Living Well with an Ileostomy: Do I Need Regular Checkups?

i had an ileostomy a few years ago. i guess i was lucky because i had an amazing dorctor in tampa general hospital. of course i was not happy about it but have been doing a great job with it. in part due to all of your suggestions and also because i had a good dr who did an amazing job.i am able to go a week without changing. only  had one problem in all these years. anyway ny question is do i need to go for a checkup at all? so many people do but i was never told to. no problems-no check ups???

Hello looking forward and thank you for a very interesting question. 

When I had a triple heart bypass, I was surprised and a little relieved that the surgeon asked for me to go for a post-operation check-up.Since then it has been in the hands of my local GP to organise a local yearly check.

With my stoma operation, this was not the case. It was simply left in the air and if I had any questions , then I referred them to the stoma nurse.  In my case, I was reassured by the fact that my stoma nurse was the wife of the surgeon and she reassured me that if there was anything that the surgeon needed to know, then she would make sure he became aware of it.  There is a team of stoma nurses available at our local hospital and each time I make an appointment to dicuss stuff, they have all been extremely helpful on a practical level as well as providing advice and guidance.  I therefore have not seen the need for any check-ups with the surgeon. 

I hop[e this helps with your own deliberations on this subject.

I leave you with an approriate rhyme about stoma nurses and their kindnesses: (I will also blog this one - as that way I can keep track of what rhymes I have posted on MAO)

Best wishes

Bill

KIND GESTURES 6. (Stoma nurses)

I feel it is now past the time,
that I should put my mind to rhyme
about the stoma-nurses who
helped me when they needed to.

I’ve been about for long enough,
to know much more about the stuff
that bothers ostomates, and so
we tend to turn to those who know.

The stoma nurses are the folks,
who will be there to lift the yokes
of physical and mental strain
when stoma-stuff becomes a pain.

But let me go back to the start,
when stoma nurses played their part
by talking through the pros and con’s
of surgery and its add-ons.

For in those early days, I was
ignorant and naïve because
no knowledge of this went before
so, these nurses were my mentors.

I know the surgeons did the deed
and to this fact, I do accede,
but most support that I received
came from the nurses, I perceived.

These nurses nursed me through the worst
exuding kindness, well-rehearsed,
and when I take time to reminisce
my mind fills up with thoughts of this.

Thus, I must give credit to
the work that stoma-nurses do,
and state that I appreciate
the kindness that they radiate.

                                        Be Withers 2021

I think as Bill said over in the UK I was not given a follow up appointment but had the stoma nurse instead. I did however contact my consultant secretary for a follow up which I got with no problems. XX

I have had my colostomyfor seven years. I have not been back to a doctor or stoma nurse. I have gotten the help I need on this site. But everyone is different.