Ileostomy Care After Rotator Cuff Surgery

Will shortly be having rotator cuff surgery on my left shoulder. I have an ileostomy just to the right of my navel. Is not only emptying, but also changing the ileostomy appliance by myself a possibility? And if so, what advice can you give me? Thanks.

Hi retired,

You've come to the right place! This community is full of people who are ready to offer support and share their experiences.

As for your question, many people manage their ileostomy care after shoulder surgery, but it might take some adjustments. You might find it helpful to practice using your non-dominant hand before the surgery. Also, consider setting up a comfortable space with all your supplies within easy reach. Some folks find it useful to have a family member or friend assist them during the initial recovery period. If you have a stoma nurse, they can also provide personalized tips and tricks.

Congrats on being part of this community! You'll find plenty of support, information, and some really cool people who understand what you're going through. We're all here to help each other out!

So I couldn't do my hair after... My daughter was 10 at the time and did my hair, and as you can see, it looked fabulous. I'm right-handed; shoulder reconstruction was on the left side. How do you usually empty your bag? I think if you're sitting and have toilet paper or whatever you use to wipe the opening ready and setting next to you... Hmm, now I'm wondering with the Velcro type ones if you're able to open with one hand. Try doing every step with one hand and see how it works. Do you need to cut anything? Will you be in a sling? I was supposed to be in a sling for 6 weeks, but I was going crazy and driving my surgeon crazy, so he let me stop using it at 4 weeks. I had a nerve block before the surgery, which lasted a couple of days, so my arm was a dead weight. I had to do exercises for my hand that was in the sling but didn't use it for much. If I brought something up to those fingers, I could use them to hold something loosely in place. I think some parts of the change might be doable. I would start practicing now with one hand and see what you can manage, but I'd be prepared to have help.
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I feel for you, Retired. I avoided rotator cuff surgery at all costs. I was lucky because it was a small tear, and my darling son had a degree in health and human performance. We went to the gym and worked for a year to get that rotator cuff in better shape! It is completely healed now.

I would feel that I needed somebody pretty often to help me with just managing my ostomy.

Pain in the ass, but doable. I'm a month out from shoulder replacement on the non-dominant arm. One-handed bag changes didn't work very well and there were daily leaks and some very angry skin until I figured it out. I second the idea of practicing beforehand and having everything set up to minimize inconvenience. Mine was due to a fall so I wasn't able to pre-plan. You CAN do this, be patient and try not to get too frustrated.

Did your partner help?

Staying Hydrated with an Ostomy with LeeAnne Hayden | Hollister

Thank you for responding. I appreciate all the information. My surgery will be this coming Monday, and I plan on (once again) asking the surgeon many questions about the placement of the sling, if I can momentarily loosen the sling in order to reach the wafer (ostomy site), etc. The hospital does offer home service for my situation (changing the ostomy appliance), so I am waiting for the surgeon to make a referral. Again, thanks for your help.

Thanks for answering. I am practicing wearing the sling now and will do a couple of mock run-throughs of changing the ileostomy appliance one-handed. Should be enlightening, to say the least. Again, thank you.

You are indeed lucky. I don't have that option, nor anyone with that kind of knowledge in my family or circle of friends. So, surgery it is. I have the sling and am wearing it for practice. Will do a couple of mock run-throughs of changing the ostomy appliance with one hand. Will be instructional at the very least. Thank you for responding.

Hi Retired,
Well, I spoke too soon. I fell at my dad's house and managed to break my right arm and shred a number of ligaments for my rotator cuff. I will be having surgery in about a week or so. How did you do with your rotator cuff surgery? What did you find you need a lot of help with? Were you able to just empty the bag daily on your own or was that even possible? Thanks for anything you can tell me. I'm really upset about this. Jeanne