Hope someone can help. Had a colostomy last May. Went in for reversal operation Oct. 5th. OP did not go well and required two emergency operations during the 6 weeks I was hospitalized. Last op was 7 weeks ago. I suffer from daily diarrhea and actually lose control about every other day. Dr. ordered stool tests for C. diff which I have had and know this is not C. diff. What is going on?
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I am sorry to hear you are going through so much. I will keep you in my prayers and
pray for your speedy recovery. I know that it does vary depending on the person, as to how long it takes to get control back in the backside. They say the kegel exercises are best for pre-op, to get the pelvic floor muscles in condition to bring the rear back online faster. I have been doing them 24/7 in hopes that it will help. What happened to cause the other 2 emergency surgeries? Was the section that was joined leaking?
Thank you Sunny and Stan for the replies. I have had a difficult time of it but must admit although disagreeable, it is manageable..... Sunny, Stan's suggestion about Kegels may work for you. I hope your condition improves quickly. Stan, how long since your reversal? Keep the faith. We will recover! I perforated twice after initial reversal surgery and damn near bought the farm. My heart goes out to those that a reversal is not an option. I feel a tremendous sense of guilt for complaining. Thank you for the support.
Stan, checked your profile and saw you have not had reversal surgery yet. Nothing to worry about. Far less traumatic than waking up after colostomy and having a bag and all that entails. If laparoscopic surgery is done, recovery should be quick. Open surgery presented no problems either and leaves you with a surgical "6-pack"...... Cool if I were 20 again! More than happy to help you through this. I live in Scottsdale, Arizona. Small world??
Don
Sunny, too funny! 3-5 is overly optimistic. I was told the same thing and stayed for 32 days......
More later.
And I thought you were Ruby?? LOL Yeah, I am hoping after they open my lengthy scar again that they will be able to sew it closed where it doesn't look like a bump on my belly! But if not, what the heck, I will wear my war wounds proudly! It stinks because when I was younger, I would never go swimming without a shirt or go without a shirt around the house, and within the last couple of years, I was finally comfortable with going without one, as I had thinned out quite a bit. Now, after the ostomy, it just seems weird going without a shirt even around the house, in fear that I am more susceptible to injuring the bag or stoma if I go without, and it is a little uncomfortable for me as well. So I will be looking forward to the reversal, GOD WILLING it goes without a hitch, and I can show my scars with pride. Just need to be careful with the sun! And Sunny, I remember all too well what it was like to have the Jackson Pratt drain pulled last time, it was excruciating. I used some colorful vocabulary in the hospital that day!!
I developed a lactose intolerance recently and when I looked it up on Wikipedia, it mentioned one of the causes to be damage to the intestines. Results - constant watery diarrhea on a daily basis. I now have to cut out milk, cheese, and other lactose products in order to have regular stools. Why don't doctors tell us about intestinal damage causing lactose intolerance? It's such an easy thing to diagnose, but having had all sorts of intestinal problems leading to my ostomy and reversal, I immediately thought I was having issues with my "innards" again.
Yes, you should have heard me swear. I used the 'f' word several times as the nurse hauled that large drain out of my side. A little twiddle every day might have ensured my insides did not stick to it. I would have done it myself if I had known about the pain.
The nurse did it when it was visiting time and my mum was outside the curtain. In a way, it is worse for people listening.
Top tip for stitches removal: ask for 2 nurses. In my hospital, they use sterile tweezers but they are very clumsy. The nurse was lifting the stitches with one hand and using a blade with the other. I could see she was going to slice me and she did.
I told her to go and get help, and with one nurse holding up the stitches and the other cutting, it was a much more efficient job.
It's a matter of confidence. It is your body, and you should have a voice in your care.
On that note, I have very small veins, and unless the nurse is an expert in cannulation, they normally have 3-4 failed attempts before getting someone else. So I always ask if they are really good at it. There are some nurses that will get someone else, but some who give it a go with the predicted result.
One nurse filled my arm with half a bag of potassium solution as she did not even get in the vein. I was not happy about that. It blew up like a balloon and took 3 days to absorb.
All in all, my care was good.
3 weeks post-op now and getting a bit easier. Still relying on the lactulose for a poo and don't get any urge to go even when I must be filled to the brim!
Also getting through a massive amount of loo roll, as there is no sense of when I have finished.
Glad I got it done.
Good luck to all.
Thinking of making an art installation with the 400 poo bags left over, suspended from the ceiling. Some stuck on a board, some filled with Nutella... what do you think?
Hi Don, I have been asked by several ostomates to post a frank account of my reversal. There is no point in sugar coating it. My experience is unique to me. A friend recently had her ileostomy reversed and was back to work in 3 weeks with no problems. Better to be prepared for the worst and be pleasantly surprised if it is a smooth operation.
I am still smiling despite it all and every day is a bit easier.
Hey SunnyD, you are absolutely correct in relaying your experience as it happened to you. Please accept my apologies if you were offended by my post. I agree in not "sugar coating" but believe certain negative aspects of the experience should be omitted if they cause undue concern to a party that is about to undergo similar procedures. I am so happy to hear you are doing better with each passing day. Hang in there SunnyD..........
Don
