colostomy

Hi Elaine, I would have thought your stoma nurse would be very good with answers to daily type problems that could crop up but , as it is very quiet on this group, try putting your post on the main forum. I cant help as my husband doesnt have a bag but Im sure there are many on here who can help. All the best, leisha

Try http://www.iasupport.org/

This helped me a lot. I had an Illostomy nov 2010

Hi Elaine,

I had to have a colotomy 2 year ago. Feel free to ask me any questions and I can see if I can help. You can send me a private message if you like because I know its a sensitive subject.

Take care and give my regards to your dad

Mel x

Thanks so much for your replies.  Mel I have requested you as a friend if that's ok so I can send you a pm.

Elaine x

Hi Elaine

I've not been on for a while. My other half had a bowel cancer op in October 2008. He has a permanent colostomy - due to his op he cannot have a reversal.

Am happy to chat to you as a wife of a colostomist.

Take care - Kim

hi

i was diagnosed with rectal cancer in july 09 and had a colostomy operation prior to radio/chemotherapy.  this finished in september 09.  As the surgery was not planned, it was a bit of a shock.  however, i have coped quite well with it and have not had too many accidents! if you'd like to ask any questions, feel free.

kind regards  denise

Hi

my husband had his operation last June and has had a colostomy since then. After his chemo finished in January his stoma nurse recommended he try irrigation as opposed to using colostomy bags. He is still in the early stages, just been doing this for two weeks but already he is feeling the benefit of being 'bag free'. His colostomy cannot be reversed but this method is giving him some normality back in his life. Not many people seem to mention this and I do not know how often this is offered in the U.K. but some way down the line it might be worth mentioning to your stoma nurse although not everyone with a colostomy is a suitable candidate.

Elena

Hi Elaine,

I have a permanent colostomy due to rectal cancer diagnosed in August 2004. I started irrigation in October 2005, 3 months after my chemo finished. I will be happy to answer any questions you have,

Shirley

Hi Elaine

I, too, have a permanent colostomy subsequent to a low rectal cancer operation and am more than happy to discuss anything you like.  Have a look at the Colostomy Association website www.colostomyassociation.org.uk/ and its offshoot Stoma Innovation.  Recommend donating/joining because their quarterly magazine is full of useful stuff.  Also have a look in www.stomainfo.com which is very well written.

I have found that irrigation is hugely preferable to the traditional bag solution (you do need to have a large part of your bowel remaining and the approval of your surgeon) but it is very difficult to get information about it in this country.  It also appears that a lot of stoma nurses are only trained in the bag wearing option and tend to 'run a mile' if asked for irrigation assistance.  I was lucky that a visiting district nurse was willing to help me get started, just after my surgeon suggested that I might like to try it.  I have subsequently discovered several medical professionals who were apparently quite unaware of the benefits, even if they had heard about it.

I've asked to be a friend (at least I THINK I have), so that you can raise more delicate issues in private messages if you would like.  I think that some of the information you want probably falls in the delicate category, so fire away - I am content to discuss absolutely anything from a colostomate's point of view, and if I don't know I will tell you so. Getting information really can be difficult because very few people seem to be willing to be open about bowel matters in general, and ostomies in particular.

Regards

aidee

Hi Elaine.

My husband is due to have his operation on Monday, he will be having a permanent colostomy. I was wondering could you give me any tips. Maybe foods to avoid. How much did your husbands and your life change.