Post-Op Bleeding and Discharge Concerns After Colostomy

Hi, I'm 20 days post-op of having colostomy Barbie butt and part of my vagina taken away due to a tumor being embedded in the vaginal wall. I keep getting blood when I pee, but from my vagina, I then have a discharge. I have seen my doctor, who has put me on antibiotics and done a swab test as he thinks there is an infection.

They had given me all the books to read about the colostomy, but nothing prepared me for the vagina bit! And I was only told about it the day before I left the hospital; the surgeon didn't tell me much about it, really.

I am really sore both bottom and front, which I expected as I am only 20 days post-op.

Has anybody else experienced this bleeding? It's about an egg cup full every other day. Thanks for reading, Lin xx

I had my rectum, bladder, and most of my vagina removed... no Barbie butt but probably close to your surgery. No one told me one thing about the vaginal portion of the surgery. They talked endlessly about the colostomy and urostomy, but I was left on my own with the vagina.

Some discharge from the vagina would be expected. It naturally produces mucus. But I would expect that discharge to be in the normal range for you. This does not sound like it seems normal, so I think the doctor is right to look for infection. Infection is very likely with a surgery like you had.

I'm taking it that the bleeding is rectal. And I will defer to someone who had the Barbie butt surgery. If vaginal, then I don't think that's normal either.

Hi Lin

I see you are in England like me. Are you having visits from the community or district nurses to dress your wounds? I had my operation in August last year and have only just stopped having the nurses dress my bum. I did have bleeding when I overdid it, but otherwise it was slough, as they called it, a mix of mucus, dead skin, and the sutures (not sure if I've spelled that right).

So sorry you are having to deal with losing part of your vagina too; so much for you to cope with.