Stoma and NG Tube Issues: Seeking Advice

Hi guys. New here. Looking forward to tips here. One quick question to the pros. I'm still in hospital 10 days after surgery. Stoma produced for a couple of days. Then froze up. NG tube in. Ever heard of this? Possible to start up in the next few days? Not sure how much more walking and chewing gum I can do here without throwing myself out a window. Thank you tons.

Hi Jay, well, you mentioned what my surgeon told me to do 30 some years ago, and that was chew gum and also the ice chips in the glass of water. Good luck.

What kind of surgery? What kind of stoma? Sometimes ileostomies will have swelling and cause a temporary obstruction. This can be managed with a soft Robinson catheter placed in the ileostomy (personal experience). Post colostomy there is a worry about a small bowel obstruction someplace else. Sometimes people can have a prolonged ileus (bowel function not returned) but that is less likely at 10 days. Listen to your surgeon and do not depend much upon the Internet.

I agree about listening to your surgeon. I had an ostomy and was released from the hospital without it really functioning (major screw-up in recording data so they thought it was working and I didn't really know what to expect - there was a tiny bit of output in the hospital and they released me quickly). I was home for less than 24 hours and started throwing up because it wasn't working and there was a blockage and needed to come back to the hospital through ER and have a second surgery. It's not really clear to me why that ostomy didn't work, but it didn't. I now have a mucus fistula (original ostomy) that basically drains mucus and a "new" ostomy that actually works. Don't get released until you're sure that it is working! First passing gas and bile and then maybe they will remove ng tube and start you on a liquid diet. Keep walking and ask the surgery team what their plan is. Hang in there - I had an ng tube recently for a blockage and it's no fun.

Hi ... I was in that same situation about 4 years ago... NG tube and all. It was no fun but I have an ileostomy and I had post-surgery swelling causing the blockage. I agree, listen to your surgeon. I chewed a lot of gum and walked a lot. I was in the hospital 14 days. As much as I hated that tube it helped me feel better sooner. Good luck and hopefully you will feel better soon too.

I've had my stoma for over 30 years, 6 surgeries including one to move it. I've had an NG tube after all but one. I had a new surgeon that time and actually had to ask for an NG tube because I was so miserable. I'm one of those whose stomach doesn't wake up right away. Once it took 3 days, without the tube bile built up and has nowhere to go. The tube lets you pass it out of your system. My last 2 operations, I asked to have it in, and it was worth it for me. I know not everyone is the same but for me it worked until my stomach started working. Hope this helps and good luck.

Hi. Better to stay in the hospital until your doctor is reasonably sure everything is working and you won't have to go back. I had the same situation. It seemed to be working and I went home after a week. I was back a few days later and in and out for the next four weeks before it all started to work consistently. It was brutal, but worth it as it's been six years and cancer-free.

Hi, sorry you're having trouble with your stoma. My first ileostomy was on January 6th, 2022, but even after a week, it wasn't working. So unfortunately, they went back in and made another stoma next to it. She works fine, spits everything out. She likes to hide sometimes, retreats like a turtle head, but eventually comes back out and works, sometimes too well. Hang in there, things tend to work out.