Blockage

[persephone300]

It's not the first time, and altho I never ate loads and loads Thurs night, I ate more than I have been eating. I woke up fri morning with an awful pressure feeling behind my stoma, which basically lasted all day.

Absolutely horrid, so everytime I bent over, it hurt there, and it would output and have temporary relief, but then again, I'd feel the pressure, never seemed to end.

I made the mistake of having lunch too. Anyway it's 12.48am Sat, and I still having the same problems.

Is this a blockage? I've been drinking bottles and bottles of water today to try and restore it back to normal,but it's not worked. I'm normally really liquidy output, and it's a bit like thick soup consistency all day. I've been massaging all around it, trying to get it to output just to stop the painful pressure feeling.

Just can't sleep, cos it won't give me peace. It's literally been going all day, and I still leak a lot - and will continue to do so until my stoma revision - so I've just been worried all day that the output has gotten too thick, it's pushing my bag off when it tries to fit into the hole.

Any advice appreciated. Arrghh

 

[Terriernut]

I'm sorry Perse, didn't even see this thread! It does sound like you had a slight blockage there.

How are you feeling now, did it pass? Had one myself about a month ago, and wow did it hurt!! Then it was like a volcano blew and a big relief. But it lasted over 24 hours...pain was in waves.

If it lasts more than 12 hours it's a good idea to get to the emergency room. (not like me!)

 

[persephone300]

Eventually it passed the next day, but my stoma had been active all day. I'm wondering whether my hole is getting smaller, I'm getting a lot more frequently the feelings of pressure behind my stoma. There's never a big blow out. I'll press on the pressure spot and eventually something comes out, and there's relief, and then within a few mins, there's another painful pressure.

 

[2thFairy]

If the output stops altogether, see someone right away.

You might also try a heating pad or warm bath. Big hugs, Persephone!

 

[Nyx]

I get pressure behind my stoma all the time...it's never a blockage, seems to just be the way things are for me. I think it's because my output is so hard and sometimes copious...lol I don't find it painful though...it's more annoying than anything. I find if it's really bad, a heating pad and massaging my stomach helps a lot...even if it's just to get a fart out...lol

 

[annawato]

Sorry to hear about your pain Persephone, I haven't had this so can't advise you but something I thought might help would be to cut the opening in the bag slightly larger - i was having a lot of leakages that were caused by thick output pushing the bag up as it came out and I discovered that when I cut the hole larger this stopped. I know you have greater problems with your stoma placement but thought it would be worth mentioning in case it helps. Seems silly to stop leakages by having a bigger hole but I think if the hole is too small that can create problems. I use paste around the rim of the hole to protect my skin and so far its working.
:heart: Anna

 

[littlefreebird]

Not sure if it sounded like a blockage but definitely some kind of narrowing. Do you have active disease still? Things may be getting inflamed in there. I have a fistula I have an intense build up/ pressure before thick out put comes out of it then I feel loads better.

 

[persephone300]

Hey, thanks all. I don't know if I still have active disease.

I've tried cutting the hole bigger but get a lot of burning on my skin. I used the paste to fill in underneath as the bag doesn't properly fit me still.

I think the problem is that I don't really have a proper opening, it's a sort of channel that goes up and out between the skin of my stomach and the little bit that looks like intestine. Even when there's a lot of liquidy output coming out with great force, it seems to hurt.

Luckily, whatever was the problem that day it seems to have passed this time, will see about next time!

 

[annawato]

Hopefully your revision will sort it all out. Can't wait for that to happen for you.
:heart: anna

 

[2thFairy]

Persephone, how ya doing? You've been on my mind a lot lately, so thought I ought to check in with you. Any more word about a date for your revision?

 

[persephone300]

Hi 2th fairy, every day is still a bit of a challenge. Last week I leaked constantly 2 mornings at work so had to leave. But then, stopped eating for the rest of the week basically and it sorted itself out. Yesterday, I got again the awful feeling of pressure in my stomach constantly and pain, all day, and I think it was another blockage of something, it sorted itself out this morning.

I've got my revision set for 7th - 2 weeks Thursday - and I really hope it's going to be possible - as despite now losing 32 lbs, my stomach looks no smaller, and my stoma is still not poking out at all from beneath my skin.

It's a pain as well, as I have to consider everything I eat - more than I think I should. I know potato seems to cause problems with leakage - mainly because it's thick output and goes on forever - yet, if my stoma was a proper spout, it wouldn't matter. But because it is as it is, it just all collects underneath the bag. Same with anything spicy - and I love hot curry.

Some days it really is depressing, and I really hope they can work miracles and give me a proper spout, but, the less I eat - the more it fixes the daily problems - which I hate too .

 

[Terriernut]

Perse, my heart really goes out to you. I can't wait til they get you sorted out! And I sure hope it is soon, no way to live is it, like that.
:ghug:

 

[annawato]

Yay, two weeks, thats not too long, it will go quickly. Are they planning to totally resite the stoma or just make a bigger spout? Looking at the pictures, resiting would seem to be the best so its not right in a crease but I guess it depends on what they can do. Worth discussing with the surgeon if you can. Either way, good luck with it all, keep us posted.

 

[Jaano711]

Hi Perse
Thank goodness it's set and you just have to hold out until 7th. I am hoping it will make life easier and less bothersome for you. You are a very strong woman to be coping as well as you are. Keep strong and know that I am thinking of you and sending support your way.

 

[persephone300]

Thanks for all your support and kind words. They weren't planning to resite it, and I hope they don't either - it's not really in a crease - just in the middle of one of my big belly bulges.

Another thing that is really tiresome with it though - I hate, hate seeing it output - before it goes into the bag. At the moment, I can look thru the window and see it outputting and see the output just sit there, caught underneath the flange, not dropping into the bag, up against my skin. It really freaks me out, seeing it come up and out through a channel like I do. With a proper spout, I shouldn't see it at all I presume, it'll just fall out into the bag.

 

[2thFairy]

I've got a proper spout and for the most part I don't see it like that, just the output falling into the bag. There are times, however, when its really going good and it will constrict and contract (normal peristalsis) and wiggle up enough where I can see it as it is coming out the opening, but not usually.

 

[annawato]

Persephine you could get bags that you can't see whats happening. Maybe they wouldhelp if you find it all a bit icky.

 

[persephone300]

I think I'm only finding it icky cos it's not doing what's it's spposed to do. If it was coming and and falling directly into the bag, I prob wouldnt give it as much thought, it's only because it's coming out and getting stuck- causing the leaks - which is repelling me, but I also need to keep an eye on that to some degree.

After the op hopefully all will be fixed.

 

[annawato]

Yes I understand the keeping an eye on things. I like to do that too. Helps if you feel stinging or that itch or trickly feeling to have a look and see why its happening or where its coming from.

 

[katiesue1506]

Sometimes when I would have thicker output I would see it sit close to the baseplate as well and I just got myself into the habit of running my finger around it to clear it out (while the bag was still on) and push it inside the bag. That way it would ease my mind.

There was also one thing that I did not learn until like the LAST day I had mine. Apparently if you run your finger along the inside cut that you make on the flange and kinda angle it backwards, it will stick a lot longer on inverted stomas. Sorta like shaping it back the way your peristomal skin is.

I realize yours is very inverted, but I wondered if you were doing this or not, cause like I said, I wasn't and didn't learn till it was too late.

 

[annawato]

katiesue. I'm intrigued by your comment but not sure if I understand what to do. Do you mean running your finger around the hole inside the bag before putting it on? or outside? and which way does the angle slope? Am I just being vague?

 

[Nyx]

I'm not sure if this is what she means or not, but this is what I do: I always run my finger around the opening after I apply the flange...I apply the flange and then run my finger around the opening I just cut, to make sure it's stuck around the outside of my stoma. It seems like a small thing to do, but it really makes a difference! I also press from the inside (nearest the stoma) to the outside in an outward motion all around my flange to make sure there's no air bubbles and to make sure it's adhering properly.

 

[annawato]

Ahh, now I understand. i do that except because I use paste it doesn't really stick down around the stoma - I just make sure that the level of the bag edge is tucked down below the stoma then press hard around the inside of the convex ridge - plus around the outside edges and then hold the whole thing down for a good minute or two. Touchwood, I haven't had a leak for about a week - except from where the belt loops are stitched into the bag. I think I accidently tugged too hard and at an odd angle when the belt caught on something. (So i don't really count that as a leak - well not one that upsets me anyway)

 

[persephone300]

No, I'm not sure either, but if it's what Nyx is suggesting - I have to do that - otherwise my bag would be about half an inch away from around my stoma and it would constantly leak. I try and push it down as best as I can - but it doesn't still too well because of the position - so I always fill underneath with paste, which acts as a buffer and since doing it has stopped the majority of leaks., but Annawato is right, it makes it more difficult to stick to the skin, and also if you press to hard the paste just spills out, and it ends up blocking my output hole (which is right next to my skin~)

 

[Jaano711]

I use an empty toilet paper roll to push on the bag. One I've applied the bag(1 piece). I use the end of the toilet roll to push on the area inside the ring. It makes my seal stick really well. The other day I didn't have my loo roll, and I discovered the lid of the dansac skin lotion also is the right size for the job. It just seems to work better as iT is applying equal pressure around the area for great adhesion. I haven't had a leak under the seal for ages, touch wood!!

 

[katiesue1506]

That is correct for when applying the flange, I would angle it back so it fit the angle of my peristomal area, for me that was convex.

I also would run my finger once the bag was completely on if I happened to be somewhere and noticed thicker output sitting around the flange. That way I could clear the area and give myself piece of mind that it wasn't going to sit there and lift the flange.

 

[persephone300]

I've got into the habit of clearing the area too, easy when at home, but can't do it when in the middle of meetings it work so easy, and if it's constantly coming out that's when it leaks repetitively. Also if i'm in, say, my mother's company she tells me to "stop playing with it, you'll make it worse", she doesn't really understand the need to clear it out the way despite me trying to explain it. And sees me as being unladylike

 

[annawato]

I don't think anyone really understands unless they have one, though my husband is pretty good having watched me try to change the bag when it was flooding out. He is quite used to me fiddling with it or looking to see what is happening.

 

[Jaano711]

Thought of you this morning Anna. I was changing my kit, and couldn't work out why my foot felt wet. Then I caught that smell, looked down, and discovered miss piggy ha vomited (output ted) all over the bathroom, me and the cupboard. Cleaned it all up, hopped back in the shower and was much better behaved on the 2nd attempt!

 

[annawato]

haha, wel its nice to be known for something.......
And how far did miss piggy spurt out? i've forgotten what the record is - just that its far further than my attempt.
I'm lucky mine doesn't smell toooo much - unless I eat egg or fish (which I hate anyway). I think thats one of the benefits of it being so liquid and having a short bowel, it doesn't have time to hang around inside getting smelly.
Theres always a good side to anything if you look hard enough.

 

[Terriernut]

Janet and Anna, you two are getting to be pros! When you begin to just shrug and get on with it after a mishap, you know you've 'made it' finally!

PS...I don't think think we have a record set in stone here for 'shooting'. It's usually new stomas that are the most misbehaved though. Stan doesn't 'shoot' as good now, nor do I think his aim is all that it used to be, perhaps he needs glasses like his mum?

 

[annawato]

Ohhh glasses, don't start me. I swear I'm getting blinder by the day. Another one of the non benefits of old age. Well young old age. We're not old old yet.