Getting a colostomy marks a big change in your life, but the surgery itself is uncomplicated. It will be performed under general anesthesia, so you will be unconscious and feel no pain. A colostomy may be done as open surgery, or laparoscopically, via several tiny cuts.
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.
The surgery itself will last several hours. Upon awakening in recovery, a colostomy bag will be attached to the abdomen over a new stoma and there may be one or more drainage tubes. Once vital signs (pulse, blood pressure, respiration) are stable, it will be time to move to a hospital room.
The stoma will be red and moist and may bleed slightly, particularly in the beginning – this is normal. It should not be painful as it does not have a nerve supply.
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.
If you allow it to get too full, the weight of the stool may pull the pouch away from the skin. A person with an ileostomy will need to empty the pouch about five or six times in a 24-hour period. If you have a colostomy, you will need to empty the pouch two or three times in a 24-hour period.
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.
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.
If you're having trouble sleeping after your ostomy surgery due to worries about leakage or rolling over on your pouch, that's completely normal. But some options will help you relax and get back to a restful sleep schedule. Here are our top tips for improving your sleep after ostomy surgery.
You may be required to spend the night before your surgery under observation in hospital. You will need to refrain from eating and drinking at least 6 hours prior to surgery but the hospital will confirm the exact requirements.
You can normally start bathing or showering two to three days after your operation, but your Stoma Care Nurse or ward staff will give you more specific advice.
Once the endoscope has been inserted through your stoma, air will be passed through to distend the large bowel to give the endoscopist a good view of your bowel lining. This may give you a 'wind-like' pain, but it does not usually last long.
Most people are able to lead full and active lives and return to most of the activities they enjoyed before ostomy surgery. As you adjust to life after your ostomy surgery, your ostomy nurse will provide education, support, and medical advice.
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 best position to sleep in when you have a stoma is on your back, or on your side. If you prefer to sleep on your stomach, this will be fine at the beginning of the night but increases the chances of leaks as the night progresses and your bag fills.
You can bathe or shower with or without wearing your pouching system. Normal exposure to air or water will not harm or enter your stoma. If you're showering without your pouch, remove the skin barrier too. Try to create a routine that coincides with when you're due for a pouch change.
Can you still poop with a colostomy bag? Pooping will be different with a colostomy bag. Immediately after your surgery, your anus may continue to expel poop and other fluids that were left inside. But new poop will now exit through your stoma.
Complications of ileostomy and colostomy may include stoma or skin complications, dehydration, problems absorbing nutrients, and intestinal obstruction.
A colostomy is an operation to create an opening (stoma) of the large bowel (colon) onto the surface of the tummy (abdomen). Your poo no longer passes out of your body through your back passage. Instead, it passes out through the stoma. You wear a bag that sticks onto the skin over the stoma to collect your poo.
Colostomy bags can have an unpleasant odor, causing embarrassment for patients who wear one. There are ways to prevent smells from your colostomy bag.
Keeping hydrated with an ileostomy, colostomy and urostomy
You should try to drink 6-8 glasses of water each day along with any other drinks such as tea or coffee.
Colostomy bags
Put the bag, along with its contents and any wipes, into a disposal bag. Seal the bag and put into the domestic refuse bin and then wash your hands. Alternatively, some colostomates with looser output may prefer to cut the bag and empty the contents into the toilet before disposal.
Goal ostomy output is less than 1,500 milliliters, or 1.5 liters in a 24-hour period.
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.