After a stoma, the bottom part of the bowel no longer has poo passing through it, but it still produces mucus. Dead cells from the lower bowel or rectum may be mixed in with the mucus. The mucus may leak out of the anus, or you may feel the urge to go to the toilet.
Permanent ileostomy – the small intestine cannot be reconnected and closed back together. Regardless of whether the rectum has been removed, you may feel the need to have a bowel movement (phantom sensation). This is normal and should ease with time.
During the first few days after surgery, you may pass more stool than normal through the stoma. This will become less as your body gets used to the stoma and the colostomy. If it does not decrease after a few days, call your health care team.
Some common complications of stoma include poor siting, parastomal hernia (PH), prolapse, retraction, ischemia/necrosis, peristomal dermatologic problems, mucocutaneous separation, and pyoderma gangrenosum. Each will be discussed separately in further detail.
However, lots of stoma bags do have filters that stop there being any pong. From time to time, some people do experience fart-type noises from their stoma. Thankfully, this usually doesn't happen regularly.
Many people worry that their colostomy will give off a smell that others will notice. All modern appliances have air filters with charcoal in them, which neutralises the smell. Most people will be aware of the smell of their colostomy because it's their own body.
For people who wear two-piece appliances, gas can easily be released by “burping” the pouch. Slightly separate the pouch from the flange at the top of the appliance (complete removal of the pouch is not required) to allow the gas to escape. Once the pouch is empty, reattach the pouch to the flange.
Living with a stoma is a challenging situation for various reasons including uncontrolled gas passage through it, odor, diarrhea, and leakage around the stoma or appliance. It would take several months for the patients to adjust to this difficult time.
Signs of Stoma Problems
The stoma is no longer beefy red or pink but pale in appearance. The stoma is no longer moist in appearance but seems dry. Your stoma turns dark red, purple, or even black in color. Your stool from the stoma is always watery or diarrhea.
After a colostomy, you can expect to feel better and stronger each day. But you may get tired quickly at first. Your belly may be sore, and you will probably need pain medicine for a week or two. Your stoma will be swollen at first.
After ileoanal pouch surgery is complete, the temporary stoma is closed. Stool and gas will leave your body through your anus, as they did before surgery. At first, you will have more frequent bowel movements, up to 15 per day. You may have mild bowel control problems and may need to wake up from sleep to pass stool.
Issues or problems with the skin around the stoma is probably the most common complication for ostomates. Not only is having sore skin extremely uncomfortable for the patient but it can also compromise the attachment of the bag to the skin causing leaks and leading to further skin damage.
A colostomy is an operation to divert 1 end of the colon (part of the bowel) through an opening in the tummy. The opening is called a stoma. A pouch can be placed over the stoma to collect your poo (stools). A colostomy can be permanent or temporary.
Irritant Dermatitis. When the skin around the stoma is very red and wet. There might even be blood and pain. This is due to irritated skin from feces or certain ostomy products like pastes or solvents.
What is pancaking? Pancaking occurs if the internal layers of the stoma bag stick together causing a vacuum which prevents the contents from dropping to the bottom. The stool remains at the top of the stoma bag which can potentially block the filter. The bag can also be forced off the body.
Try several different body positions, such as a knee-chest position, or lie on the side of your stoma with knees bent, as it might help move the blockage forward. Massage the abdominal area and the area around your stoma. Most food blockages occur just below the stoma and this may help dislodge the blockage.
This pain is often due to intercostal nerves caught in scar tissue or even stitched when the surgeon closes the site. This can lead to irritation and inflammation that produces a burning or stabbing sensation in the area of the colostomy site. Most people experience radiating pain from the abdominal wall to the side.
Mucus-discharge is a common part of having any type of stoma. Mucus is produced by the lining of the bowel to help with the passage of stools. The lining of the bowel will continue to produce mucus after stoma surgery, even though it is not needed anymore.
Losing weight can be difficult when you have a stoma. Many people gain unwanted weight following stoma surgery due to changes made to their diet in an effort to control their output.
The diseases which lead to stoma formation may have limited what you could eat, so many find that after the surgery and recovery, they can eat everything again, and so they do! When diseases in the intestine are active, it can make it hard to gain and sustain weight.
About Your Wet Colostomy
After your surgery, your urine (pee) and stool (poop) will leave your body through your wet colostomy stoma. Your stoma will have 2 parts (see Figure 1): A urinary diversion. Your urine will flow from your kidneys, through your ureters, and out of your body through your urinary diversion.
Make sure that you are drinking plenty of fluids – this can help to soften the stool and reduce any risk of pancaking. Water is the best for hydrating, however, some fruit juices such as prune, apple and grape are effective at loosening stool. Make sure that you eat plenty of fibre.
Avoid applying products that contain alcohol as they can cause dry skin. Do not use skin products made with oil. They will make it difficult for the pouch to stay attached. If you have hair on the skin surrounding the ostomy, you may need to keep it shaved so the pouch will stick.
Most stoma pouches have charcoal filters built into the bag. These allow the wind to be released. However, if the filter capacity cannot handle the amount of wind produced, or if the filter has become wet or blocked by the stoma output, ballooning can occur.