COLOSTOMY EXPERIENCES?

Hey Tetra hope all goes well for you. I have my pre op appointment next week so il have my questions ready. But as you say our peers on here are the best source of information having went through it. I think it just nerves cause im used the way the bowl care has been done with suppositories. hopefully the colostomy will make things easier on the body & mind. Best of Luck Saturday. Thanks for help Tetra

Hi Tetra,

There is quiet a bit in preparation so with the solution & diet restrictions. Im glad the procedure was comfortable for you, fingers crossed mine will be too. I have limited dexterity but that said I have managed to figure out a lot of ways around things & how to grip things, for example I change my Catheter myself at home.

The fact the colostomy will remove the need for 4 different nurses each week doing the bowl care, between stimulations & the risk of compaction & AD. Im hopeful the colostomy will give me more regular emptying as my bowl care programme was every 2 days. I also worried from day to day how the bowl care would go with a different person doing different stimulations. for example I had one nurse go straight finger in & out which compacted the bowl resulting in AD & severe sweating. Not nice.

I was also told that when the bowl is full or over full that it wraps around the bladder like a blood pressure monitor & squeezes on the bladder thus restricting the capacity of the bladder leading to more complications. So all said I think this is the best option with the most consistency & will put my bowl care in my hands not my nurses.

Hope your feeling good & Thanks a Million for the advice, very much appreciated.

That's very reassuring to hear Tetra, as I have been trying to gather as much information as possible from people who have been there bought the t shirt! Ya I have a list of my care routine at home to be carried out in hospital as it has severed me well over the years. I think in hospitals they oh ya we are the pros, but we are the ones living it so we know best what mattress etc that we need. Again Thanks for the reassurance, it helps a lot. Take Care & il fill you in on how I get on.

ted303 ,tetra , Sorry, I have not been on the site very much do you other issues I have been having. My experiences and insights on this issue, by the sounds of it by reading the thread, maybe somewhat of hindsight.

Also, the level and extent of my SCI sound to be more extreme. I can only move my head a little, with the tracheotomy, requiring that I have total and complete 24/7 care. From the time of my injury until I had the colostomy, I basically had no bowel program, approximately six years. Toward the end of that time, my bowel movements were explosive diarrhea, requiring quite the extensive cleanup of myself and the surrounding area. Due to the buildup of fecal matter and gas.

I wish I would've found out about the option of having a colostomy, much, much, sooner. As far as having the procedure done, it was during one of my many hospital stays, for a UTI. Also, it required that I be put back on the ventilator, which I very, very, reluctantly, agreed to. Afterward, with the exception of being on the ventilator longer than I would've liked, and a few days of increased overall pain. I am over 100% glad that I had it done. I personally did not have any irritation or skin breakdown around the stoma or ostomy bag site. I did, however, end up with pressure sores, due to not being on an air mattress and turned properly. After returning to the facility in which I stay, being returned to my air mattress, turned properly, and wound-care healing my pressure sores, my overall situation was greatly improved.

My bowel movement kind of depend on what and how much I have eaten. As far as emptying the ostomy bag it varies in relationship to the output. With the buildup of gas in the bag, it just needs to be released accordingly. My schedule as far as when the bag is supposed to be changed, has not been consistent. Due to this staff not being consistent, with proper upkeep. Nonetheless, it has been a. Improvement to everyone considered (staff and myself).

ted303 , You're welcome. As I see it, that's with the site is for. If we do not share our experiences honestly, what is the point?

My situation, I believe is a little bit different. I honestly think that if you follow the advice and recommendations for follow-up, after the procedure, and prior to for that matter, you will find your independence greatly improved. Good luck with getting the proper mattress, reducing the odds of getting pressure sores.

tetra,electricguy, Hey guys had my procedure done was only in hospital for 2 days & I was out on the third day. I can change the bag myself so im happy with that part. One thing im finding it tricky to release any wind from the bag, there is a lot of folds in the exit of the bag not easy with limited dexterity.

How did u guy manage to release the wind from the bag? Also did yer stoma change colour much in the early days post op? My stoma nurse mentioned the stoma could go black & even rot I was shocked to here that bit.

Overall though im feeling good have 9km done in the 9days since my op & no ill effects. Don't miss the suppositories, stimulations, or the time it takes doing bowl care that way. Also I find im more hungry in the morning which is great cause im like a whip!!


I want to thank you for your views on here, at times means more from my peers than docs. So a huge Thanks