Dealing with a Growing Hernia and Its Challenges

When I was a kid and starting to compain  my dad would say, "would would you like a little cheese with that whine"  Well times have changed but I still have something to whine about. Everything seemed to go good with my colostomy butt this massive hernia that was created during the septic shock has been been inlarging.To the point of eveven by eleven inches.This puts tremendous pressure on my bladder making me pee anytime It's wants to. I go about 25 times a day and night. Went a saw the surgeon and he told me to come back in four weeks. There is not enough for me using all our paper towels nor my wife"s pads. Has anyone  had this somesort of problom?

Hawk, if anyone has the right to whine, you do.  You are really going through a lot.  I hope and pray things get better soon.

Hey Hawk, I agree with Heidi, but to me, it seems like you could get some relief somehow. I have no answers; just think your doctors could offer stuff to make things a little more comfortable for you.

So sorry,

Mike

Hi Hawk, 

A couple of suggestions..have you had a urine test to check for a wee infection??

does wearing a wide  support belt help..it might lift your hernia bit to reduce pressure on your bladder. that might be more difficult if you have a stoma to obstruct. 

cheers

Hi,

I'm not sure exactly where you're having the discomfort from the hernia. Is it from the "butt incision" from taking out the rectum, or is it a hernia on the abdomen, near the stoma, causing the pressure to pee? Either way, it sounds uncomfortable and disruptive.

It took two surgeries, three months apart, first just to do the ileostomy (I went into shock on the table, and they had to end the surgery) and three months later they went back in to remove the diseased portion of the intestine, leaving the rectal stump. Both times, I had a drain at the bottom of the incision, that had to heal from the inside out. And both times, the healing was so poor, I developed a hernia that was extremely annoying. To make matters worse, I was wearing a back brace that wrapped around my belly (with a cutout for the ostomy) that put undue pressure on the hernia. I would get horrible spasms from belly to butt (because that's where the rectal stump was attached). It didn't interfere with my bladder much, but our anatomy is individual. I would imagine that those spasms could cause unplanned urination as well. The doctor might want you to wait a while, to see if it heals or improves. I lived with the second hernia for 4 years and I couldn't wait to have the final surgery, just to get rid of it. I was a child when all this happened, and I thought I'd have the surgery and be well. It didn't happen that way, although compared to what some people go through, I now think I've had it somewhat easy. I know that this is hard to hear, but some things just take time, and while it's uncomfortable and interrupts "normal" life, it's not life-threatening. Give it some time, and if it's not better after the 4 weeks, discuss a new plan with the doctor. Just a precaution though, every surgery has its risks, and while trying to fix one problem, something else can happen.

Four years later, doctors took out my diseased rectum, repaired the hernia, and with that, I lost all sensation to my bladder. I urinate "by the clock" and have had to adjust to "bearing down" to release urine, instead of just relaxing and releasing. I'm 66 now, and life has been one big ongoing "crap shoot"... But I'm alive to tell about it. : )) Best of luck.

How to Stay Hydrated with an Ostomy with Collin | Hollister