ostomy questions

Hi



I am a 225 lb 51-year-old female with an ostomy. My doctor will not do the surgery unless I lose 25 lbs. Did anyone else have to lose weight before they got the reversal? My doctor is dead set against it because of complications, and he said if I lose the weight, he can do it laparoscopically.



It's going on a year in September, and because of my age, it's so hard to lose weight.



Any advice?



Thanks in advance, Carolyn

I weighed more than that when I had my surgery 3 months ago. It was dangerous but had to have it done due to colon cancer. My iliostomy is non reversible. I wish you all the best for your up coming surgery. Maybe another doctor at a big hospital would help. I lost 100 pounds with my surgery and being in the hospital so long.

What? That is crazy, my doctor never even looked at my weight as a basis to do surgery, of course he advised on weight gain to prevent hernias coming back. I had my reversal 8 mons ago with no issues, I'd get a second opinion for sure, I am 220 lbs now but I weighed more before surgery, about 230. I am 50 so I know all about how hard it is to lose weight. The thing I miss about my bag is being able not to GAIN weight! Lol

Thank you so much for this. I will definitely get a second opinion. Was it a hard surgery? Because my first one was an emergency, and I had no time to think. Now all I've been doing is thinking. Thanks, Carolyn.

Well, the reversal is always supposed to be easier as they normally don't open you back up, but with me, I developed 3 hernias during my 11-month course with the ileostomy. They had to open me back up, and he checked my liver out while he was in there, so in all honesty, mine was very painful. Yours probably won't be that bad, so don't let my story scare you.

Living with Your Ostomy | Hollister

I'm not facing the possibility of a reversal - I've had my ileostomy for almost 40 years. I am, however, facing problems with hernias. The first one was found when it caused a blockage. At the hospital, they were able to manually push it back in; however, since then I have continued to have problems, i.e., partial blockages that cause my appliance to give way. I can only eat a few fresh fruits and vegetables now, and also any other high fiber foods. I am uncomfortable and scared at times to even go to work for fear of a problem arising from something I inadvertently ate. I saw a surgeon who described what the surgery would have to be - said they'd have to take muscle from my sides because I have none in my stomach. He wanted me to try a hernia belt and to lose some weight. I'm 5-3, 185 lb. The company he sent me to for the hernia belt only measured around my waist. When the belt came in they guessed at how big to cut and sew a hole for the ostomy. The belt goes too high on my waist and too low below my stomach and causes irritation to my legs and waist. It is really made for a taller, more long-waisted person. I am getting desperate to the point of depression and don't know where to turn.

Tpdgal...I'm sorry to hear of all your problems...40 years is a long time to have your ileostomy. I've just had mine for 3 months. I'm afraid to go out much as that seems to be when my bag wants to leak. I've soaked my clothes, got it all over the seat of the car, the door, the floor...it's not good...do the doctors know what causes the hernias? Is it from lifting too much? When I was in the hospital having my surgeries, they gave me a list of stuff not to eat. It sure changes your life when you can't enjoy the foods you like anymore. So much adjusting to do. I know this bag is a part of me now and I have to deal with it...some days are really bad that way yet. Still got learning to do. I love the helpful information on this site. It's great to talk to others with the same issues and can offer support and helpful ideas. I have to find a way to harden the constant liquid in my bag as I'm losing too much weight from it. It just flies through my system. My doctors have tried at least 10 things and nothing is helping...

TPDgal- These dumb belts are aggravating! As far as hernias go, well, my gastro doctor told me that some people just have a genetic problem with weak muscles and that is what causes us to get hernias. I've had a persistent one on my navel for several years. It has been repaired 2 times. Of course, I lifted too much stuff (as we women do) during my 11 months with my ileo, and I had 3 when I had my reversal. They repaired them, but one has come back right above my belly button. It bothers me somewhat and it looks horrible (protrudes, but I am waiting on surgery because it has only been 8 months and honestly, I just don't want to go through the pain again. I lost 40 lbs during my whole course of cancer/surgeries and ileo, but I have put about 15 back on and now struggling to lose! Ugh

I agree with getting a second opinion, and although it'll cost time and money, you will know what you otherwise would never know—a second opinion! My recommendations for losing weight are: Graze on food throughout the day instead of eating three square meals. Avoid high fructose corn syrup, aspartame, monosodium glutamate, sodium benzoate, and all the other useless chemicals in food. Don't skip breakfast (I put "breakfast" in quotes because it's normally a meal and my first idea was about grazing versus meals). A bagel or oatmeal will suffice if you graze since breakfast can take place all morning long. Become a smoothieholic. (See my blog SMOOTH SMOOTHIES for more info). Eat fat-burning foods: grapefruit, watermelon, berries, cucumber, hot peppers, celery, Greek yogurt, fish, coffee, water, green tea, pineapple, tomato, cabbage...the last three use more calories for digestion than the original calorie content! Swim or run if you can, otherwise walk briskly for 30 minutes every day. I'm no food genius but after getting a colostomy (one year ago this month) I decided to eat as healthy as possible. Good websites for this include: healthy-holistic-living.com, realfarmacy.com.

Your doctor is nuts. When I had my surgery, I was 230 lbs. When I came out of the hospital 5 weeks later, I was 190. Find another doctor.