Hi, I'm into my 2nd week of 5 weeks of radiochemotherapy. So still a bit early to be worrying about surgery in 3(ish) months time but it sounds horrific and I'm scared. I'd sorta got used to the idea of a stoma until I spoke with the surgeon (a nice man) and realised that it's the whole area that will be removed with a good chance of bladder incontinence and loss of feeling in the vagina etc and I can't see myself living with it. He said that because it was a tumour low down the colon can't be reattached easily and that patients that had had that in the past found they couldn't deal with it and requested a stoma instead. I'm after any experience of the operation and I'm wondering if I should seek a second opinion on the reattachment type surgery or whether just to let nature take its course
Hi Gerbie and thanks for tagging me court
I’ve had a different surgery, but I do have a permanent colostomy so I can speak about that. I realise that you have concerns about bladder incontinence and loss of feeling in the vagina but my surgery removed my vagina and my bladder so things were a little different for me! This might let you see that there are even bigger surgeries than having a colostomy formed which can still be coped with and get a good result.
What I will say is that maybe the thought of a stoma might be worse than the reality? Personally I find it very easy to deal with my colostomy and it never gives me any bother at all. It’s easier than a urostomy for me! I am really glad I had my surgery and although things can seem very daunting, it wasn’t as bad for me as I thought it might be.
My rectum is closed from the inside, and I didn’t lose my anus-I’m not sure exactly what surgery is proposed for you, and whether it might be a different process, but others will have experience of this.
Sarah xx
