Ostomy: Adapting to life after colostomy, ileostomy or urostomy

It sounds like most people have had urgent medical issues before having the surgery. I am fine now and have been for the past 2 months being on the low dose antibiotics. If I am "healthy" now then why have the surgery? I have been like this for 2 years with off and on infections. Surgeons say to do while healthy but two medical providers who are friends say to hold off as long as possible. I am not getting any younger. I have read lots of case histories and everyone is different as well as talking to people who have had the surgery in the support groups. Still a quandry for me so will think and pray about it.

Hi! I had a bowel resection and colostomy on September 21 after two weeks of hospitalization and antibiotics. I was otherwise healthy with no medical history, and then on September 8 I had severe cramping, felt a shift, got a wave of cold from head to toe and started sweating profusely. Turns it I had diverticulitis, and probably diverticulosis for the past couple of years.

Anyway, as frustrating as being in hospital for 20 days was, things went relatively well considering the various complications I faced, and I was very well taken care of by a wonderful team of nurses.

Since I’ve been home, nearly a week, it seems that nothing has gone right.

I have a crease and my appliance leaks from there. I just met with my ostomy nurse yesterday and she put on a convex wafer for me. It’s holding up much better, but there is a bit of poop in my belly button. At least it’s not flowing out like with the flat wafers. I’m low on supplies, so I’ll wait until this evening to decide if it needs changing very badly.

On Sunday my surgical incision began weeping quite a lot, and I went to the ER where I was prescribed antibiotics.

Yesterday I had my first follow up with my surgeon. He took my staples out. A few hours later my incision began to separate, and it was back to the ER. From the time we noticed the separation to when I was treated it opened up significantly more. They packed it and put steri strips across as well as a sticky gauze dressing. I have an appointment tonight with the nurse care clinic for them to change out the dressings if need be. I suspect they will need to be as the weeping is soaking through the dressing.

My surgeon plans for me to have a new vacuum dressing applied in the next couple of days. I had one in hospital. He says this one will be a little higher quality so it’ll be less bothersome.

Anyway, I’m pretty frustrated overall. I’ve been in fairly good spirits the whole time, but near the end at the hospital and now at home I think my brain is catching up with what’s been happening, and I’m having a tough time. I’m not much of a crier or a complainer, but I’m so frustrated and a bit scared. And frustrated for my fiancée who has taken on so much and is just as helpless as I am with how to deal with all this new medical stuff. She’s so stressed. We both are.

I already see a psychiatrist regularly, so I do have that support. It’s just that this is the first time ever in my life that I’ve not had any say in anything to do with my body. I can’t do anything to really stop the incision from separating. I’m not good enough at changing appliances that I feel comfortable with the knowledge that I’m going to have to change the whole thing on my own for the first time probably today or tomorrow.

The plan is to have reversal surgery in about four months. Hopefully everything heals up well and it can happen.

So that is where I’m at. Not the greatest place and brand new to the world of medical issues and having zero control over what’s happening.

Thanks for listening.

Hi! I had a bowel resection and colostomy on September 21 after two weeks of hospitalization and antibiotics. I was otherwise healthy with no medical history, and then on September 8 I had severe cramping, felt a shift, got a wave of cold from head to toe and started sweating profusely. Turns it I had diverticulitis, and probably diverticulosis for the past couple of years.

Anyway, as frustrating as being in hospital for 20 days was, things went relatively well considering the various complications I faced, and I was very well taken care of by a wonderful team of nurses.

Since I’ve been home, nearly a week, it seems that nothing has gone right.

I have a crease and my appliance leaks from there. I just met with my ostomy nurse yesterday and she put on a convex wafer for me. It’s holding up much better, but there is a bit of poop in my belly button. At least it’s not flowing out like with the flat wafers. I’m low on supplies, so I’ll wait until this evening to decide if it needs changing very badly.

On Sunday my surgical incision began weeping quite a lot, and I went to the ER where I was prescribed antibiotics.

Yesterday I had my first follow up with my surgeon. He took my staples out. A few hours later my incision began to separate, and it was back to the ER. From the time we noticed the separation to when I was treated it opened up significantly more. They packed it and put steri strips across as well as a sticky gauze dressing. I have an appointment tonight with the nurse care clinic for them to change out the dressings if need be. I suspect they will need to be as the weeping is soaking through the dressing.

My surgeon plans for me to have a new vacuum dressing applied in the next couple of days. I had one in hospital. He says this one will be a little higher quality so it’ll be less bothersome.

Anyway, I’m pretty frustrated overall. I’ve been in fairly good spirits the whole time, but near the end at the hospital and now at home I think my brain is catching up with what’s been happening, and I’m having a tough time. I’m not much of a crier or a complainer, but I’m so frustrated and a bit scared. And frustrated for my fiancée who has taken on so much and is just as helpless as I am with how to deal with all this new medical stuff. She’s so stressed. We both are.

I already see a psychiatrist regularly, so I do have that support. It’s just that this is the first time ever in my life that I’ve not had any say in anything to do with my body. I can’t do anything to really stop the incision from separating. I’m not good enough at changing appliances that I feel comfortable with the knowledge that I’m going to have to change the whole thing on my own for the first time probably today or tomorrow.

The plan is to have reversal surgery in about four months. Hopefully everything heals up well and it can happen.

So that is where I’m at. Not the greatest place and brand new to the world of medical issues and having zero control over what’s happening.

Thanks for listening.

Hi @jimmy2248. You may have noticed that I move your post on having urinary tract infections with an urostomy to this existing thread on ostomy's. I did this so that you can connect with others who have ostomy's. Click VIEW & REPLY in your email and you will be able to read what past members have posted about living life with ostomy's.

I wanted to introduce you to fellow Connect members @mlmcg and @hodagwi as they have an ostomy and may be able to help answer your question.

@jimmy2248 what symptoms do you have that makes you think you may have a urinary tract infection?

I have/had flank pain in side and back ; stomach pain and vomit. Doctor did culture and found bugs. Other doctors say that a stoma will always show bacteria as the small intestine is a mucus membrane. Just trying to see how others handle this scenario.