Sharp stomach pains post ileostomy? Trapped wind?

Hi ladies. Hope both your hubby’s are starting to feel a bit better? I had ileus after my main op and also after my reversal - it’s quite common after bowel surgery. I was lucky enough not to have an ng tube - apparently theyre quite unpleasant - and was put on nil by mouth, then water was introduced, then soup etc. I was also given peppermint cordial to help release trapped wind and the teabags can also help too?

Take care

Karen x

Hi Kareno,

Thanks for that. I've done a bit of reading up about it all, and very glad he is in there to get sorted out!! He had a NG tube in to get the bile out that made him sick, but is very used to them after his throat cancer. This time they are feeding him via a pic line.

What were your symptoms, if you don’t mind sharing? Hubby has stomach pains that come and go. He’s had a few bum farts and a few bag farts. The hospital said he had some swelling that looked like trapped air. He hasn’t eaten since about 6 yesterday and today had a decaf coffee and a tiny bit of scrambled egg so we will see if the pains come back. I feel very helpless and he’s adamant he doesn’t want to go back to hospital but i said if his pain is a 5 (on 1-10 scale) we are going. It is hovering between 1-2 this morning and was 2-3 last night. 

I also had an ileus after my op.my surgeon said that our bowels dont like being messed about with and go on strike.not nice and yes i had  ng tube but it did wake up and all was well.

Kath

Can I ask how long Katz and Kareno took before things settled down.? They are taking him for a Ct scan today, want the bloating to go down, and he is back to fluids only!!!!

Hi NannyAnny. The actual ileus for me personally seemed to appear on day 2 after surgery and resolve after a couple of days of nil by mouth then gradually reintroducing more fluids and food. My bigger problem was an infected fluid build up behind the rejoin which made me feel just generally rubbish and passing fluid out of my bottom despite having a stoma. The scan however would show if there was any sign of this and also a raised CRP marker when they do his bloods. 

Really hope they can get to the bottom of what’s causing the problem and you can get him home to finish recovering 

Take care

Karen x

I think everyone is so different there is no point in comparing notes

All the best

Kath

Just a last update on this…. Husbands stomach pains went away this afternoon and then he had quite a sizeable poo from his bum. He’s 6 weeks or so with a temp stoma. I know it’s normal to do a few poos mucus, etc, but we are assuming this was part of the issue with the pain. 

So is it normal for him to poo still? We’re just glad he’s pain free at the mo! 

Hi SarahSerena,

I am glad to hear that is stomach pain as gone away , and unfortunately if its anything like mine it does fluctuate ! Sometimes I have diareah and sometimes constipation too.

But I am sure if you mention it to his consultant he will be able to give medication to counteract both problems .

You take care

Jimbobs  

Hi . Yes, as you say, it’s normal to pass mucus and poo and hopefully this will be the last ‘sizeable’ one! I remember having a very embarrassing sudden bout of diarrhoea a few weeks after surgery but it was a one off. I think it is more common with a loop Ileostomy as the output from the active spout can get into the redundant one and make its way through the system. If he gets the urge to go again then just tell him to sit on the toilet and relax to see if anything passes.

Everything crossed that he remains pain free

Take care

Karen x