Tagged As: Bowel Control
Question:
The new surgery being the most major ileo-colonic resection would leave me with little large bowel and quite possibly a ileostomy bag. The surgery went very well (19th June), I missed out on the ileostomy bag by 2, but this is where the depression started, with the pain of recovery of the resection, I still have abdominal pain when I get up or down, or sneeze. But the worst of this all is the fact that with so little large bowel remaining and the Crohn's still active in the small bowel I have now lost most of the control of my bowel motions.... they are extremely liquid (due to the lack of large bowel) I am running to the toilet up to 12 times a day, I cannot control it. My specialist is now upset; I have gone from one problem to another one. I cannot even plan to go out of the house unless I know there is going to be a toilet very close, and driving is limited to up to 1 hour max. I have tried many different bulking agents, but none have been a raging success. It has me wondering now whether it would have been better to have the ileostomy bag.
Answer:
Once doing all you can do with the amount of colon you have left you should investigate whether an ileostomy would provide more freedom to live your life. I've had one since 1979. I will not tell you that I pay no attention to where bathrooms are what I eat or is it time to change my appliance. I do know that compared to living with uncontrolled diarrhea without an ostomy, an ostomy is easier; you can work, swim, exercise, make love and live. Once you have explored all your options and make a choice simply making that decision will make life easier. Many doctors and patients do everything possible to avoid an ostomy; however sometimes waiting to long to do the inevitable is the wrong thing causing more harm than good. Many live very productive successful lives with an ostomy.
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