As a rectal cancer survivor, my surgery was in 1986. I had a diverting colostomy for three months before my colon was re-attached. I had a double advantage in that my step father had a permanent colostomy for the last 20 years due to his rectal cancer surgery. From my own experience and from watching how the colostomy had changed his life style, I concluded that I understood colostomy. I have managed bowel issues for 40 years - mainly unpredictable, often short notice, sometimes no notice diarrhea. It was not an unmanageable issue until I became a flight attendant 10 years ago. I could not tolerate unpredictable bathroom events while working with passengers and crew members in the cabin of an airliner. Several years ago, I discovered over the counter Immodium (generic Loperamide). One 2 mg pill after the onset of diarrhea generally stops the diarrhea. It basically shuts down my large intestine. I have to be careful to restart my large intestine motility if it does not re start within two days. If not, I am subject to developing a small bowel obstruction (SBO) (likely due to scar tissue) in my small intestine. I have had five SBOs in the two years using loperamide, one requiring hospitalization and a naso gastric suction tube to relieve it. However, I find that as a general statement, I can avoid unpredictable diarrhea with loperamide or very selective eating of small amounts of low residue food more frequently and occasional use of loperamide. My goal is to avoid unpredictable bathroom events as well as SBOs and I am making some progress. I have also tried pelvic floor therapy which may have helped (cannot really identify a change) and will also consider sacral nerve stimulation if needed.

My colostomy experience was not bad, and I would go back to a permanent colostomy if my existing management practices fail. While on a colostomy i participated in ostomy user groups at Fairfax Inova and found them very supportive.