Stoma Discomfort and Occasional Bleeding: Seeking Advice

I hope I can explain this correctly... My stoma looks good and healthy when it's all washed and clean, however, I have some discomfort... It almost feels like a cut would feel. I can't see anything wrong, however, it does bleed once in a while. Does anyone else have discomfort around their stoma? It feels like it's more on the inside, right edge of the opening, where I can't see it. I hope I'm making myself clear... It's a little hard to explain. It's not so painful I can't stand it, more of an annoying feeling. It's been a little over 5 months since I had my surgery, and I don't know how long it's supposed to take to completely heal. Any thoughts? Thanks...

Hi,
I had my operation about 2 months ago and I sometimes have pain. Like you, nothing too bad. Since it isn't severe or constant, I haven't been worried about it.
Marjorie

Thanks, Marjorie. I see a surgeon at the end of the month and hopefully, I will get some answers. I had emergency surgery while out of town, so I don't have a local specialist, but I am going to meet with one soon, so I have someone to contact, besides my GP, if needed down the road.

Hi Grammy - I've had my colostomy for 18 months and I still feel discomfort at times in the area where the stitches are (were?). And yes, it sometimes bleeds a bit. I think the collar edge of the flange/wafer can rub against the stitch area (which does have nerve endings, unlike the stoma).



You will know when bleeding is a problem. You will have a whole toilet bowl full of blood, and it will be maroon or at least darker than fresh blood. I had that in May and by the time I took it seriously enough to get myself to the ER, I had to have 4 units of blood replaced

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Pam

I have had my colostomy for a little over 3 years now. Early on, I got some very painful jabs like a wasp sting or something, and then it would taper off to just an annoying pain. It was driving me nuts, so I went to see my doctor, and he said it could be scar tissue and he might have to redo my stoma or reposition it and remove some scar tissue. I wasn't convinced, so I got online and looked and looked and finally got ahold of a wound nurse and explained it to her. She said it was most likely a nerve ending or two right where the stoma was stitched to the skin... and that stoma pastes, wipes, tissue, flanges, and even stool could aggravate the nerves easily. She said if that is what it was, it should lessen over time. If not, the nerves may have to be deadened. Well, as time passed, it got less painful and less often and is now a lot more tolerable.

I still bleed occasionally after 3 years... right around the edge where the stitching was done, and it's usually from washing or wiping over the stoma with a tissue. The blood in the intestine is what pulls the nutrients out of what you eat and distributes them around the body, so there is a lot of blood there, and as long as it isn't bleeding like a bad cut and not stoppable, it should be fine.

Hope this helped.

My Ostomy Journey: April | Hollister