Hello Fellow Ostimates,
I've had an illeostomy for 17 months and about 60 blockages since then. I've asked others if this is normal and most think Not!
I most recently lost 15 lbs in 2 days dealing with surgery induced parastalsis. Normal weight 155 Usually ~130 Now 120 and gaining.
Hello Bagit. Sorry to see you have still not had any replies to your post. I have been extremely busy in recent weeks and have had to restrict my input to MAO so that I can balance my time between other activities. Because I don't have an ileostomy, I felt that these were posts I probably could omit replying to. However, I do l not like to see posts which have been neglected in this way so I will try to contribute to what I hope will be other replies.
As I understand it, an ileostomy usually results in a much more liquid output than a colostomy because there is less colon to absorb the liquid content. This, in theory, should mean that you shouldn't get blockages at all. Thus, it is your second point which seems pertinent in this regard and that is the issues surrounding peristalsis.
I found it interesting that, when I had severe problems with swallowing food, they gave me tablets called Domperidone. This helps by moving the food faster through the oesophagus. It also shifts it faster through the stomach and the gut. This is so that it does not stay in the same place for too long . It also helps food stop flowing the wrong way up your food pipe (which was part of my problem). I think it works by helping the process of peristalsis work more efficiently. It certainly worked for me and I was disappointed that the doctor would not prescribe it on a long-term basis because I seem to have a lazy gut.
Having read the contra- indications, they state that it should not be used if you have a 'blockage'. By this, I think they mean something like a stricture or cancerous growth along the food pipe, but I'm not sure. It might be worth asking you doctor whether this would be a suitable solution to your problem.
I do hope you get some more replies to this post as I feel sure that others must have suffered in the same way. If this doesn't happen, I often find that there are past posts in 'Premium content', which cover all sorts of conditions such as this.
Best wishes
Bill
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About seven years ago, just about every aspect of my life was ostomy related. From the moment I was told an ostomy might be needed until some months down the road I existed as a person afflicted with a colostomy. I feared someone other than my immediate family might find out I had a bag. Ugh! What could be worse? Suppose it filled real fast when I was out with no place to hide and take care of myself. God forbid should it leak in church! Suppose I roll over on it in bed. I was a lesser creature, destined to a life of emotional anguish and physical routines different from most of the rest of the world. I felt like a freak. Then I found folks like you guys here, read your stuff, really “listened” to what you had to say and I began looking at things differently. We know perception is everything and I began to understand how good things were relative to what they could’ve been. So many folks had it so much worse than I did. That didn’t make my discomfort go away but it exposed how fortunate I was to be dealing with my stuff and not their’s. I felt a little guilt, maybe selfishness but quickly forgave myself by understanding I just wasn’t smart enough to fix my feelings. Then, I wonder what smarts have to do with feelings. My perception was warped so my perspective toward my existence was warped.
I learned over the last few years with the help of lots of folks right here at MAO that I could be better at living just by accepting some facts. It is what it is and so what? It’s not the worst thing to happen to a person.
I think everything is, in some way, related to everything else. I just put the ostomy thing in the back seat and drive forward.
Respectfully,
Mike
Hi Bagit,
Sometimes a warm water bottle and lots of massaging the area around my stoma helps. A hot cup of tea, apple cider or drinking apple juice seem to help move things along. Applesauce if I have it on hand can also help but I noticed if I drink more water everyday I don't get many blockages. I have a colostomy so maybe it's somewhat different for me.
