Pre-Surgery Questions: Steps and Preparations for Colostomy Reversal

I would like to know, what were the steps prior the revrrsal of colostomy? Did you have to drink a prep drink like the one.before a colostomy? I am having an end to end surgery, does that require a rehab for a certain amount of time? I know my type is.consideted major surgery, I guess if it were a loop, that is.considered minor surgery. Well any information would be highly appreciated. 

Thank,

Evelyn

Hi Evelyn,

It is the anniversary of the day I came home after reversal surgery, so it was a year ago today that I came home without a bag. Woohoo!!

Please note: if I can't remember clearly what all I had to do to prepare, it's a sure sign that it wasn't too bad.

I was only on the bag for a total of 9 months. I had a bowel blockage (fortunately??) as opposed to cancer or disease, so reversal was always an option for me.

I was in the office complaining when my surgeon said, "Then let's fix it. We're going to anyway, and why don't you get laparoscopic surgery this time?"

I had to have a stress test to get clearance from my heart doctor, but that was from a problem during initial surgery when I was toxic with complete renal failure. I continue to have those tests periodically.

Then I had to have a colonoscopy which required a prep of liquid diet (nothing but yellow or green fluids) 48 hrs prior to the test and fasting 24 hrs before, then 6 hrs before I had to drink 8 ozs. of GoLYTELY every half hour until I finished it.

The colonoscopy was from my anus to my stoma, then from my stoma to the end of the large colon. Of course, I was unconscious, so that was easy.

I had the regular pre-op appointment where they drew blood to check vitals and informed me how I was required to wash with antibacterial prep wipes before coming in.

Finally, I had to go through the same prep with GoLYTELY before surgery, but additionally, 4 hrs before surgery I had to use a bismuth enema (spelling?) which was hard to find. I finally ordered it from Amazon, can you believe that?!

The only thing I want to warn you about is that they found that I was active with MRSA at the pre-op appointment. I couldn't get a clear answer about what it meant. I had been a MRSA carrier until then since my first surgery, and everybody said it was nothing. I got it by virtue of being in the hospital.

It took 9 months before my stoma site healed because I couldn't get a diagnosis for soft tissue MRSA infection. My stoma site was draining for 8 months. I had a CT scan that found a hernia that was repaired. It closed for a couple of weeks then opened to the size of a quarter with heavy drainage and fever.

A second CT scan then a test of the fluid draining finally resolved what was the problem. From there, it took 3 prescriptions of Bactrim to heal. There is no retest because I will always be a carrier, the surgeon said, but she's said so many different things I can't keep track. I believe if I had taken a prescription of antibiotics prior to surgery, I would have been fine. I should have been maintaining a sterile environment for my family but didn't know I needed to.

Lastly, I found that my family considered this to be a minor surgery, and I didn't receive any help at home. No home nursing. No rehab. Nothing. I was released from the hospital in 5 days, and that was one extra day because of heavy bleeding.

The wound care was simple and basic and not very well explained. I had to be able to walk the hallway in the hospital and have a regular bowel movement to be released.

But think about it. The laser surgery didn't work for me (too much scar tissue), so I had complete abdominal surgery. One cut from breastbone to pelvis and one bikini cut all the way across my groin, then the stoma site wound. That's serious enough surgery for me.

It isn't routine, and it isn't a piece of cake, and you can't step back into your life with just a band-aid. I chose to let my family go do whatever they needed because convincing them I was disabled was more trouble than doing or not doing for myself.

Good luck, hope I helped.

Charlotte