Ileostomy Reconnection: Worth the Surgery?

Hello, I lost my large intestines six months ago and am doing a scope to see if my rectum is long enough to be hooked back up because if it's short, the doctor says I will be going 11-12 times a day since it's an ileostomy. So if it is, I will only have my small intestines connected. Has anyone had this done, and if so, is it worth the surgery? Thank you for reading and praying someone has some advice on how they are doing if they have been through it.

Hi there, before my ileo, I had this done. My entire large intestine was taken out, and my small intestine was hooked to the rectum. I have pelvic floor dysfunction, so for me, it worked for 2 months. But the 2 months it worked, I would eat and then run to the bathroom.

You will hear differing opinions on this because no two people will have the exact same outcome.  What I can tell you is that in general reversals for colostomies have a much better chance of success than with ileostomies.  One reason is the one you mentioned, having to go a lot.  The other is that your output with an ileostomy is more caustic and therefore damaging to the skin.  Many ileostomy reversals experience terrible skin irritation around the entrance to the rectum, from constant exposure to the caustic output.  A raw butthole is not fun.  I was told I was a candidate for a reversal (ileostomy) and after doing my research, I have chosen not to.

Terry

Hi M,

  It's a bit more complicated than that.  You need to find out if your ileocecal valve is still intact or not, and you need to be sure that both of your internal and external sphincter valves in your anus are fully functioning.  Otherwise you will be living in the bathroom.  I'd be curious to know what your Doc considers 'enough' rectum length to be satisfactory for the reconnection.  You also have to consider that most of the water and liquid in your bowels is absorbed by your colon, which is now absent..........and the anal sphincter valves can't stop liquid from coming out, only solids.  You should be VERY well informed before you make this decision and I'd get a couple different opinions from Docs not associated with those you are using now.  

;O)

Nailed it once again, Bro!

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I have about 2 to 4 inches of large intestines left, and I was told by my surgeon it wouldn't be worth reversal because I would have the same issues I had with irritated skin, only in my butt. So, if you have no large intestines left, I would think it would be the same. You would be running to the bathroom all the time and would be sore in your butt, making it hard to sit down. I think it wouldn't be worth it for you to have a reversal, not if it's going to cause the same issues for you as it would for me with a tiny bit of large intestines left. It would be like having diarrhea all the time, several times a day. If you can imagine how that would be, it would interrupt your life more than having an ostomy. At least you have a bag and a chance not to have sore skin with an ostomy. And you don't have to run to the bathroom all the time every time you eat. Something to consider when thinking about this...

My thoughts exactly.  If you think of how often your ileostomy is active, when you don't even realize it because it's just accumulating in your pouch.  If it were me, I would be practically living in the bathroom, with a raw bum.

Terry

Thank you

Thank you and of course I was hoping for better news