Obesity and Colostomy

Posted by mysterysage @mysterysage, Sep 14, 2022

Does anyone know anyone obese who got a colostomy? Looking for ideas.

I need a colostomy. I expect this could greatly improve my quality of life with a lower motor neurogenic bowel and related complications.

However, I am obese with BMI at 50 despite some very good progress in this area.

(Loosing weight would be so much easier of I didn't spend so many hours in the bathroom each day to mitigate against incontinence...)

I had Bariatric surgery already and have still a ways to go. Why is it possible to mitigate complications of weightloss surgery and post op for obese patients, but not for a colostomy?
Is it truly unmanageable or just not a risk that a GI surgical specialist wants or needs to bother with.

The neurogenic bowel makes it so hard to prevent UTIs now that I CiC. I've been hospitalized twice in the past six weeks for bacteremia from asymptomatic UTIs and I'm really scared about what lies ahead without a colostomy option.

I'm not looking for you all to solve my problem. Just looking for ideas and what experience others have.

Thanks!

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Ostomy Support Group.

Hi @mysterysage, such good questions. I don't have personal experience, but I was wondering if you might seek ostomy surgey at a multidisciplinary hospital that also performs bariatric surgey so that you can have both specialities available for surgery and/or recovery?

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@colleenyoung

Hi @mysterysage, such good questions. I don't have personal experience, but I was wondering if you might seek ostomy surgey at a multidisciplinary hospital that also performs bariatric surgey so that you can have both specialities available for surgery and/or recovery?

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Thank you Colleen for the reply.
I am trying to find a multidisciplinary hospital to help me with this.

Currently I am lacking a plan of care, I think because of the uncoordinated specialists all minimizing their risks but no one helping to manage my risk. Also part of the problem I think is that the lower motor neurogenic bowel problems are maybe less common, and I don't think there's anyone in my region that actually has experience with this to advise me what to do and how to go about it.

I'm networking around to connect with some hospitals and clinics that appear to potentially be able to advise me, and/or at least have a telehealth appointment to discuss it further.

I have a referral to Mayo now from the local spinal cord injury clinic doctor for the neurogenic bowel + neurogenic bladder management. But even Mayo seems to be confused and I keep getting bounced from one department to the other, each individually missing the medical need which is really systemic and requires a systemic care plan.

I dread being rejected again from Mayo, so I'm now trying to figure out what to say to the appointment people when I call so they are less confused.

Seems like I'll have more luck if I pitch to the GI department with the solution that I think I need without actually getting into the weeds of all the systemic pieces that show you why this is the help I need and I really need help. But if I don't substantiate the medical need clearly, then I'll be rejected. But if I explain the systemic stuff, they'll bounce me over to neurology departments, Urology departments, and GI evaluation - but they also won't see the medical need because individually, there's not an urgent problem.

The urgent problem is that my unmanaged GI problem has created a serious Urology risk that I keep ending up in the hospital for. It's so scary to think I could be dead before I get some help with this.

I really need help and can't figure out how to get it - yet.
I appreciate having this outlet to vent and connect with others trying to find solutions to their problems. Thanks.

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Hello, I have a permanent colostomy, and my bmi is 33. I manage the colostomy fine, but have a hernia under the stoma. I here being obese can cause you to easily get a hernia. I would lose as much weight before the surgery to prevent getting a hernia.

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@mysterysage, how are you doing? Did you see the helpful response that you got from @lindasipp01?

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