three lol. Home, work and in my car. As I was recovering the tissue inside the rectum where the stool passes will continue to cause issues in the healing process. It's rubbing the inside if where I was cut and it continued for months til the area started to heal. I was iff work for five months and lost 22 pounds which was bowels. I was given pain pills and very afraid to eat because it would hurt so bad after a meal (remember what goes in must come out). I took stool softeners every other day because after being cut the area for bowels to pass was narrow plus if I got constipated and had hard stools the process starts all over again, more bleeding. Oh I forgot to mention I had hemorrhoids inside the lower rectum area and the connection from my colon to the rectum bleed continuously which caused so much pain that when I felt like I had to have bowel movements nothing came out but clots of blood. To this day I occassionally take stool softeners and when I don't, YES I bleed some. I drink lots of water because I eat lots of food for fiber as well. Everyone heals differently and in time it gets better. I have a better quality of life and I'm so blessed to have the doctor's I had to car for me. My doctor's also kept in touch with me for almost a year and I would go in for a follow-up. Now IF I should start to have the same occurrences I will be contacting the same doctor's again. I hope this helps. Take care!

I'm responding to what I just read about your surgery it's been 13 days since mine an I'm really having a hard time coping. I'm 57 an I've had my share of surgeries in the last 3 yrs. please let me know if you have any info that might help me understand this constant urgency to go to the bathroom nauseous all the time thank you 

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I just had a LAR for rectal cancer. Fortunately, my bowels quickly returned to near normal. I was so afraid about getting the LARS syndrome. AT first week, loose stools, second week, better formed stools, fourth week, normal. Sometimes a little constipation, but then I took s tool softener and Senna. Still have to deal with cheno soon.

My surgery was just 2 weeks ago, I feel pretty good, still figuring out what I can eat since I have constipation issues from time to time. Using Konsyl, twice a day to keep things going (it's pysllium). It keeps the stools firm yet soft.
No cancer was discovered, also had an incredible surgeon. I'm still healing, trying to eat 'whole foods' yogurt so I can build my good intestinal flora back up. I'm still new but am feeling very optimistic.