Facing a Tough Decision on Colostomy Reversal

I received my little buddy 16 months ago. I got a colostomy. A year after, I spent 3 months in the hospital due to a severe heart attack. I suffered from diverticulitis. I had to wait for clearance from my heart doctors for a reversal. My colorectal surgeon told me he almost lost me on the table because I had a bad reaction to anesthesia, which created issues with cardiologists who, in return, reacted by giving me an implant. Now he claims I'm ready for the reversal and is still skeptical of my ability to survive the operation (scaring the crap out of my family). I'm tired of the complications I have with my pouch staying on due to not being able to stay in place. Not sure on what to do because every time I mention a reversal, I'm told, "We don't want to lose you."

It seems like your main problem is with the stoma, and if those problems were fixed, you'd be willing to keep the colostomy.

Have you worked with an ostomy nurse on your adhesion problems?

Can you describe exactly what is happening to cause your appliance to come off? We may be able to help.

If the stoma is too close to the skin or in a bad position, perhaps it could be moved or revised with less risk?

Have you tried different pouches? Having a seal can help too. I use a strap that clicks onto the pouch, and this helps to keep it in place.

My colostomy is reversible, but for the moment, I don't want to go back under the knife, so I am rocking my stoma.

All the best with what you decide.

It sounds like the reversal isn't worth the risk. Maybe if you worked out your adhesion problem, then you wouldn't even consider a reversal; you are just frustrated with the problem. Have you tried Torbot liquid bonding cement? I was introduced to this product by someone else in this group, and it has worked very well for me. It comes off with adhesive remover spray, and you can clean up any extra with an adhesive remover wipe. It keeps my bag on in the shower, which is the problem I was having. When my wafer got wet, it would peel off. Now I don't have a problem anymore. And my stomach is not flat, which doesn't make a difference in sticking with the bonding cement; it moves with me. So you might look it up on amazon.com and give it a try.

Unfortunately, spell check hasn't been too kind to you.

If indeed you have a colostomy and not an ileostomy (there is a significant difference), my advice would be to look into irrigation. Just Google.

No dedicated professional in the medical field would operate on a patient if there were a risk of something going wrong.

V.J.

Avoiding Ostomy Bag Leaking | Managing Ostomy Leaks with LeeAnne Hayden

I agree with what others have said. Figuring out why you are having adhesion problems and dealing with that is probably a better option than a reversal, considering the risks, which sound pretty considerable.

Terry

My ostomy nurse gave me a paste to use as an adhesive, but when it dries, it cracks and causes the issues to worsen. My stoma is prolapsed due to a hernia, and it seems as though I ooze a lot of the slimy lubricant the stoma emits, which loosens the glue on my barrier.

A paste that dries and cracks is not an appropriate adhesive. As you have seen, when it cracks, it creates channels that will leak. Someone mentioned a different paste that they use that does not dry, Eakin maybe? I'll try to find it and update this post if I do.

I use a bonding cement that I like very much. It goes on thinner than paste, which makes it a little easier to deal with (pic below).

Use a barrier ring. If you are using a ring and it is not helping, try different brands. They vary quite a bit, and what works best depends on the person. You should be able to call and get free samples to try. But your ring should absorb the mucus (slimy stuff) and keep it away from your wafer seal. With a lot of mucus, it's possible you will need to change your system more frequently, but you should still be able to avoid leaks.

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