Stoma

Jools63

Hi Jools

First piece of Advice (to quote Corporal Jones) "Don't Panic"

A little bleeding from the ostomy itself is nothing to worry about or to be alarmed . The ostomy tissue bleeds easily, similar to gums when flossing or brushing.

You will often see this when you are cleaning around the stoma when you do a change.

Just be a little gentler when cleaning

And as discussed recently make sure that the hole in the pouch baseplate is not too small, a tight fitting baseplate can cut into the stoma and cause bleeding.

Honestly bleeding around the base is nothing to be concerned about but if the blood is coming from the inside of your stoma seek advice from stoma care nurse.

Ian

Thanks Ian. I was hoping you would say that it was quite normal! One of the stoma nurses had said “you can be quite rough when cleaning”. I wasn’t completely convinced by that. I made sure not to cut too small a hole, and did as you suggested, using the base plate to judge how much to reduce by. 

Hi Jools63 I get a bleeding around the base too my stoma nurses said this was perfectly normal especially so soon after surgery . I hope you are still doing well otherwise

Lots of love

Peacock62 xxx

Jools63 Peacock62

Don't want to alarm you but my current stoma is coming up 1½ years old and I still get bleeding around the base, my previous stoma of 6 years used to bleed quite regularly.

You can go for days, weeks or months then suddenly you get a bleed and sometimes quite a lot.

Last night when going a change I had a bleed and it just poured out and took ages to stem the flow fortunately anCnoc behaved all through the change which made a difference.

It really is nothing to worry about, trust me I'm an ostomate!

Ian

Hi Peacock62

How are you doing? Thanks for your response to stoma bleeding. I’m seeing my surgeon tomorrow, although I’m not sure why! 

Thanks Ian! 

Hi Jools63 it sounds like a follow-up to your surgery I had mine on Monday it should have been 2 weeks ago so sounds around the same time scale. I couldn't make my first appointment as I was taken into hospital with severe pain and had to stay in for several days they said it was most probably adhesions as I had open surgery. It put me back a bit in recovering but I am not too bad now .on Monday the surgeon said he had got all my tumor out and I now have to see an oncologist to see if I need chemotherapy.  If I don't I will have the reversal in January if I do the reversal will have to wait till chemo has finished. I wish you lots of luck for tommorrow let me know how you get on will be thinking of you

lots of love

Peacock62 xxx 

Hi peacock62

so pleased to hear you are now back on track. I’ll keep everything crossed that you don’t need chemotherapy. My surgeon said he’s confident that he’s got all of the cancer, and I won’t need chemotherapy. I can’t tell you how chuffed to bits I am. My reversal will be in February if they’re not too busy. I have definitely been incredibly lucky with how quickly I am healing! The stoma nurse has changed the type of bags I was having as I’d had 3 leaks in 6 days. I now have what I think she called convex ones. Fingers crossed no leaks so far! I hope you see your oncologist soon. It’s lovely to hear from you. Take care.

Hey Ian

Thanks to all of the advice you gave me a few days ago, my stoma nurse has changed my bags! I now have convex ones? No leaks since Wednesday, so fingers crossed. You were right about the dimpling. It wasn’t until she was taking the stoma stitches out that I could see the dip! 

You are a true superstar.

Jools63

Great news about the change of bags not about the dips but now you know they are there you can steps to fill them in, did your stoma care nurse suggest how to level up skin.

Often the answer is to change to convex bags but I shouldn't suggest them to anyone as the stoma care nurse has to access you first before she decides on trying them, many of the supply companies won't even accept an order for convex pouches until they've spoken to the nurse.

Let's keep our fingers crossed for February and the reversal all you've got to do know is keep yourself fit and healthy in preparation for the surgery.

You know how to get hold of me if you do have any other little problems

Kind regards

Ian