Is this normal?

musiclover
musiclover Member Posts: 242
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
My friend Mark has an iliostomy since his rectal cancer and now is having an odd symptom. He's passing some stool from his rectum - not a lot but I'm surprised there is any since that part of his body was sutured. As you can imagine, this is messy and he has no control over it. I've emailed his doctor but wanted to see if this has happened to anyone else out there. Thanks!
Kathryn

Comments

  • nanuk
    nanuk Member Posts: 1,358 Member
    #2
    You are fortunate that you can e-mail your doc..I find that they shy away from this type of communication, as it is free..
    You might want to post to the ostomy sites:

    ioatoday@ostomyinternational.org]

    http://www.ostomy.evansville.net

    Bud
  • nanuk
    nanuk Member Posts: 1,358 Member
    #3
    How long has it been since the surgery? A certain amount of discharge would probably be expected right after surgery-(but probably not stool..) but if he has healed, or a lot of time has elapsed since the surgery, there could be a problem. In any case, the doctor needs to know ASAP. Bud
  • spongebob
    spongebob Member Posts: 2,565 Member
    #4
    Kathryn -

    I know of at least one person from this board who passed stuff through the rectum despite having an ostomy. Hopefully that member will reply to you with a wealth of information.

    Cheers

    - Sponge
  • aussiecrawl
    aussiecrawl Member Posts: 15
    #5
    Hi Kathryn,

    My DH has had a colostomy and he often has the urge to use his bowels at which point he he passes a mucus like product. He hasn't passed a stool as such...but our colorectal surgeon and oncologists have advised us that this is normal. I know this hasn't really answered your query but I hope it helps in some way

    Maria
  • musiclover
    musiclover Member Posts: 242
    #6
    aussiecrawl said:

    Hi Kathryn,

    My DH has had a colostomy and he often has the urge to use his bowels at which point he he passes a mucus like product. He hasn't passed a stool as such...but our colorectal surgeon and oncologists have advised us that this is normal. I know this hasn't really answered your query but I hope it helps in some way

    Maria

    Mucus I know is normal, the stool is what I'm not so sure about. He had his surgery Feb. 2nd. I may call the 24 hour ACS hotline. No word from the doc yet. Hard to get in touch over the weekend. Thanks.
  • DeborahHG
    DeborahHG Member Posts: 2
    #7
    Is it a temporary ileostomy? If so, is it a loop ileostomy? If it is this there are two "holes". When lying down, it is possible for small amounts of stool to pass into the second hole that leads to large bowel and then passed rectally. My husband has done this before and his surgeon said it is possible. Mucus is very normal.
  • cal79
    cal79 Member Posts: 57
    #8
    As others have commented, with the loop ileostomy it is possible for stool to overflow past the stoma and down the rest of the colon. It is not considered that unusual. Mucous is quite normal as well. I only had this after the colon was upset by something (barium enema in particular) but the stoma nurse warned me it may happen. Good luck :)
  • musiclover
    musiclover Member Posts: 242
    #9
    cal79 said:

    As others have commented, with the loop ileostomy it is possible for stool to overflow past the stoma and down the rest of the colon. It is not considered that unusual. Mucous is quite normal as well. I only had this after the colon was upset by something (barium enema in particular) but the stoma nurse warned me it may happen. Good luck :)

    You guys are good. That is exactly what the doctor emailed me. Here are his comments - Thanks so much to all on the board that responded so quickly.

    "Remember that the colon will still produce some mucous and other discharge that from time to time will need to be eliminated. Also the diversion that Mark has is a loop ileostomy meaning that as a loop there is a possibility that some stool can "spill" into the other side of the loop and potentially there could be enough to form a small bowel movement from time to time.

    The reason that Mark doesn't have the sensation is that it is such a small amount probably and he is not "used" to using his new rectum yet. That will change with time."

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