Straight Connect

NWGirl said:

That would be me. :-)
I think I fall into this category. When I had my surgery to remove my tumor, the surgeon removed my entire rectum and reconnected my colon to my anus (hope my terminology is correct here). I had a temporary loop ileo for a year while I went through chemo/radiation. I have no j-pouch - my surgeon described my reconnect as a "hockey stick" shape.

My take down surgery was November 2008. The first two months were the worst - then I noticed some improvement. But the next major improvement didn't come until a full 8 months post surgery. I had pretty much convinced myself it wasn't going to work and that I'd have to go back to a permanent colostomy. I just didn't want another surgery until the summer/fall was over - so I figured November - that would give me a full year, and that's a convenient time of year for me to have surgery.

Then, mid-July, for no apparent reason, things settled down. I still poop a lot - 10 times a day isn't unusual - but it's managable. I haven't had butt burn in months. I can leave the house and if I do have to go - I can go - be done with it and go on. I've learned what my "warning signs" are to get to a bathroom and I have time to get there. I still have very minor incidents here and there, but they aren't the norm and it's usually when I've ignored those "signals".

If there's any specific questions I can answer - at least from my personal experiences, let me know. There's also a good group on the UOAA board - for temporary ostomies and take downs you might want to check out.

That would be me
Hello , NWGirl

Just wanted to tell you that that was my sister in laws call sign to help me get set up online but, we did it at her house last night. I'm Dingo44 and I AM SO GREATFUL THAT YOU REPLIED. I first found out about my rectal cancer in January of 2008. At which my doctors were going to send me off to surgery the very next day for a permanent colostomy and then I freaked out and said absolutely not. So four surgeries later , I now have a straight connect. My first surgery involved the removal of a foot of my sigmoid colon and I was left with a stump of a rectum. No bag at this point. A week later I developed CDiff and a leak. That's when I got the colostomy bag and my surgeon recommended me to Mayo Clinic in Rochester. That was an ordeal in itself but, I received my ileostomy on December 9 , 2008 and on St.Patricks Day of 2009. I now have my Straight Connect and no rectum at all either. I take Imodium with all my meals , there is no snacking in between and I also take two before I go to bed. I'm having a real hard time with what is safe to eat. I eat alot of bread. Eating a cookie is like taking a laxitive. I have issues with sugar it seems like.

I keep telling myself that I should've kept the bag. Then at least I could eat what ever I wanted. I work in a nursing home as a CNA. So when I feel an urge coming on I sometimes ignore it because I know that I can hold it back . But when I get a stomach ache urge I need to find a bathroom. And sometimes I will go and think that I am done and I will stand up pull up my britches and go wash my hands and all of a sudden without warning more crap comes and I can't hold it back at this point because it's too mushy . My muscles aren't strong enough , so I wear a pad everyday at work and at home. And also when I'm with a resident giving them a walk and feel the urgency urge I can't just leave this poor little grandma or grandpa high and dry so that I can run to the bathroom.

It's so frustrating. I have had no chemo or radiation. My surgeon took out 74 nodes and all were negative. They call it Stage II node negative but, the pathologists raited it as Stage III because it was starting to go into the colon wall. I was 35 years old when I was diagnosed.

So , I hope to hear from you again


Jen

kristasplace said:

In the same boat
Hello! I have had very similar problems as all of you have, but i didn't get a straight connect. Though i believe i'm missing half of my rectum, and my stools do come out shaped like a hockey stick.

I still have that urgent feeling to go, and then do not completely eliminate when i do. If you've read any of my posts, you know i'm a strong proponent of probiotics. They helped me immensely as far as having healthier stools, and less accidents (less constipation, and being able to gain some control over accidents occuring). Fiber alone wasn't helping me at all, probably because i have a stricture, and nothing wanted to move. The probiotics act in conjunction with the high fiber diet i am on, and stool is pretty much normal now.

I hope your problems end soon! I know how miserable life can be with these problems.

Hugs,
Krista

Probiotic (dumping syndrome)
Hi, I take align , which is a probiotic but, sometimes it doesn't help and it definately doesn't help with a cookie. My doctor called it dumping syndrome. It's so so frustrating. This whole process takes to damn long. And will it ever get better, I'm really having my doubts. All , I can think about is bringing back the bag. I can eat applesauce but , I can't eat an apple . Go figure.

Jen