Mental Health Challenges After Ileostomy Surgery

Hi Bruce, I can certainly relate to your story, and I have not had my surgery yet.

Oh, you poor thing. I am about to have a permanent ileostomy on Thursday. I knew months ago I was depressed, and my doctor put me on Cymbalta. It has helped, and I can even take it on my day of surgery. Try it; it just might help. I live alone, so that is also part of the depression.

Geo1958, I’ve been looking at the same thing.

With increasing science linking the close relationship between serotonin and the colon, I’m amazed that there hasn’t been research on ostomy patients and that relationship.

I went in voluntarily because my health was so bad, I had a terrible case of UC and nothing helped, then I got Enteropathogenic ecoli and cryptosporidium last summer from a pool or lake. Too much damage, couldn’t recover.

Anyway, I’ve never experienced depression or panic attacks until after my surgery (which I opted for and was prepared for). I think the medical community would be doing a disservice not to consider the link because it was unexpected and really difficult to work through.