2nd spleenectomy +

OK guys I have a question for you all. How long does it take to heal from a 2nd and 3rd spleenectomy done two days apart?I am a 30 yrs old female, I went in 4 weeks ago to get my accessory spleen removed. My first spleen was taken 12 years ago for ITP. Doctors cut me open from the chest to just past my belly. While removing my 2nd spleen that was tangled in my intestines, the doctors found kidney bean shaped things on my colon. They took one out and had it tested. The next day test results found spleenectic tissue in it so the doctors cut me open AGAIN the following day and cut out 4 inches of my colon because I had 4 more growing on it. I am post op. 4 weeks, I jumped to grab my 2 yr. old from almost falling off the bed and felt like everything ripped apart inside me. Whenever I sneeze I feel like my insides are ripping out. I have been given 10/500 lortabs for pain and only take them when I can't sleep some nights because I am in horrible pain, but they do not seem to do much. Has anyone been through this as well? And if so how long does it take? I walk everyday trying to heal and grow strength. My doctors appointment a few days ago revealed my platelets are now to HIGH?!(over 500k) Never have I had such high counts before in my life. What the heck... totally confused and in pain. Bryanna

Bryanna - sorry to hear about all of that. Everyone heals differently and there is no way to know how long it will take you. Your doctors could probably give you a better idea.

Counts ovre 500k are okay, as long as they don't go to a million and you don't have any unknown clotting issues.

It is not uncommon for platelet values to rise high after a splenectomy - and then drop into a normal range. Mine rose over 600 the weeks after surgery.

It sounds like you have (had) a lot of minispleens! Sorry to hear about your post-op pain, -- it can take time to heal- especially as you did not have laproscopic surgery but rather the big open kind (times two ! Wow! ). That takes much more time to recover from. But, as your try to be patient, try to take solace from the idea that it was because of this larger surgery that they found the minispleens (often not detected with laproscopy) - and that your elevated numbers bode well for a good outcome.

Get a little pillow and, when you sneeze, squeeze the pillow tightly to your chest and sneeze into the pillow. It's hard to explain but you will see what I mean -- makes the sneezing tolerable.