Due to a cancerous polyp, I had about six inches of my colon removed three months ago. Although my health has generally improved, my bowel movements haven't returned to normal. Most days I have several small movements per day. During these bowel movements, I often experience an extremely strong urge to push. Additionally I have a great deal of gas. Sometimes I have a general weakness in my lower body that seems to be associated with the gas.

How much of this is normal and how long will it take before my system returns to some degree of normalcy? Will it ever be normal and if not, what can I do to offset these problems?

From what I understand, though your body will adjust somewhat with time, losing any amount of your colon will result in abnormal bowel movements forever.

For me I've been experimenting to see what I can and can't eat to be the most comfortable throughout the day. (I also have several small, usually clustered bowel movements) If you have a gastroentologist, I would talk to him or her about ways to help your symptoms, as they are probably familiar with your specific circumstances.

Good luck!

Hi, you may well have these symptoms for a long time, if not forever. However, they are likely to improve. My husband is nearly three years post surgery and still has frequent bowel movements on some days, mostly in the evenings. But it is alot better now than it was. He takes Metamucil to bulk up the bowel movement but is not sure it helps. No harm anyway in taking it. You are still comparatively new at this! I am sure time will help to alleviate this problem, but as Cinda says, it may never go away completely. I am not sure what is causing the weakness in your lower body but it may be just that you need more time to heal and recover.

All the best.

Thanks to both of you for your replies

Hang in there. Three months seems like a long time but in the case of such invasive surgery it really isn't. It could take a full year to completely heal internally.

Also your bowel now has 6 inches less to work with and thus somethings will change.

Which are the foods most beneficial to the bowels and which are to be avoided? I read that corn oil and safflower oil are not good especially the former tends to increase the growth of cancer.

Thank you for replying

:confused:

I don't know about those oils but olive oil is said to have many benefits.

Yogurt is said to promote good bowel health.
,,,,,and of course the old advice about a diet low in fats and high in fruits and veggies.