Colostomy Operation with Cirrhosis and Rectal Cancer: Seeking Advice

Hi everyone 👋. Has anyone on here had a colostomy while having cirrhosis? My husband has this and also rectal cancer. We have been told that the operation has a 1 in 4 survival rate, so obviously we are terrified. We have also been told that if he survives the operation, the recovery from the anal closure is going to be a problem healing. We just wondered if anyone has any help for us. Thank you. Lynn

Has anyone else had problems with the anal closure after the colostomy? We need all the help and information we can get.. 🙏

Hello, I had a colostomy operation in September 2022. Still got my anus and rectum.

I had radiation treatments for prostate cancer right before the colostomy surgery. Irradiated tissue is permanently damaged, does not heal well, if at all.

So far no problems. But I cannot have reversal surgery due to the radiation.

Get a second opinion before surgery. Might be hard to do in the UK. But this is a major surgery and you need all the expertise you can find.

Hello and thank you for the reply ☺️ We have had all the information, all the tests done and this is the only option. If my hubby doesn't have the operation, the rectal cancer will kill him 😥 It's just this anal problem that they are concerned about because of the cirrhosis.

I have a colostomy from rectal cancer and have the famous Barbie Butt. I had issues with mine healing from radiation treatments destroying the good/bad cells where they zapped me. What finally got me to heal fully was hyperbaric oxygen treatments and then 3 applications of GraphX. No idea if those 2 things would work in your case but might be worth mentioning to your medical team.

If you don't mind me asking, how long did it take to heal? And has it healed properly?

If you don't mind me asking, how long did it take to heal? And has it healed properly?

Did you have your colostomy operation through keyhole surgery or a big cut straight down the middle?

I can't keep my rectum because that's where the cancer is 😢

My wound, the part affected by the radiation, took about 9 months to heal fully. Of course, they tried many other things first before the Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatments and the GraphX because both are expensive and had to be approved through my insurance first. So, if they would have done them right away, my healing time would have been much shorter. My surgery was robotic, so I have 5 (I think) small scars on my stomach, each about an inch long. Then, of course, my butt crack is 1 long scar now but I can't see it so who cares.

Mine was basically right on my butthole. They were hoping the radiation would shrink it enough to be able to have ends to reconnect me. It did shrink it a lot, but not enough.

Colostomy UK has a 24hr Freephone Helpline....Just a thought, it might help you and your husband talking to someone over the phone that's been through it 

He had radiotherapy and the cancer was cured for 2 years but then it came back 😔 He really didn't want the colostomy because we have heard so many horror stories about the bum hole not healing properly... but if he doesn't have a colostomy now the cancer will kill him 😥

First, you gotta put your mind in the positive mode. Thinking negatively that either way this is horrible will do neither of you any good. The colostomy part has been no real issue for me and once my butt got healed, it has been no issue either.

Like AlexT advised:

Be positive.

I know it's hard. Everyone here on Ostomates has faced tough decisions... In many cases, involving life or death. My colostomy allows me to live free of horrible pain, and gave me my life back. I had a choice in the hospital: Have exploratory surgery or perish, with no idea of the outcome.

I'm here now because I chose to live.

Thank you so much for that 😊

You don't know how much that has helped us.

You're welcome. One day at a time, find the positives, and smile… Life is too short to worry about things you can't control.