Just got an ileostomy, need advice
Tue, October 09, 2012 1:09 PM
It's been just over a year since my initial diagnoses with Crohn's and I've been thru several unsuccessful rounds of Remicade and just had my 2nd bowel resection a little over two weeks ago where they put in an ileostomy.
So far everything has been great but I seem to be having issues with my ostomy and stoma. The stoma seems to be retracting into my belly and I can't get a good fit with the ostomy wafer. The ones I'm using are the moldable waxy ones but I've had similar results using the cutable ones. Basically no matter what I do the stoma barely sticks thru the wafer. When stuff comes out of the stoma it gets trapped up under the waxy material and stays put until eventually the waxy material melts and droops down into the bag. I seem to have a good skin infection going on and everything stings and burns pretty good. The stoma itself only sticks out thru the skin maybe 1/4"-1/2" at the top and at the bottom it's either flush with or blow the skin level on my belly.
I'm getting pretty frustrated with this, no local WOCN nurse even remotely close. Anybody have any ideas that might help?
On a different note, I'm still having somewhat regular BM's. They're not huge but seem to be every 2 or 3 days and always with very dark blood. Is this common for somebody who's recently had surgery? I am getting a good output thru the bag so I believe it's all leftover stuff from before surgery that's coming out VIA BM???
zx150Joined Oct 9, 2012
Thu, October 11, 2012 10:05 AM
Reply posted for zx150.
HI,
Sorry to hear about your struggles with the ileostomy.
You definitely need to get back and see your surgeon.
Sounds like the skin around the stoma is excoriated. I had the same issue. My surgeon had to use what looked like a long wooden match (silver).
It essentially burned the skin away so that things could then begin again correctly.
Your stoma sounds like it is not being held in place where it needs to be. I am not a doctor though so you should have your surgeon look at it.
From what I understand the stoma is held in place by the muscle around it. Perhaps there is some issue there? Again, I am no expert.
As for the BM. You will continue to have some of those every few days. I was told this is normal.
However, it being bloody seems like information that your surgeon should be made aware of.
Hope things start to improve for you soon.
Regards,
Ryan
Joined Oct 5, 2012
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