3 Months Post-Op Ileostomy - Lower Abdomen Pain and Fatigue Concerns

Hi everyone,

I am on here because my boyfriend had emergency colon surgery 3 months ago and has a temporary ileostomy. For the last 3 weeks, he has been experiencing more tiredness and tonight he has stomach pain (sometimes sharp, sometimes like sore muscles). I don't know if this is gas (since this morning his bag was like a balloon ready to burst). I'm not sure if gas could be causing this pain or if this is part of the healing process. Neither of us have ever had this kind of surgery so any advice would be helpful.

Thank you!

Hello Stoma 76.
Welcome, and thankyou for your post.
Your description of the problems and the explanations seem perfectly reasonable to me but there is always the option of seeking professional help and advice if you feel this is necessary.
Tiredness and stomach pain (along with a whole host of other symptoms) is par for the course and we all know that gas can be the cause (of both).
I seem to have a lot of gas and there isn't a 'normal' bag on the market that could possibly hold it all overnight. For this reason I wear an irrigation sleeve overnight, which gives it plenty of room to exit my body and be contained in the sleeve. Lots of other people use various methods to cope with gas: Like wearing bigger bags; having vents in the bags, altering diet, etc., and I hope that they will contribute with their own ideas.  However, it is often just a question of experimenting until the best solution is found for each individual.
One of the things that has been known for a long while is that anxiety/ worry/ concern etc can also 'cause' these symptoms in the gut, so it's as well to take steps to keep that under control as well.
I hope that between you and your boyfriend, you can come up with a way of managing these things in the near future.
Oh, the joys of having a stoma!
Best wishes

Bill

Good morning and welcome!

From what you have described, three months post-op, and this one-time event, it could be diet-related.

He hasn't had this pain before, has he? And it sounds like gas. This is painful. I don't think anything is wrong internally, but if it continues, he should seek professional help.

Do you recall what he ate? There is a direct link between foods and gas. He needs to watch his food intake now, including drinks. Good luck. Do reply.

Jul 06, 2024 7:52 am
Hello,

I would recommend talking to a surgeon or even scheduling an office visit. It could be anything from a fluid-electrolyte imbalance to many more serious problems.

Good luck getting better!

Ahhh. Wizard, welcome. Would that be a Mr. or Ms.? 😁

Getting Support in the Ostomy Community with LeeAnne Hayden | Hollister

Seek medical advice. It may only be gas, but you need to rule out other problems first. If it turns out to be gas, which is very painful, Gas-X is good. Chew food well, avoid drinking from straws, and do not chew gum. Avoid foods that are known gas producers. Jump back in and update his progress.

I will add my voice to the chorus recommending he seek medical advice. One shouldn't dally too much when it comes to unexpected pain.

In regards to nighttime gas, that is something common to ileostomates. We tend to generate gas when we haven't eaten for several hours, as when we are sleeping. However, that is a generalization and is also something that should be discussed with a qualified physician.

Daniel

Thank you all for responding; it did seem to be just gas, and the next morning he was feeling better. But did any of you ever experience the shivers (with no fever)? He experienced that right before bed with the pain. It didn't last long, but he thought that was really strange.

Hmm, good morning. Glad to hear all he had was gas. He has to watch and note his food intake. He got lucky on this.

After 3 months post-op, it seems he is experiencing a lot of "first-time events." His body is adjusting and settling.

He should be writing a journal about it. What he ate, when, how it affected him.

Now I understand he had shivers, which could indicate a thyroid situation. However, it too may be a first-time event.

And again, like my brothers and sisters have mentioned with the gas situation, don't hesitate to call a doctor or seek emergency services.

I had suffered shivers and night sweats. Soaked the bed, in fact. Low thyroid.

Good luck. Let us know how he's making out.

Well, shivering like you describe is a classic symptom of withdrawal, but I assume he hasn't been on opioids long term. It could be that he has been fighting a virus, or maybe some kind of infection? Not all such come with a fever.

Daniel