Recent bowel resection

Hi Gary476 and a very warm welcome to the online community which I hope you'll find is both an informative and supportive place to be.

Hello Gary

Latchbrook has kindly pointed you in the direction of groups where you may meet others with similar experiences but that said you are more than welcome to post on here too!

I don't think the effect of being told one has cancer should ever be underestimated and sometimes the enormity of what you have been through finds its way back into your thoughts, with all the accompanying doubts and fears.  So you feeling low is completely understandable and there is help for those living with a cancer diagnosis through the MacMillan help-line, a Maggie's Centre (if you have one near you) or if you feel you need help coping with depression please see your GP.  I did when I was first diagnosed and he was an absolute Godsend, he had cancer as a young man and father of three and his door was always open to me.  He prescribed anti-depressants (which I am still on today)  which didn't make me dopey but went some way to quietening the constant chattering voices in my head.

I had an elective colostomy following anal stenosis after radiotherapy and walk my dog every day; it hasn't hindered me in the least and taken away some of the uncertainly of loo visits.  My recovery was very quick but I didn't spend 10 hours in theatre so I would think your surgery was quite extensive and will take longer.  But I don't have pain or any other issues at all with the colostomy.

And good luck with your appointment on 29th.

Irene xx

Thanks for the reply Irene,

  I have had the colostomy like your good self and managed like you without hindrance, however the loop Ileostomy I now have is completely different and a lot more difficult to plan for. It needs managing up to 10 times a day. I am willing to try and adapt and overcome if possible, but this requires a new approach and game plan.

So in the kind and wise words of Latchbrook above good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience.

kind regards to you both Gary.

Hi Gary476 

We have members in the stoma support group who will have good experience of managing an ileostomy, so I’d echo the advice latchbrook has given to join and post in that group. .

I have a permanent end colostomy which is generally very easy to manage, so I don’t have quite the right experience of what you’re going through now. But friends in the stoma support group will be able to empathise and offer advice for you, so I’d recommend joining and making a post there. Members in the bowel group will also have had the same cancer and might be able to add knowledge and experience for you. We are all here to help each when we can.

Sarah xx

Evening Sarah,

  thanks for your kind reply. As I have only joined the support community yesterday and have not taken the tutorials yet. I apologise if I have made a post in the wrong forum. I will take your advice and look for responses in those other groups mentioned.

kind regards Gary 

Don’t worry Gary-you definitely haven’t posted in the wrong place, and you can join as many groups as you want and post wherever you’d like to-you’ll meet lots of lovely people.

This anal cancer group is particularly friendly and helpful, and everyone here will be happy to chat with you-I don’t have anal cancer but I actually really like interacting with the members here-they are very supportive and friendly and will be happy to have you here.

Joining other groups in addition to this one just widens your audience so that you hopefully get even more responses in the community, and I hope you’ll really feel the benefit of being part of things. 

Sarah xx

Gary, my apologies.  Of course I now realise that the output from an ileostomy is completely different from that of a colostomy and coping 10 times a day must be a considerable challenge after a colostomy.

Best of luck in getting some pointers and advice from the stoma forum.

Irene x