Partial Colectomy

[iloveglee]

Is there anyone out there having had a right hemi Colectomy. A friend had this done 3 weeks ago and I'm really worried. There are no medical complications but he refuses to eat. He says he's not hungry and there is nothing
he fancies to eat. He sleeps all night and most of the day and makes no effort to get up and walk or do anything. Nothing anyone says makes a difference. Are there any support groups out there as this experience surely isn't unique.

[Mamyalynne]

Ignoring the food issue for a moment , has he explained why he doesn't want or cannot rouse himself to do anything?


He may have slipped into depression and need some intervention to either talk about his worries and feelings or maybe a short course of something to help.

Try to encourage fluid intake until you can persuade him to speak to someone.

[Sqad]

\\\\Are there any support groups out there as this experience surely isn't unique.\\\\

I have no idea, but all diseases today seem to have forums.

This is not unique, but unusual.

One presumes he had a right hemicolectomy for malignant disease which may explain the situation.

[campbellking]

Again, you don't say why he's had it done, but if it's for malignancy then the Beating Bowel Cancer website is pretty good, has a patient forum and also a nurse led helpline.

[Bathsheba]

I agree with Mamya....that sounds like depression.

[retrocop]

Seems like my input doesn't count for jack on this site but as someone who has experienced a similar cancer/colon procedure albeit on the different side I would suggest it is a Psychy case. i.e. depression.
Mine was sigmoid on left side of colon which was excised.I woke up after op in IT and although full of tubes,catheters airlines etc I was happy as larry .I am approaching 70 so what is the age of your friend?
My wife is a nurse who carries out endoscopy's etc and is well versed on procedures.She agrees it is a depression problem like all hope is lost.Nothing further to add. Hope your friend can be referred to a person who can sort out this depression. Good luck. I was never afflicted with this post op problem but all people are different.The chemo is giving me a problem now and I stopped that regimen a few weeks ago .

[iloveglee]

Thank you all for your input. It's especially useful to hear from someone who has experienced something similar. My friend is 77 and not in good health anyway has heart failure and was on HDU for 5 days. The surgery was for suspected bowel cancer the biopsy was not conclusive but the tumour was very large. I think the opinions about depression are probably right. He gets his results next week so we'll see after that.

[retrocop]

iloveglee
You are welcome. Please just tell your friend that cancer is NOT the end of the world.I think it could be with a negative outlook but if you tell your friend that a person slightly younger than them has beaten it with a positive outlook then it may help.As I said earlier all people are different but I felt I still had so much to live for and was not going to let it beat me. I am lucky. I have two wonderful young grand daughters that give me the will to fight and survive as well as my wife of course. :-)