Stoma/colostomy, any major problems to look out for?

Question

Hi, my mum is due to get a colostomy/stoma thing on Tuesday and as she is seventy three and lives with my dad(75) and myself(45), I was wondering if there are any major problems ahead that we should be looking out for? We have been assured that this operation will vastly increase her quality of life but are a wee bit worried that there may be some "teething" problems which might put her on a downer. If we are prepared for this, it would make things easier. Also, how long does it take to settle down and become just a normal everyday thing? Thanks a lot in advance...

Answer 1

There are occasional rashes around the sight, leaky from time to time. general depression since no one wants to have the intestines hanging out of their bodies. Of course if you eat what you should not then your body will react accordingly and fill that bag up quicker. You have to change the bag on a timely basis to keep it from leaking. . Skin irritation is inevitable from time to time and kenolog cream is usually prescribed etc. Clothing sizes change a bit to accommodate the slight bulkiness. After a couple of months in a strong willed person it becomes part of the daily routine. My father had a colostomy for 20 + years and I cared for many patients who had them as well.  

Answer 2

my mum had one last year due to cancer, it took time to get used to, the stoma bags need to be cut to size, the nurse gave my mum a template which was oval, this was no use to my mum as it was completely the wrong shape which resulted in some mess but i cut them for her like in a 50p shape and once that was sorted it was fine.  my mum was told to empty the bags but that was also messy so she just changed them everrytime and didnt empty them. if your mum is mobile, try and get her out asap after the op and she may start to lose confidence with it.  also again at the beginning her tummy may be upset, if she gets diahorrea there will be mess as the bags fill very quickly and my mum described it as being like a man, just standing at the toilet and it literally gushed out into the toilet bowl. sorry to be grafic but i feel you need to know to be prepared with old towels, wet wipes etc, and once her tummy had settled down my mum just put an incontinence pad over the stome when she was in the house herself, she swore by this as she found the bags uncomfortable. if shes out always have a complete set of spare clothes just in case. it will take getting use to and no doubt there willbe accidents but it saved my mums life at the time and gave her an extra year and she was very grateful for it. i hope your mum doesnt encounter any probs. good luck

Answer 3

It will take a few months to settle down, and for your Mom to come to terms with the change.She will feel embarressed a little, but just be patient with her, This is a big thing to her,All I can suggest, is, just enable her and emphasise the fact that the area around the stoma, must be kept very clean and sterile.To eliminate infection. Good luck to your dear Mom.

Answer 4

Colostomy is a vast subject. You have not told the purpose of having the colostomy. Had you told the purpose it would have been easy to tell things.

A colostomy is a surgical procedure that brings a portion of the large intestine through the abdominal wall to carry f***s out of the body.A colostomy is a means to treat various disorders of the large intestine, including cancer, obstruction, inflammatory bowel disease, ruptured diverticulum, ischemia (compromised blood supply), or traumatic injury. Temporary colostomies are created to divert stool from injured or diseased portions of the large intestine, allowing rest and healing.

Potential complications of colostomy surgery include:

-excessive bleeding

-surgical wound infection - It may take about 10 days to get the wounds healed up.

-Psychological complications may result from colostomy surgery because of the fear of the perceived social stigma attached to wearing a colostomy bag. Patients may also be depressed and have feelings of low self-worth because of the change in their lifestyle and their appearance.

Once the patient is accustomed to use the colostomy bag and draining and cleaning of the same it will be easy.

Socializing will be a problem as the odor emitted from the stool or passing of gas.

I have seen patients who have undergone colostomy surgery and on the whole it is a difficult process from day one till the reverse of colostomy is done and the patient has to undergo lot of problems including mental agony. Please give enough encouragement to the patient so that he/she can adjust the problems. Best of luck to your Mum.-

Answer 5

There are a number of reasons to perform a colostomy:

    * Infection of the abdomen, such as perforated diverticulitis

    * Injury to the colon or r****m (for example, a gunshot wound)

    * Rectal cancer

    * Wounds or fistulas in the perineum -- the area between the a**s and v***a (women) or s*****m (men).

Recovery from this type of surgery is mostly related to the condition or procedure for which the colostomy was performed. Most patients are started on a special diet within 48 hours of surgery.

You'll need to learn how to care for the colostomy and ostomy appliance.

Answer 6

You should be asking the nurses on the ward that she is admitted to when she is being referred to the stoma care specialist nurse.

That is the person who will be able to give you the absolute best advice.

Depending on how able your mum is to do things for herself, she will be taught how to change the bags. Some of them are single use only, and some types you empty and change less frequently.

Is she being admitted on the Monday for bowel prep prior to surgery? That would be a good time to quiz the nursing staff for advice.

I would ask if you can learn how to care for the stoma as well. The more of you that can do it, the better.

Sure, there can be teething problems. The area around the stoma can be a little red and sore as the skin is not used to having something stuck to it all the time. But if care is done properly, this will get better.

As to how long it takes to settle? That is different for every person. Healing and recovery time post operatively can vary dependant on age, general physical health prior to surgery and the mental state of the patient.

I have a link that might give you more reassurance...

http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/html/...

Ask as well about support groups local to your area.

I hope this helps you.

Answer 7

My sister had a colostomy and a stoma operation 4 years ago and had a bag fitted. She was very depressed at first when she looked at the stoma and refused to touch it/clean it/change the bag etc. I think her problem was that she wasn't prepared for major surgery l tried to tell her but she wouldn't listen and the shock hindered her recovery. However she sooned learned how to take care of things and two years ago had the bag removed and the intestines rejoined to a pouch in the anal passage. Trust me it will soon become part of her everyday life. She used to worry that it could be seen through her clothes so if your mum is likely to be self concious bear that in mind my sister wore loose trousers with an elastic waist band, also carry a small changing kit incase the bag needs changing if she is out they should tell you all this. Good luck to your mum.