Stoma in my future

I have an ileostomy. In the first few weeks after your operation always keep in mind that after a few weeks you will feel better about everything than you do at that moment. Good luck and a merry Christmas to you.

All the best for your op.

I know many people on here havent bothered but I found the practise stoma kit from the nurse very helpful.It gave me some idea of how it would feel and how I would be able to wear all my usual clothing including jeans and no one would be able to tell I had a stoma

Kath

Hello Thisisme1

A cancer diagnosis is pretty daunting in itself - and then you add in a stoma so it's a lot to take in, especially when major surgery is also involved.  However, as you've said, relief that it's been caught early and there's a treatment plan in place already.

My op was LAR (low anterior resection) for a rectal tumour, so slightly different to what you're having, which resulted in an ileostomy. The op itself sounded quite scary but in all honesty I was very well looked after and glad to get it over and done with.  I was in hospital for 4 nights which felt like a very quick turnaround but it was during a covid surge so probably best to properly recuperate at home.

The stoma felt like a challenge initially but with the help of the stoma nurse and the stoma supplies company things improved greatly and I got back to my normal life/routine very quickly.  I eat the same things, wear the same clothes and do all the things I did before and the stoma is just part of me. It takes a few minutes every other day to look after.  

If you're able, try to maintain/improve your fitness levels over the next 6 weeks (lots of walking for me - it also helped to clear my head) and keep a healthy diet.  My hospital also gave me a booklet relating to their "Enhanced Recovery Programme" which had useful information about exercises to practise for the post-op period and general do's and don'ts.  Make sure you're kind to yourself too - that's important.  Get some treats in.

You can ask any questions you like on here.  Nothing is too daft.  And, if you click on folks names there may be a brief description of their journey so far.

Good luck for the op and Merry Christmas.

Lots of walking for me too.. 

Hi thisme1 I'm David it seems like you are having a very close experience to mine. I was diagnosed with bowel cancer in July 2022 also very low down had radiotherapy then chemotherapy and March this year had an op which took my anus/rectum and lower half of Colon. It really sounds a lot worse than it is I had the area covered with pigskin and haven't started grunting yet I did ask my surgeon if she could leave the curly tail on but no go. After. The first few weeks once the marvellous stoma Nurses sort out the right bag etc it becomes nothing more than occasionally having a leak which is awful the first couple of times but lessens with time I haven't had that for about 3 months now.. you can get an adhesive barrier stick which really helps a lot. You will understand that better once you start. Now that I am really used to it it's not much worse than going for a poo normally come to think of it I had more accidents in my lifetime especially just before the diagnosis . Wish you well try to have a happy Xmas

. Dave 

Hello , I’m afraid I posted then things happened and I had to leave it, it seems to me that you are exactly the person that I was aiming at. All I wanted was to chat to someone that was where I was some time ago. My god I was petrified, the more you recerch the worst it sounds. I’m a doc dodger , just the way it is. What I can tell you, and it’s the no warts truth, that it is nowhere near as bad as it sounds. You worry worry worry then when it comes to it you put yourself in the doctors hands because that’s all you can do. This is my experience, I woke up and the relief was amazing, the pain relief was fantastic, I’m telling you the truth, I got out of bed the next day and walked up and down the ward. Believe me the staff are remarkable, from then on Iv been positive and my life is as good as it can be. I go to the toilet different now that’s it. Trust the NHS if there is something really wrong with you they are gold standard, good luck my friend 

Hi Paul yes those clouds really do have a silver lining as much as the nhs is having problems the cancer care is really good which is just as well as my wife had a chest xray 2 weeks ago got sent for urgent scan Wednesday last and appointments with thoracic doctors on 4th of January which is really quick  so just hoping for the news not to be to bad. Dave