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  • Shared Experiences

    Problems with an Ilostomy reversal with little output. Why could this be?

    Related Topics
    Bowel Cancer Cancer
    I had bowel cancer and underwent surgery to have my rectum and part of my colon removed, I had 30 lymph nodes taken and accessed as well I had a stoma and bag for 6 months and then had the reversal to hook everything back up and close the stoma.
    Since then which is over 12 months ago I have had a great amount of problems, I cant go to the toilet without taking laxetives and even then it's just small amounts mostly water and very often I was told that this would improve but it has not now the surgen has suggested that I may need to have a bag permanently and this will require another round of surgery has anyone else encounted this problem? at the moment I have until Feb 2013 to decide which way to go.
    • 1 comment
    • PETRUS SMITH
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  • PETRUS SMITH

    HealthShare Member

    Hi Ott.
    This is a unfortunately a bit late to assist with your decision . However I was very much in a similar situation after I had the stoma reversal 6 months after the surgey aand subsequent Chemotherapy and Radiation treatment . My problem was that I had constant diarrhoea for 3 weeks or more . My whole digestive system was crazy., and I ate only the very safe foods which I wont go into at this stage.My digestive system got better after some time but the colon and bowel system was still hopeless . The main problem was the rectum nerves which controls defecation and tells you that you need to go to the toilet . The surgery and radiation had certainly upset the rectal nerves  as well cosing up the “valve ” to the anal canal.

    It is has taken at least 4 years to gradually get the system working enough to feel that I am in control . Then I had a colonoscopy and the colon/ bowel system went crazy again . I believe it may have been the pretreatment to totally clean out the colon. A nurse mentioned that about 10% of people having colonoscopy have this problem .  My surgeon also said that about 1 in 4 of his patients who have rectal cancer removed take at least 2 years before their bowel]colon system works properly .For me , and another patient I know ,it is more like 4-5 years.

    So in hindsight a permanent bag would have been a better solution although I dont know enough about the consequences ie being carefull of what you eat .

    I hope all goes very well with you .

    Regards

     

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