Successful colostomy reversal - sharing my progress

Hi everyone. I had my colostomy reversal on Jan. 30th and am still in the hospital. All indications so far are that it will be successful. The pain isn't as bad as the initial surgery in October, so I am hoping my recovery will be better as well. I had a low sigmoid ostomy following a diverticular abscess that would not respond to draining or antibiotics. It has been quite an ordeal. I will keep you posted on my daily progress if that would be helpful to those of you who are scheduled for this. Three days out, I am on full liquids, IVs, ambulation as tolerated, and very little pain medication. Small amounts of stool today that were bloody, but was told this is normal at first. I am looking forward to better and better days.

So happy for you, Patrice! They keep you on liquids until things start to wake up. It took me three days, then they gave me liquids for a day, then soft foods. I was in for six days. As soon as I had a BM, they sent me on my way the next day. Don't eat large meals at first and keep to cooked foods until your innards have a chance to heal. I had my reversal on the 12th, so I'm just a couple of weeks ahead of you....

Thanks for the info. My first "BM" was a kind of blood-tinged diarrhea on day 4. Today, there was a large amount of dark brown loose stool. My doctor was pleased, but I will be glad when things firm up. I had my first "soft foods" tonight and so far have tolerated it well. Got my IV taken out, but still have a drain. I will probably be in the hospital for a total of 7 days. Pain is not too bad this time.
Patrice

This is day 7 and I am waiting for my doctor to come in and hopefully discharge me. I have had a couple of loose stools with cramping. The best I can describe it is worm-like. For those of you who have been through this, how long does it take for stools to become "normal"? I am eating a regular diet but small amounts as I don't have much of an appetite. The abdominal pain has been more severe the past few days and I am wondering if it's because the bowel is waking up and there is gas and movement. Hope to hear about your experiences, although I am sure everyone is different.

I ended my loose stools by eating a couple of bran muffins behind my doctor's back. She was amazed at my sudden recovery the next day.

Words of Encouragement from Ostomy Advocates I Hollister

It took me about 3 months before things looked normal. Before that, my stools were about the size of my little finger, lots of them at a time. They grew little by little and now, finally, are normal. Best of luck to you!

Thanks for letting me know about your experience with small stools. That has been worrying me as all week they have been "finger" size. Glad to know that the size will gradually improve. This journey has been so difficult and scary as there is very little support (virtually none) once you leave the hospital. This site has meant so much to me. Thanks everyone!

Was your doctor concerned about the diameter of your stools those first few months? Mine seems to be and said he had never heard of that. He wants me to take Miralax. Now I am worried too. Has anyone else experienced small (finger size) diameter stools? I don't know what the cause of that is.
My appetite is better but I have had a nasty bout of bronchitis with lots of coughing (ouch). Got my drain and stitches removed yesterday at 11 days so that is good. Hoping things start normalizing but it's hard not to worry.

My doctor wanted me to stay away from Miralax, but told me to drink prune juice. Mine were little nuggets, then gradually came together and got wider and longer. I had my reversal five weeks ago. They say it can take a good three months, and some people take as long as a year to settle into a regular routine. Just be careful to avoid foods that may cause a blockage. Keep everything nice and soft, easy to pass...

Thanks, Beaner. Guess I am just impatient. I tried the prune juice and a few other things a couple of weeks ago and got severe diarrhea. Maybe too much? Anyway, it continues to be a work in progress trying to figure out a happy medium. Does the cramping get better as well?
Patrice

It has been 4 weeks since my reversal. Just got off the pain med (oxycodone) to see if my bowels would regulate a little better. I am feeling pretty well but I am discouraged. Going to the toilet multiple times a day and feeling pressure in my rectum is getting me down. The stools are finger-sized and usually just one or two at a time. The urgency and severe cramping occur whether there is much stool to expel or not. I sure would appreciate any feedback from those of you who have gone through this. My connection (anastomosis) is near the rectum which is probably a factor. I had a sigmoid colostomy (low on the left side) for 4 months.
Thanks! Patrice

I have been seven weeks now since my surgery, and still get that cramping/urgency. I can tell when it's coming down the pike because I start with gas. You may tend to settle down some now that you're backing off the pain meds...

Good to hear some feedback from someone who is a few weeks out. I am 2 weeks out now. Yesterday, I had one movement all day. One! Today, I've already had three. Some formed little fingers as you describe above, and others are just liquid. Cramping isn't too bad. It occurs just before and during, but that's it. I have been eating small meals. I notice that sugars really get to me. Ice creams and the like. I've been eating soft cheeses, crackers, chicken, rice, and cereals.

My colorectal surgeon said I would be all over the map. Constipated one day, diarrhea the next. He said it could take months. For now, I am just working on building my stamina and strength. I lost a lot of weight and muscle in the hospital.

Hey Fable. Glad your recovery is going well. I am at 4 weeks and 4 days. I made the mistake of taking Miralax three nights in a row because I thought I was constipated. I then ended up having 2 days of frequency and urgency with lots of cramping (no diarrhea). I couldn't leave the house. I think you are right about it being different from day to day and taking a long time to heal and figure it out. Saw my surgeon today and he settled some of my fears and discouragement. Guess at this point time is best friend. Hard to be patient though.

So true!!! I wonder if there will ever be a day when my life doesn't completely revolve around what, how, and when something has been digested by my body and is coming outta my arse!!!

Amen, Sista!    And it's comin' outta me arse over 16 times per day!

Patrice....I am following your progress, too!    Glad you are doing as well as you are....sending good thoughts your way!
Remember: she who takes Miralax 3 times a day has NO hung chow!

Fable.....great photo of you and your Godson.    Thanks for sharing!

Darla

You made me laugh. I was thinking the same thing today. I am so tired of thinking about my bowels constantly. It's also hard to explain to others who are concerned and want to know how you're doing. I think everyone would agree that we are so much more than our colons or ostomies. I am hoping that all this will ease over time, but there might be a "new normal." Hope you'll keep me posted on your progress and I'll do the same.
And to bag and drag - very frequent for me too. It's hard to have a life.

I hope you are recovering as well as I am on Saturday. I snowshoed 12km to take a salt block back to a meadow behind my house. It helps to keep them off the highway. This week, I will start cross-country skiing every morning. I did the trip back to the meadow in one hour and fifteen minutes. I used to make the same trip every day in 45 minutes, so I'm not out of shape as bad as I thought I was. I will keep praying for everyone and keep you posted on my recovery.

I am now 7+ weeks post-op from my colostomy reversal and am a little discouraged. Hoping some of you can give me a pep talk and a little hope. I no longer have abdominal pain but am still having a little tenderness near the ostomy site - not bad though. What I continue to suffer from are frequent (not loose, but small) bowel movements, urgency, and some cramping. I often feel pressure and pain in my rectum and anal area, especially after sitting for any length of time. It's difficult when I am away from home as I feel the urge to use the loo a lot and sometimes it is a false alarm - nothing there, only the sensation. Has anyone else had this and does it get better? My doctor seems to think that in 6 months or so my body will adapt. I realize that this is not nearly as serious as many of the problems some of you have gone through, but hoping you can help. Thanks!
Patrice

I think only somebody who has or had an ostomy/ileostomy can really appreciate being able to talk so openly about poop. They don't realize our lives revolve around it.

Hi Patrice,

I have a "sore" spot near my ostomy site as well. It doesn't always hurt, but when I move or stretch in certain positions, it feels so tight and sometimes I get sharp pains. Reminds me that I am still recovering... I'm also about 7+ weeks from my original surgery and 5+ weeks from the second surgery to fix the resulting partial blockage in my small intestine.

I had the exact same pressure, urge to go frequently, and uncomfortable sensations when I sat for long periods of time. During the 4-5 weeks post-surgery, these symptoms were the worst!!! I was so worried, but I dialed back on some of the heavier foods that I was eating and it really seemed to help. I was having ground beef with dinner every night, 3-4 nights in a row. Now, I try to vary with cod, salmon, chicken, and ground beef during the week. The pressure and urgency still happen, but not multiple times a day or even every day! The pain in my rectum area still happens if I sit for too long, though. IMHO, that's just part of the healing process. Sucks, yes, but I'm hoping it will get better over time! I hope so for you, too!!

Take care,
Fable

Patrice, thank you for sharing your journey. I hope that each day brings you more comfort. You have certainly come to the right place, as we all know what it's like to have our lives run by our bowels instead of our minds. We know what it's like to have no life because of our bowels. It's some kind of cruel fate.

I got a colostomy on 1/3/22. A large section of my sigmoid colon was removed due to prednisone damage to the colon and over a dozen cases of diverticulitis. For a long time before the damage, my bowels ruled my life anyway, as each morning would be a "normal" BM followed by multiple diarrhea events. The cause? Who knows. I could never leave the house before 11 am and would never ride in public transport or a friend's car. Always had to be transported by my husband, as I do not drive. Going out to dinner was nerve-wracking. Huh, thanks to Covid I can't do that anymore. Plus the ridiculous diet after colostomy surgery. Even takeout can't happen. The only thing I crave is sushi, and I certainly can't have that.

Because of the chronic diarrhea, the surgeon recommended a permanent colostomy in an effort to improve my quality of life. What a joke. I hate this bag, and my stoma placement is flush with my flesh and is surrounded by hills and valleys. I'm like a walking Hollister advertisement. Convex plate, donut seal, tight tight belt. Empty the bag twice a day then totally clean and sterilize the bathroom environment. I get leaks, even when the gear is applied by the stoma nurse.

My colostomy can be reversed, but I don't know if I should take that chance. I'm afraid to end up with bowels more hyperactive than I had before. Huh! What would it matter if I couldn't leave the house? A pandemic going on and friends disappear when you fall apart for too long.

So the story of your journey is very informative for me. And I'm sure for many others. Please keep us updated as we are a caring lot, and stories shared are valuable not only for the writer but also for the readers too.

I'm certain you will end up being fine and comfortable. These recoveries require so much patience and tolerance. Peace in your life today, I pray.

Hi Patrice

I haven't heard much mention of blood in your stools. I am 3 weeks out from my colostomy reversal. No real pain, and yes, lengthy sitting can become uncomfortable. I am having some blood in my stools and while it is not bright red, and my doctor doesn't seem concerned, I am a bit put off by it. Have you been experiencing this, or anyone else?