Hi everyone. My name is Andrés, and I'm 33 years old. I had emergency surgery for acute diverticulitis, resulting in a closed colostomy. The prognosis for a reversal procedure is positive. I'd like to hear your opinions on whether it's the best option. According to the surgeon, I only had a small amount of my bowel removed, approximately 15 cm of my bowel. I'm healthy and active, and everything has gone very well since my surgery. The first operation was a Hartmann procedure. And I've been with the stoma for 3 months now. Thanks beforehand.
Morning glory
May 26, 2025 6:21 pm
It seems that you are a good candidate to proceed ahead. Take care.
corlsharonl49
May 26, 2025 9:34 pm
Does sound like you are a good candidate. Get fully informed and make the best decision for yourself.
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Posted by: freedancer
In both of my cases, I had no choice. It was surgery or be put 6 feet under! I thank God that He has been with me all these times. Without Him, I never would have known what to do and might not have gone to the hospital when I did. I don't know if you have had your surgery or not yet but I hope you will hang out on this website when you are done. I have learned a great deal through the people here and it is so great having others who have had the same thing done and been through what you are about to or have gone through. The only thing I have turned down is a reversal of the ileostomy. When the doctors did the emergency rebuilding of my original ileostomy this last February, I told them I did not want to go through this again. My doctor told me at that time that I was no longer a candidate for the reversal. In a way, I was very relieved. The last three years of my life have been a nightmare for me. I do not want to go through any of it again. If you wish to be rehooked up and they say you are a good choice for that, research it carefully. Every surgery I have ever had except for Old and New Maxine and the emergency surgery on my broken foot, I have spent weeks researching. I recently had my C5 C6 disk in my neck replaced with an artificial one. I went to my pre-op with 2 pages of questions for the doctor. I knew everything that they were going to do and could talk intelligently with them. I always try to research my adversaries! Don't cancel your surgery. It is nice not to have to suffer any longer with horrible pain. We all had to change a few things around when we had our surgeries but in the long run, most of us are glad we did it. I know I am. Good luck to you!
Past Member
May 27, 2025 7:28 am
Had a reversal last December; getting rid of the bag definitely changed my outlook on life. I could go out without fear of leaking. It does take a while for the body to re-adapt, so patience is needed. I wore a bag for at least 20 months, so the waiting was fine.
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Past Member
Aug 14, 2025 8:51 pm
I also had acute diverticulitis, which caused my emergency surgery in January. I had a Hartmann procedure, and I am almost 4 weeks post-op from a take-down. The surgery was 5 1/2 hours, and it was a success. The surgeon does not consider reversals until at least 6 months to let the body heal. I was in the hospital for 3 nights and went home on gabapentin and Tylenol. My bowels woke up in the hospital, and I have had a few rough days, but mostly due to what I've previously eaten. I am on a probiotic, which the doctor recommended, and it has helped a lot in regulating everything. I did have a wound vac due to the location where the stoma ended up deeper than she had anticipated. The wound vac assisted in healing the wound from the inside out. I got the wound vac off today and was released today to travel again for work. I still can't carry anything heavier than a gallon of milk, but that is not much of a restriction.
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amymariefred
Aug 14, 2025 9:12 pm
I'd say go for it if your doctor offers this as an option. When I had my ostomy surgery, it was planned to reverse it in 3 months. It took 6 months to get in the OR. Glad I did. Fiber and disposable undergarments will be your best friends. And a strong probiotic to get your gut biome back in shape. I'm about 18 months post-reversal, and I poop up to 6 times a day on a bad day, 3-4 on a good day. Just be prepared with a bidet at home and a portable bidet while you're at work or elsewhere. I hated using wipes all the time.