Newbie Colostomy Query

Hi all

I am new to this board and colostomy, etc. I had an operation to remove my endometriosis which went wrong, and they perforated my bowel. Now I have a temporary colostomy until May. It has just gone 8 weeks since I have had my colostomy, and my stoma nurse said that I have a small hernia above my stoma. I then have been googling this online and have come across a prolapse hernia, etc. Is it common for people to get hernias? Also, I have noticed since this hernia, my stoma is protruding out a bit more - should I worry? All the articles online usually suggest surgery to correct this, but I am not wanting surgery as my stoma is temporary. Will it get bigger with time, and how do I prevent it from getting worse? It's not painful nor is it uncomfortable - any advice would be helpful.
S

Hi Saffa

Sorry you have to go through this; also luckily only 4 months until reversed and you should get by fine. Some info:

Hernias: They happen for many different reasons. Sounds like yours is small. The goal would be to nurse it along, prevent it from becoming larger, then your surgeon should do the repair when you have your colostomy reversed.

Recommendations: Get a hernia support belt. I you live in the USA, call Nu Hope @1-800-899-5017. They will help you with fitting an appropriate belt. They will want a measurement (laying down with measuring tape going around the top of your stoma) and ask you what brand/order# pouch you are wearing;they can can suggest a belt to give you the proper fit/support. They are customer oriented.

If outside the USA.....anyone here that can help???? You could still order from Nu Hope but may be less expensive ordering from a vendor in your own country.

You can order from Nu Hope (but you'll probably end up paying cash, around $65 last I checked) OR get the belt info and you can call your supply vendor/insurance company and order it through them. They will want an MD prescription (payment purposes).

I would suggest avoiding any exercise/work that makes you use your abdominal muscles (lifting more than 5-10#, pushing a vaccum, lifting kids and animals, sit ups, etc). Intraabdominal pressure may enlarge an existing hernia.

You mentioned your stoma is protruding a bit more. This may just be from hernia pressure OR you may also have the beginnings of a stoma prolapse (if they did a loop stoma, more likely to prolapse though any stoma can prolapse).Nu Hope has prolapse belts, they are the same thing as a hernia belt but with an additional velcro tab that folds over the stoma to keep stoma flat. Not sure if you need that and you may want to check with your stoma nurse first.

Hernias will get bigger if not kept in check by a hernia support belt and avoiding intra abdominal pressure. Most are just unsightly with clothing issues when small. Larger and long term hernias are more problematic.

I think you will be OK....not long until your surgery (you'll be an expert ostomate by then!) Let us know how it goes.

Anyone else here have any favorite brand hernia support belts them may want to recommend???