Hernia

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boss

I just had a hernia operation a week ago. I irrigate and when I tried, it wouldn't work. How many times does it take? Or shouldn't I be able to right away??

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Past Member

I had a hernia surgery 2 months ago and was told not to irrigate while healing. Check with your doctor first. Their advice is always better.

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Whoa
Nurse
Hi boss

I agree with M Fran re: checking with your doctor to be sure it is okay to resume irrigation.

Some folks don't have good stool or water returns on any given day. There are a variety of reasons for this: impacted hard stools, sluggish bowel from narcotics, dehydration so the intestine absorbs the water...there are others, but these are pretty common.

Since you just had surgery, your intestines may still be a bit sluggish; plus, I am guessing your food intake has not been what it was prior to surgery. Things should get back to normal in time.

Hopefully, you are passing gas and some stool without irrigation. A quick phone call to your physician is best.
boss

Hi there, it has been weeks now and I'm still not going to the bathroom normally. I have to use laxatives and all I am doing is farting and making noises out of my stoma. I'm not getting any stool out, just water. Is this a problem? I called my doctor and he said in time it will come back to normal, how long is normal?

d20x7

I had a mesh hernia repair at the stoma site on April 6. The pain medicine made me constipated, a hard trick to pull off since I have an ileostomy. I'm still in a lot of pain, 6 out of 10. My doc said give it another 2 weeks.

 
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d20x7
Hiya Boss,

Got your messages, but I'm too cheap for the full membership right now!

I still have what I consider a considerable amount of pain. Even on the opposite side of the hernia. My doc and others who've had this surgery keep reassuring me this is normal, it's the scar tissue forming, but it's bad enough this morning that I'm staying home from work today.

The docs also recommended I use a stool softener, not a laxative. If you're still taking narcotic pain meds, this is almost certainly making the constipation almost unmanageable.

Do you have an ET (stoma) nurse you can call?

Bottom line, I would call the doc if it's causing you a lot of worry. It's always better to get checked out and find out nothing's wrong than doing nothing and getting into serious trouble.

Hope you feel better soon, I'll be sending good karma your way!!!!
Whoa
Nurse
Hard to do internet diagnosis and so the best advice is to ask for an x-ray.

You should have had some stool returns by now, even if just (pardon the expression) muddy watery returns on irrigation. If you are taking pain meds (opiates), it will make your bowel sluggish and can cause constipation. If you are bloated, I'd be even more concerned. Passing gas is good, but you can still have super constipation; and I would expect some gas pains unless taking a lot of pain meds. If you are not eating well, I would expect less stool, but you should have some.

You may know all the above, but thought best to cover bases. You may just want to go to your emergency room and tell them....usually the first thing they will do is an x-ray. That would be my best suggestion.
Celeste

When my stoma has seemed sluggish, or stopped up if you will, it can hurt so bad. I have found that walking and drinking apple juice or Gatorade (has lots of sugar though) can help a lot. Sometimes when we are in pain, we find it easier to lay around but, if at all possible, get outside and walk. 10 to 20 minutes at a time. That is using energy and helping the body.
I would go to the ER if I was bothered with it after 2 weeks. Sometimes they have to irrigate it.

boss

It has been 4 months now since my stoma hernia operation and I'm still having problems irrigating. Does it take time for things to open up? I didn't start irrigating until about a year after my cancer operation, so I'm not sure if it should be working by now. Any feedback would be helpful. Thanks.

Past Member

I am wondering if you might have a little swelling from the surgery that is restricting your return. I have found that I have best results from irrigation if I eat very lightly the day I irrigate. You can drink juice or milk or something similar to curb your hunger but eat very little. This usually works for me when I have trouble getting a good return. I will be honest, I have no clue why it works... but it does for me.

Whoa
Nurse

Boss

I have more questions and few answers, unfortunately!

Are you saying you have little stool returns? Are you having stooling in between irrigations? Are you bloated?
Have you discussed this with your physician? Had an x-ray? On stool softeners?

By 4 months, some normalcy should be expected.

I am not clear on the problem here.

boss
I am on stool softeners. I still have some output after I irrigate. The doctor thinks maybe things are tight in there and hopes things open up.
Whoa
Nurse

Boss

Again, I may be stating the obvious, so excuse if it sounds repetitive.

With stool softeners, your stool may not be coming out formed; it may be more liquid after irrigation than what you are used to. It's possible you are still cleaning out your bowel well, the returns just may appear different.

Small amounts of stool spillage between irrigations can be the norm for very soft stool, it may be more difficult to get a complete evacuation than if formed.

If you are not bloated or uncomfortable after irrigating, I would think you are cleaning out reasonably well.

Does your doctor think you have strictures/narrowing in the bowel? If so, you would definitely want to keep up with the stool softeners.

boss

The doctor told me to keep taking stool softeners and Miralax. My stool is still like a paste, and the doctor said I could have narrowing and it may open up as time goes on. I just don't know how much of the stool softeners and Miralax I should take, and are they bad for me.
Whoa
Nurse
For dosage, go with what the doctor recommended.

Normally, your large intestine absorbs up to a quart/liter of water a day. Many folks who irrigate may notice poor returns, especially the water instilled on irrigation, and this may be due to being a bit dehydrated; more or less, your intestine absorbs some of the water from irrigation.

Miralax will pull water from your large intestine into the stool to make it soft. It might help to drink a few extra glasses of fluid daily to replace the water loss. Fruit juices may also help soften the stool (i.e., prune, grape). Some dietary measures of restricting carbs like pasta, crackers, rice, bread, and fat may also decrease pasty stool.

There is a downside to long-term stool softeners and laxatives. From what you say, it sounds like your doctor is taking a conservative approach to preventing constipation; this is non-invasive and definitely worth trying.

I would recommend continuing with his advice for now but following up with him if worsening constipation symptoms or the need for continuing the softeners over the next few months.
Past Member

I have just been told that I have a hernia but not to worry about it. How long do I have to wait and not worry before anything is done about it? My doctor told me not to worry about my stomach pains for 2 years until then I took myself to the hospital where it was discovered that I had bowel cancer!! I am not feeling too confident in my medical help at the moment.

Whoa
Nurse
Bubbles
I don't know where your hernias are located, and I'm not sure about all your health issues. Hernias are easier to repair when they are smaller. Most peritomal hernias are a nuisance, but some can cause real issues with your intestines. Some folks aren't good candidates for repair due to health or if they have had multiple prior abdominal surgeries, scar tissue, etc.

If it were me, I would be asking why you were not a candidate for a repair. He may or may not have a good explanation. Get a second opinion. There are surgeons who specialize in hernias. Meanwhile, I would suggest a good support belt.

I work with different surgeons; I have one who is very conservative and does not want to repair hernias (peristomal). He is of the opinion that since approximately half of them re-herniate or have issues with infection from mesh, it is not often worth it. Most of the others will do the repair if health and other issues don't preclude a safe surgery.

Hope you can get your questions answered.
boss

What is the downside to taking stool softeners?
boss

Hi nurse, it's been months since I've sent anything in. I'm still on stool softeners and laxatives. It looks like I will be forever. Is there anything on the market that is more natural and won't harm my system? Also, I still get cramps. I take 2 stool softeners and Metamucil twice daily. Is that too much?

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