Questions for the surgeon

I am seeing my surgeon tomorrow for a consultation on a subtotal colectomy. Does anyone who has had the surgery hAvd any questions that they recommend I ask? I used to have questions but now thT the time has come I seem to be blanking.

My first consult was long, well over an hour- I asked a million questions! everything from "How long will the surgery take?", "What's the recovery period", to "Do you feel capable of doing this surgery, & do you want to do this surgery?" (I think he was surprised by that one!). No question is a dumb one- I'm sure there are a million that go thru your head- jot them down, even if you feel awkward pulling out a notebook, it'll help you remember them. And if you feel rushed, or uncomfortable, that would be a huge red flag. My surgeon does not have the best bedside manner, but I felt totally comfortable with his ability to do the surgery. And had no complaints with him, before, during, or afterwards. Ask about the rectal stuff- will he/she sew or staple you shut, or will they let it close from the inside out? That was a biggie for me. And ask about WOCN nurse availabilty, too. Good luck! You'll probably enjoy it, I know I did.

Hi,

I was actually coming to the forum tonight to ask some of the same things! I don't have anything to add to the conversation right now, but just wanted to wish you luck at your appointment. Let us know how it goes!

I had both open & lapro- the open incision is just like a c-section incision, it's basically at the top of my pubic hairline, about 7-8" long. You won't even be able to see it once the hair grows back! The lapro scars are barely noticeable- one thru my belly button, and another one on the upper right side of my abdomen- they sort of look like bug bites right now. And another bug-bite scar from the drain, on the lower left side of my abdomen. I never had bloating, since I had surgery for UC, not inertia. Did you ask about fertility rates? If not, you could always call the surgeons office & ask.