upset Stomas

What symptoms did your husband have? Blockages are usually accompanied with pain and very little or watery output from the stoma. The other issue many get particularly with chemo is diarrhoea and the stoma becomes overactive, requiring loperamide or some sort of thickener. There is also gas, not an upset stoma as such but the bag can fill with air! 

Hi 

He is not on chemo yet (if ever). He had an awful day Wednesday. Was sick about 5 times, didn't want to eat or drink. Don't know if it was something he ate, or a blockage, or just his stoma not working, although it had worked a day earlier. The stoma nurses weren't a lot of help on the end of a phone. We did speak to someone today, who was more use!! 

By yesterday I was so worried about him that we took him to A and E to be readmitted. He can't eat or drink, is very bloated, and now the stoma won't work at all. I thought we were doing quite well, too!! Has anyone else had this? The doctors think he may need laxatives.

Hi NannyAnny

Sorry you’re having such a worrying time. 
it sounds like your husband is in the right place to get help. 
I’ve had one blockage and the symptoms were no output at all. Bloating and discomfort. This was relieved by following my nurses advice. Heat pad, massage and I added some gentle movements though I wasn’t seriously in pain or sick. 
I am extremely careful in everything I eat. I overchew everything and mostly eat mushy foods. Or to thicken. Dry crackers or wotsits. 
You did totally the right thing to go to A&E my nurses told me to if I had your husbands symptoms. 
I don’t get such a loose output now as I’m four months along and I know the foods that I can tolerate. 
I do get fed up with chewing everything well actually doing the work that my bowel would do so I find it’s just easier to eat well cooked foods and avoid things that could block my stoma. 
I hope your husband it better soon

Hi,

Thanks for that. The chewing is no issue as he had a laryngectomy 14 years ago, and can only eat mainly soft foods which he has to chew a lot to get down his throat. I think the problem is maybe more movement needed along the bowel, although I have become suspicious about a mince pie he insisted on having!!! Until that we have been very careful, and I had only just begun to think we could branch out. He is 8 weeks post surgery, so relatively early, I suppose. xxx

Bless you. You’ve both been through it. I haven’t touched anything with dried fruit. I think that’s the issue. But sometimes I could grab a sweetcorn from the shelf and munch on it happily. I really miss sweetcorn. I don’t blame your husband one bit. Just probably be better not to buy mince pie. I’ve banned them. Bakewells in this house now. 

The ironic thing is last Monday I bought a jar of mincemeat, and was zapping it up into mush to make pies. He saw me and went beserk. He wasn't eating that, it was too much like the stuff that comes out of his bag!!! So, the mince pies never got made!! We went out for lunch the next day and he had a mince pie!!!  He had a lot of trouble like this after his operation. I can't help thinking his guts need a push in the form of laxatives, but I want the experts to guide us.

And the thought of chemo on top of all this fills me with dread..  

Yes I would be too….

I was fortunate that I didn’t need chemo however lots here have said that chemo is easier with a bag. Sorry I can’t advice 

You should get good advice from the hospital stoma team I’ve found them amazing

i know exactly how you husband feels with the urge to have something he really enjoys. I’ve been told that I could process my sweetcorn to mush. I know that I couldn’t. I’d tip that tin in my mouth before it had chance to be zapped. 
Its ridiculous I know. 

The consultant says it is another bowel ileus, and I thought we were doing quite well!!! 

Oh no. 
So what’s the next steps for him. 
You really are having a rotten time. I’m sorry