Dealing with Delayed Stoma Reversal - Seeking Advice and Insights

Hi peeps!
Sept 22, I had an ultra-low anterior resection colorectal surgery, thus a temporary ileostomy. Unfortunately, due to the waiting list for a reversal in the public health system in Australia is so long post-Covid, of course, I have been quoted a two-year wait which has devastated me. Wanting to get other perspectives with similar issues and how or if they were able to speed up the wait(?) especially as I'm dealing with a parastomal hernia at the same time. I fear that long a time will cause complications for full bowel movement recovery as I was told once they reverse the ileostomy, there is a 10/15 chance of complications regardless but imagine what a two-year wait could cause?? Thank you in advance for all your insights, advice, opinions etc

Hi,

I'm on a waiting list for colorectal surgery in the UK. I've been told I'm near the bottom (lol) of a very long list. They wouldn't even give a date or be drawn on whether it will even be 2023. I've been waiting since last summer. I have been told I'll just have to wait and when it's my turn they'll contact me. A friend in a not entirely dissimilar situation waited 18 months.

That sounds like a very long wait. Is that just for the public health system or for all surgeons? If it is just for the former, you could look at other alternatives. I was told not to delay it for too long. Things can go to sleep. Unfortunately, the doctors said I wasn't a good candidate for it. The ticker had stopped ticking during my last surgery and they had to jump-start it. Walking with a friend down the hospital corridor one day, we ran across the doctor who had revived me and my friend who does a lot of charity work introduced us and asked, "Do you remember him?" That is one man I will never forget. All the best wishes.

Sorry you are going through this, I can't offer any real advice as I had my one and only surgery for a permanent ileostomy over 14 years ago (and that was under private health insurance - only time in my life I've ever had it but it was definitely money well spent), but then again Medicare back then wasn't the mess it is now.

Hope you can find a way to get shifted up the list.

I will get in touch with them. Lots of cricket players there. I want to know what they use as a guard for the bag when playing that game, apart from the helmet, the pads for the legs, the gloves for the hands, and the guard for the private parts for which there is no actual name, as well as the pads for the arms and elbows. Maybe I can put together a team consisting entirely of bag wearers and tour Australia/New Zealand. I was never scared of fast bowlers and pace but can you imagine a ball bowled at sheer pace colliding with an ostomy bag, that would surely be a scary experience for an unfortunate batsman.

Words of Encouragement from Ostomy Advocates I Hollister

Hi G

My partner waited 2 years for spinal surgery until it was done mid-August last year. She had two GPs constantly submitting letters, which amounted to nothing. She was a wreck, so eventually I took her to the ER and refused to take her home. They operated and inserted the rods and screws but found the damage worse than they had evaluated. Her back is good, but she now has ongoing nerve issues in her lower legs. While in there, I asked the staff their opinion on the wait list. They said there is no difference between private or public. The issue is staff shortage and no available beds. I don't know what state you are located in, but Vic is utterly screwed. I am not trying to upset you here, just revealing the state of things. I hope you find a way in soon.

Axl