Passing faeces, blood and mucus

This is Jennifer, I had my ileostomy in 2012, in 2019 this was closed and a colostomy was done. I did have some passing of mucus but not a lot.

I am wondering if anyone else has this problem, and if you have any suggestions that could help.

Since the colostomy I have been passing faeces, blood and mucus. I should explain I had perianal cancer they removed the cancer and also a lot of my anus. It is only 6mm at the opening with no spincter muscle, so no stretch and no muscle control. So every few months I get this overwhelming need to pass faeces through my anus. I have to rush to the toilet and the pain begins. You see the opening isn't big enough, but my body takes over and it tries to void. The pain is excruciating I sit on the toilet with something stuffed in my mouth while I screen. After a while my body relaxes and I can clean up and lay down for a while. Then it starts again, and again. Eventually I may pass some faeces and blood, and then it goes again. Mostly this goes on for a day but the worst time it went for 72 hours.
Because of the infrequency of these attacks and the damage I have from burns the surgeons don't really want to operate.

I am also waiting for gallbladder surgery and my fabulous doctor has given my fentynal when I have a gallbladder attack (major pain).

No pain killer has ever worked for my pain when passing faeces, but I remembered I had the fentynal under tongue painkillers and WOW it worked so well. It didn't stop the poo'ing but it stopped the screaming. By the way I am no being a drama queen when I talk about the screaming. I have only used the fentynal once since I got the prescription. This pain is worse than a gallbladder attack and effects my whole body, I shake, sweat, vomit and every nerve in my body goes crazy. And after it finally passes my bottom is torn and so sore I can't sit or walk comfortably.

Any suggestions would be so helpful.

G-Day Jennifer,

If your Ileostomy is permanent I would consider have everything down there removed. I now have a permanent Ileostomy and got my butt stitched up and life now is 110% better.

Regards IGGIE

If you haven’t talked to your doctor I think it would be a good idea to do that as this sounds like a terrible thing to go through. If you can stay away from fentanyl it’s better as I was on a patch for 4 years and the side effects are awful and it’s creepy being addicted to something. Thankfully my back healed up and it only took me 6 weeks to get off the drug. I get mucus, faeces and blood but I have a loop colostomy so everything is still there including the fistula that causes problems so I really can’t honestly suggest a solution for your issue. Not sure if your doctor can help but I hope so. Good luck.

Thanks for your reply. I have talked with the surgeon about it. Because my abdomen had to be reconstructed because of full thickness burns from radiotherapy the surgery does have some extra risks because of all the internal mesh, it may end up being necessary.

When I was burnt I was on fentynal for seven months so I know about the addiction. Iam so cautious about taking pain meds. The only one I'm not allergic to is the fentynal. This was the first time I've taken it in 12 years, apart from when I've been in hospital. I only have it in my pill stass as I'm having gallbladder attacks. Just waiting for surgery. Take care

Hi Jennifer, I'm trying to understand your problem, but I don't think I have enough information.

You had an ileostomy, and now you have a colostomy. Most of the rectum has been removed, including the sphincter.

You write 6 mm, which is half a centimeter, which is very little. So my question is, where is the output coming from? I suspect that more rectum, or possibly a piece of rectum, has remained. That produces mucus, and because it's not being used, it causes mild inflammation. My question is, is it possible to flush it regularly?

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Hi it's Jennifer I have a loop colostomy, I still have my colon and rectum. It is the anus that has been reduced to 6mm. The faeces are somehow occasionally bypassing my stoma, into my colon, down into the rectum, but when it gets to the anus it is too small for it to pass.

Do you have an end colostomy? Or a loop? With and end colostomy there no pathway for feces to bypass the colostomy. However with the rectum still present, it will continue to produce mucous. Sometimes the mucous will thicken and can have a brown color. It can be painful to pass even for those with an intact sphincter. Your situation makes it much worse.

Talk to your doctor about nonsurgical options... could you do occasional enemas to keep the mucous flushed out while still liquid and easier to pass?

Hi Jennifer, what Susan says is correct. It's not necessarily that something is getting past the loopcolostomy. It's also the colon itself that produces mucus daily. That's normal. And because that part of the colon can't do its normal function, a mild inflammation can develop. That explains the blood.

It is, however, an undesirable situation that you should discuss with your doctor as soon as possible. It goes without saying that 6 mm is too little to allow anything to pass properly, and irrigating is therefore difficult. This means that mucus continues to accumulate, but it is very difficult to get rid of.