Ileostomy Reversal ???

pepperdog
pepperdog Member Posts: 96
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
My husband has a temporary ileostomy as a result of surgical resection of his rectum (April 2006). The original plan was to reverse the ileostomy in July (this month), but we opted for post-surgical chemo which will take a minimum of 6 months to complete. His doctors recommend that we complete the chemo before a reversal is done. They made no mention of any negative issues that may arise that would affect the ultimate reversal. I read something on somebody's post the other day that indicated their rectum (?) had atrophied. This kind of scared me. It got me thinking that it may be one of those 'use it or lose it' issues. I know the side effects of radiation tissue, difficulty in healing, etc., and I know it's wise to wait until all the effects of chemo are over before another surgery is attempted. Does anyone have any information regarding this type reversal and issues we may face after all the chemo is done?

Comments

  • vinny3
    vinny3 Member Posts: 928 Member
    #2
    I don't know so much about the issues involved in the reversal process but as far as when to do it you want to wait until the chemo is over and his blood counts have returned to adequate levels to help protect against infection. I have just started reading Beating Cancer with Nutrition and I think there is some good information in there of things you can start now to help build him up. The medical journals are printing more articles on nutrition and some of it correlates with what is in the book.

    ****
  • pepperdog
    pepperdog Member Posts: 96
    #3
    vinny3 said:

    I don't know so much about the issues involved in the reversal process but as far as when to do it you want to wait until the chemo is over and his blood counts have returned to adequate levels to help protect against infection. I have just started reading Beating Cancer with Nutrition and I think there is some good information in there of things you can start now to help build him up. The medical journals are printing more articles on nutrition and some of it correlates with what is in the book.

    ****

    Thanks ****. I've seen this book mentioned more than once; I'm definitely going to purchase it. Appreciate your input.
    Terry
  • WendyMarie
    WendyMarie Member Posts: 48
    #4
    I had a colectomy with a temporary ileostomy, then 6 months of chemotherapy and waited yet another 6 months before I had my reversal-exactly one year after the colectomy. I had no problems whatsoever. I did not do radiation though. So I don't know what problems that could present. My recovery was not so bad.

    Wendy
  • pepperdog
    pepperdog Member Posts: 96
    #5
    WendyMarie said:

    I had a colectomy with a temporary ileostomy, then 6 months of chemotherapy and waited yet another 6 months before I had my reversal-exactly one year after the colectomy. I had no problems whatsoever. I did not do radiation though. So I don't know what problems that could present. My recovery was not so bad.

    Wendy

    Wendy, was the six-month wait your choice or the doctor's? This bag thing is driving my husband nuts. Intellectually he knows things could be much worse, but dealing with it on a daily basis has caused a lot of anxiety. Did it take 6 months for you to rebound from the chemo? Was this a magic time-frame that the doctors recommended, or did it have to do with your platelets, or what?????
    Thanks,
    Terry
  • WendyMarie
    WendyMarie Member Posts: 48
    #6
    pepperdog said:

    Wendy, was the six-month wait your choice or the doctor's? This bag thing is driving my husband nuts. Intellectually he knows things could be much worse, but dealing with it on a daily basis has caused a lot of anxiety. Did it take 6 months for you to rebound from the chemo? Was this a magic time-frame that the doctors recommended, or did it have to do with your platelets, or what?????
    Thanks,
    Terry

    Hi Terry, the 6 month wait was my choosing. They told me I could do the procedure about 6 weeks after I finished chemo, but at that time it was February and my kids were in kindergarten and 4 year old kindergarten. I did not want to do the surgery then as I had to travel 3 hrs. away to a medical university. I chose to wait unti June so my family could make a vacation out of it since the hospital was on the coast. I had a HORRIBLE time with that bag!!!!
    Wendy
  • drmrgirl47
    drmrgirl47 Member Posts: 129
    #7
    Hi Pepperdog,
    I had my rectum removed and had a temporary ileostomy for 5 months. I do not believe there are negative issues regarding the amount of time some of us have with the temporary ileostomy. I have a friend that has one for almost 2 years now. This was due to her colon cancer spreading to lungs and liver and they are trying to put her in remission. In any case, they will reverse it if they can do this. I did have problems after the reversal due to radiation damage. I had excessive bowel movements (sometimes 20 per day)in the first year. Now, 2 1/2 years later, I average approximately 9. Sometimes 3. Depends. I did take up to 13 lomotil that first year. I decided that I did not want to depend on them and weaned myself off. So, here I am today, feeling wonderful, no meds at all, and dealing with sometimes many bms, gas and occassional abdominal blockages. But, good thing is the bms come in flurries. Most in the am and then after dinner. Some days I am excellent and on the days I eat alot I take 1 lomotil and away I go. I am active and don't find this too much of a problem anymore. Sorry for the big story, but things do get better and please do not worry about keeping that bag until chemo is over. People will tell you they are so glad they kept that bag due to the diarrhea from the chemo and rads. I agree. Please feel free to email me with any questions you may have. Peace and blessings to you and your husband. Annette
  • kmac
    kmac Member Posts: 4
    #8
    drmrgirl47 said:

    Hi Pepperdog,
    I had my rectum removed and had a temporary ileostomy for 5 months. I do not believe there are negative issues regarding the amount of time some of us have with the temporary ileostomy. I have a friend that has one for almost 2 years now. This was due to her colon cancer spreading to lungs and liver and they are trying to put her in remission. In any case, they will reverse it if they can do this. I did have problems after the reversal due to radiation damage. I had excessive bowel movements (sometimes 20 per day)in the first year. Now, 2 1/2 years later, I average approximately 9. Sometimes 3. Depends. I did take up to 13 lomotil that first year. I decided that I did not want to depend on them and weaned myself off. So, here I am today, feeling wonderful, no meds at all, and dealing with sometimes many bms, gas and occassional abdominal blockages. But, good thing is the bms come in flurries. Most in the am and then after dinner. Some days I am excellent and on the days I eat alot I take 1 lomotil and away I go. I am active and don't find this too much of a problem anymore. Sorry for the big story, but things do get better and please do not worry about keeping that bag until chemo is over. People will tell you they are so glad they kept that bag due to the diarrhea from the chemo and rads. I agree. Please feel free to email me with any questions you may have. Peace and blessings to you and your husband. Annette

    Hello drmrgirl47,
    I just had a sigmoid the otherday. I had Stage 2 rectal cancer. All is healed beautifully. It has been 13 months since my reversal and I am still unable to evacuate on my own at all..I have to take laxatives.. They are looking at radiation damage. I have to have a Defacography test in order to further evaluate my problem. Has anyone else experienced this. Usually radiation damage from what I have read will bring on the diarhea. Thankyou for your time . I appreciate this website so much.. such wonderful people.

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