Hi everyone, my name is Lynda. I am from Southern NJ and had a "surprise colostomy" back in November of 2022. We are still on the fence as to whether I really had a perforated bowel due to diverticulitis, which I had no idea I even had. Nothing ever showed on the 2 CT scans or X-rays, so I was told by my then surgeon that he was going in for "exploratory surgery just to see what was going on"... No mention of a perforated bowel or chance of any type of ostomy. Anyhow, I was in the hospital for 5 weeks with no bowel movement until 2 days before being sent home after asking for some type of laxative from several people. The combo of lactulose and Milk of Magnesia did the job... The last 2 years have been hell and full of complications and loads of incompetence. I could write a book about all that has happened. I went to a new surgeon in the summer of 2023, and he did not want to get involved with the reversal and hernia repair. So now I am having my reversal done by another new surgeon and another team for the hernias.
Could anyone give me some info on how their reversal and hernia repairs went and what to expect? I was somewhat traumatized by this whole thing, but I MUST get this reversal and hernias repaired as the hernias are starting to cause issues... stool becoming stuck in the same two places every few days where it is visibly noticeable, and you can feel the lumps. It freaks me out. Also, I was put on Stelara in the summer of 2023 for Crohn's, which I have only had 2 flares in the last 14 years, but due to all the trauma and stress, I did acquire a Crohn's flare about 3 months after my colostomy, which brought on a Pyoderma Gangrenosum right smack next to my stoma, which had to be biopsied and packed with crushed prednisone and calcium alginate for weeks. If anyone has ever had one before, you know how PAINFUL they are, to the point of bringing me to tears when having to change the appliance and pack it. Anyways, having Diverticulosis and being on Stelara is apparently a big NO NO... so now I have a new GI doctor as well. So many comedies of errors...
Anyways, my apologies for this being so very long... my scheduled surgery date is 2/14, and I was just looking for a little positive good news and experiences. It's very nice to meet you all, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Most sincerely and best wishes of good health to you all,
Lynda