Swollen Stoma - How Long for Recovery?

Hi folks

Happy New Year to all :)

2019 has commenced with yet another partial blockage! I am well used to these now, having lived with an ileostomy for 14 years, and now have a good plan in place to deal with these at home in the hopes of avoiding a hospital visit. They don't really do anything apart from tell you there is a partial blockage, which usually clears on its own. Then they don't let you go home for like 3-4 days to monitor your food intake and output, etc. I find it a waste of time, and if I can deal with it at home, I do. Although I do not recommend staying at home if there is no output and you start vomiting - then get to the hospital asap!! Also, if the pain is too intense to bear, then go to the hospital for drugs for the pain and nausea.

Thankfully, the blockage cleared at home after a night of painful abdominal cramps. However, although I now have usual output, my stoma doesn't seem to have really reduced back to normal size yet, and it has been three days since the blockage cleared.

It has ballooned to more than twice the normal size and is painful to touch. The other weird thing is I can actually feel any output going through and a slight burning sensation at the same time, which is not usual.

I have cut a larger hole in my pouch opening, which has given some relief.

Just wondering if anyone else has had this problem and how long it took for the stoma to go back to normal. I have always had a swollen stoma with past blockages, but not as big as this, and it would normally have gone down a lot by now.

I have read sugar helps, but I'm not too keen on the mess that would result from leaving my pouch off for 20 minutes, as suggested.

Hoping it will subside in the next day or so...

I am a 52-year-old female and have had the ileostomy since I was about 38 as a result of years of severe UC.

Any comments welcome, thanks! :)

Happy new year to you too, my soul sister warrior. It sounds like we have some things in common, but I was 48 and now I'm 54. I have severe ulcerative colitis and now Crohn's. I've had four surgeries and I'm not feeling well. Let's chat, okay? My name is Victoria. Thank you and have a good day!

Hello Donz14. I had a similar swelling to that which you describe. I am reluctant to report that mine was due to an experiment I was conducting that went wrong and damaged the inside of the stoma.  To embarrassed to seek medical help, I just left it to (hopefully) heal. I can now report that it healed after about 2 weeks. I did consider using something like Bonjella, but when I've used that before on mouth ulcers, it stings. So I didn't treat the stoma with anything. I did however, refrain from using stoma plugs during the fortnight because I felt that they might congeal with the blood and be difficult to remove without causing more damage. Hence, some of the reasons for leaving  it to heal on its own.

I have to say that I was prepared to wait for at least 6 weeks before contemplating going to a doctor because that's the length of time other injuries have taken to heal in my case.  

I hope yours reduces in swelling soon and you can revert to your 'normal' routine without worries. 

Best wishes 

Bill

Thanks for your reply, Bill. Swelling is slowly going down, so hopefully, it will be all good in the next day or two. :)

Hey Victoria. Happy to chat anytime. Feel free to message me and we can share "war stories"

Hi, how are you? I don't know what to say except drink hot stuff and a heating pad. And I don't know, I'm sorry, but what did you do differently? I'm having pain and trying to rest right now, but I'm here. Please text me a message. Thank you, Victoria. Praying is important. I'm 54 and in New Jersey. I'm here for you if I can do anything. I'm lost myself. You have had it a long time, same one? I had a couple... I will tell you more when you reply. Thanks. Hope you're feeling better now. How about grape juice and hot tea? Waiting to hear from you.