Unusual Week

When I was a kid and starting to complain, my dad would say, "Would you like a little cheese with that whine?" Well, times have changed but I still have something to whine about. Everything seemed to go good with my colostomy butt; this massive hernia that was created during the septic shock has been enlarging. To the point of even by eleven inches. This puts tremendous pressure on my bladder, making me pee anytime it wants to. I go about 25 times a day and night. I went and saw the surgeon and he told me to come back in four weeks. There is not enough for me using all our paper towels nor my wife's pads. Has anyone had this sort of problem?

Hawk, if anyone has the right to whine, you do. You are really going through a lot. I hope and pray things get better soon.

Hey Hawk, I agree with Heidi but to me it seems like you could get some relief somehow.  I have no answers, just think your doctor(s) could offer stuff to make things a little more comfortable for you.

So sorry,

Mike

Hi Hawk,

A couple of suggestions... Have you had a urine test to check for a urinary infection?

Does wearing a wide support belt help? It might lift your hernia a bit to reduce pressure on your bladder. That might be more difficult if you have a stoma to obstruct.

Cheers

Hi,

I'm not sure exactly where you're having the discomfort from the hernia.Is it from the "butt incision" from taking out the rectum, or is it a hernia on the abdomen, near the stoma....causing the pressure to pee.Either way....it sounds uncomfortable and disruptive.

It took two surgeries to 3 months apart first just to do the ileostomy ( went into shock on the table, and they had to end the surgery) and three months later they went back in to removed the diseased portion of intestine, leaving the rectal stump.Both times, I had a drain at the bottom of the incision, that had to heal from the inside out. And both times, the healing was so poor, I developed a hernia...that was extremely annoying. To make matters worse, I was wearing a back brace that wrapped around my belly ( with a cut out for the ostomy) that put undo pressure on the hernia.I would get horrible spasamsfrom belly to butt ( because that's where the rectal stump was attached. It didn't interfere with my bladder much...but our anatomy is individual.I would imagine that those spasams could cause unplanned urination also.The doctor might want you to wait awhile, to see if it heals, or improves.I lived with the second hernia for 4 years...and I couldn't wait to have the final surgery, just to get rid of it.I was a child when all this happened, and I thought I'd have the surgery , and be well. Didn't happen that way, although compared to what some people go through, I now think I've had it somewhat easy. I know that this is hard to hear.....but some things just take time....and while it's uncomfortable, and interupts "normal" life, it'snot life threatening.Give it some time....andif it's not better after the 4 weeks discuss a new plan with the doctor.Just a precaution though....every surgery has it's risks, and while trying to fix one problem, something else can happen.

Four years later, doctors took out my diseased rectum, repaired the hernia, and with that, I lost all sensation to my bladder. I urinate "by the clock"...and have had to adjust to " bearing down.....to release urine, instead of just relacing and releasing.I'm 66 now, and life has been one big ongoing "crap shoot"...But I'm alive to tell about it. : )) Best of luck.