Living with SCI and a Colostomy: Seeking Advice and Experiences

Does anyone have a SCI and a colostomy? I have had a C5-6 SCI for 26 yrs and and after 10 yrs of slow eliminating foods from my diet because of intestinal pain. The pain got so bad Id go without eating hardly anything for days. I had been diagnosed with chronic constipation after suffering for at least 6 yrs. I started having rectal issues because of doing a daily bowel program. But NO way was I getting a colostomy. I said no colostomy for at least 10yrs. By now Ive lost from 140lb to 87lb and I look anorexic. My pain is unbearable in my guts I would sweat profusely almost every day.  I was spending 1/2 my day going to bathroom...even though I didnt eat I always would go to bathroom but it always  'felt'  like I had to go, especially after eating. Im assuming the pain I felt under my ribs and in my back was gas. I had no life. Finally I decided I have to do something cause what I was doing wasnt working. I got a colostomy in Oct 2012.  It is nice not having to do bowel program. I can eat better and gained back to 107. But I still get unbearable gas that hurts for days. I use lactulose to take care on constipation but no gas meds will relieve the pain Sometimes I will let gas out of bag 10x in a day but still have  gas pain.Does anyone have any food for thought about this?

I am also a C4-C5 back injury. I have read cervical injuries can cause gastroparesis. It sounds as if you could possibly be a good candidate also. Gastroparesis causes pain from eating. There are test to rule it out with a very strict diet. If you would like check the gastroparesis site at Inspire.com and go to G-Pact on the page and read about others who experience it.



Get tested and see if possibly this could be your problem. Good luck to you.