Colostomy reversal and incisional hernia repair

Hi,

I am scheduled for colostomy reversal surgery and incisional hernia repair in 2 weeks.  Has anyone here had these procedures or know of anyone who has with a positive outcome? Everything I've read on line so far is making me want to back out!!

Hello Fraidy Cat.

Thanks for your post. It must be very worrying when reading about failures online but don't be too put off by these accounts of negative outcomes. The thing about online correspondence is that the majority of people who have the operations and have no problems, tend to get on with their lives without another thought of letting people know about the successes. Those who have a grievance and want/need to vent their frustration will do so online and so this gives the impression that these operations almost always go wrong. I do not know the facts and figures but I would hazard a guess that more operations are successful than those that have problems, otherwise the medical overseeers would stop the surgeons performing them. I'm not sure how you can get a more balance view of what is suggested in your case but if it were me, I would be asking  stoma nurses for their opinions as they are the ones who generally know about aftercare and how many people need it compared with how many have the operations.

I hope this is helpful to alleviate your anxiety a little.

Best wishes

Bill

Hi Bill,

Thanks so much for your response to my post and for your positivity! Quite honestly I would not be going for a reversal if it wasn't for needing the hernia repair.  Surprising how normal life can be with a colostomy and how quickly you realize it's not the end of the world after all to be an ostomite 😉.  Sure don't want to trade mine in for being housebound in diapers like some of the horror stories on line! But you're right, surely there are more successes than failures or it wouldn't be a medically accepted procedure. All I can do is my part and leave the rest up to my surgeons and the Lord.  Thanks again for the encouragement and please say a little prayer for me on the 27th!!

Fraidy 🙀

Hello Fraidy 🙀.

It's pleasing to know that our discussion has been of some help and you will certainly be in my thoughts on the 27th.

Here's hoping everything goes okay for you.

Best wishes

Bill

Yes I had a reversal last Friday, I am home and well and it was very straight forward! I read on here some of the stories and thought i would post my positive one. Which I have! Seriously. I had no pain relief after surgery, was up walking showering and eating the next day! Bowel woke up 5 days later I went home on the sixth day! Bowel has been ok, not rushing to the loo. Few gripey pains and the wound is open to allow pus to escape as it helps from inside out! Sore and a little bruised but a headache or toothache is probably much worse! 

Yes I had a reversal last Friday, I am home and well and it was very straight forward! I read on here some of the stories and thought i would post my positive one. Which I have! Seriously. I had no pain relief after surgery, was up walking showering and eating the next day! Bowel woke up 5 days later I went home on the sixth day! Bowel has been ok, not rushing to the loo. Few gripey pains and the wound is open to allow pus to escape as it heals from inside out! Sore and a little bruised but a headache or toothache is probably much worse! 

Thanks for your reply!  That's encouraging!!!! Was yours an "end colostomy" or "loop"?

Hello Loop colostomy lady.

May I add my sincere thanks to you for posting such a positive outcome. So often people have the surgery, it goes well so they see no need to correspond on a site like this anymore. Thus we have an imbakance of posts that tend to indicate that things go wrong all or most of the time. What we really need, is more posts such as yours, showing a brighter side to the prospects and proceedures.

Best wishes

Bill

Mine was a Loop Colostomy, without hernia! I cannot comment on the hernia side of things as not had one!

Thank you Bill. I totally agree with you. I had no one to speak to about it, only the Internet for research. Hence, why I came back to this site to hopefully give people some hope. I really want terrified to go ahead with it! I'd watched all sorts. Even YouTube videos! I obviously cannot speak for every reversal 'type' only my own, but it really is classed as 'minor' surgery and I have to agree. Good luck to all who find themselves in this predicament, I hope my positive story helps! 

How did your reversal and hernia repair go? Was it an end colostomy that you had? I am . going in for the same op in a few weeks time and would be most grateful for some information from those who have gone through the experience. I hope it went well for you :-) 

I have an ostomy and Incisional Hernia, too.  They're in the process of scheduling me for the reversal next week.  I was hoping there would be an answer by the OP on how the process went, what to expect, any surprises, etc...

It's too bad OP abandoned this post.