LARS after reversal?

Hi River Pater

Sorry to be late in joining in, I don't look in so often now. I had a Lower Anterior Resection six years ago (when I was 73) and a reversal five years ago. By then I also had a parastomal hernia which they sewed up when reversing.

You don't say how low your tumor was, is it low enough to be worried about LARS  I panicked a bit before having the reversal as I suddenly heard about LARS and wondered if the devil I knew would be better, but went ahead.

To begin with I spent a lot of time in the loo producing peanuts then gradually building up to something more normal. I don't have much rectum but now, on a good day, it appears that the colon has adapted. The first few days if I went out I wore a pad and I slept on a protective sheet. I never needed either and nor have I ever been incontinent though its been close! (I had more accidents with the stoma).

You won't get back to what it was like before. Things pass through the shortened colon faster and certain foods faster still. On a good day I might go to the loo twice, perhaps three times, if I have been out for a good lunch it might be more. It hasn't stopped me doing anything by way of travel or going out

While I had the ileostomy I controlled it with Loperamide regularly and I did the same after the reversal to begin with . I still might take one as insurance before a long journey or before a meal  out.

Your colon and sphincter hasn't been used for a while so probiotics are useful to populate the gut again. Exercise to build up the sphincter muscle helps. When you go to the loo try to hold on for as long as you can.

The minor inconveniences I have now are much better than life with the stoma. Like everyone else I was glad for it at the time as it helped save my life but I am happy that it has gone. However, I can see the point that people make to keep them and not have a reversal.  

All the best, John