Ileostomy and needing the toilet

[Davidevans2112]

Hi-
So, for the first 10 weeks or so after my op I had very little in the way of feeling like I needed a bowel movement...I was passing some mucus and stuff which settled down quickly but the last few days I'm passing small mucus-y blobs and feel like I really need to strain to pass something (which obviously isn't there). Does anyone experience this? I suppose it's still only about 3 months post op so is still settling, perhaps. Just wondering.

 

[DJW]

Is your ostomy working properly? Any pain?
My concern would be a blockage (partial) at the stoma. Give the ostomy nurse a call. Better safe than sorry.

 

[Davidevans2112]

Yeah it seems to be working fine...the output I'd generally quite thick and no pain so I doubt it's a blockage. If there was any blockage I'd surely have pain or watery output...?

 

[DJW]

Yes. It could be because its quite think.

 

[Davidevans2112]

Oh really? It's just the consistency I was told to aim for...like toothpaste.

 

[DJW]

It's still new. In my case when things slow up to much it feels like I need to go. Can you give your stoma nurse a call.

 

[2thFairy]

Did you have part or all of your rectum removed, or is this a temporary diverting ileostomy? I have a rectal stump that will go into spasms and gives me the urge to strain, though I only pass mucus. For me this is normal.

 

[Davidevans2112]

Spoke to my stoma nurse- this is ordinary, even expected. No worries.

 

[nogutsnoglory]

Yeah, colon doesn't realize it's not in use so it sheds dead cells. Totally normal and not to worry.

 

[UnXmas]

My first stoma was a loop ileostomy, and my rectum was sill connected. With this type of ileostomy, it's still possible for gas and stool from further up the digestive tract to bypass the stoma and pass out of the rectum. This began happening to me after my stoma retracted, and I ended up needing it surgically corrected. I've since needed a further surgery and now have an end ileostomy and my rectum is completely disconnected from the rest of my digestive tract.

If you have an ileostomy but your rectum is still connected, it actually is possible that you could need to go to the toilet in the normal way, and that can signify a problem, especially if you're already passing mucus - are you passing gas as well? Have you noticed any changes in the appearance of your stoma? This long after your surgery, things should have settled down, not be developing. Do you know if your rectum is connected our not? If you don't know, you might want to ask your doctor for the details of your surgery. But even if your rectum is still connected, it can produce mucus and spasm, as said above, and this can be normal. Just keep an eye out for any further changes.

 

[Davidevans2112]

Thanks,
No, there's no gas and the stoma looks the same. The change hasn't een drastic or anything like that. As said above, I described this to the stoma nurse and she's not concerned at all.

 

[vonfunk]

I had an end ileostomy for about 3 years, and then a loop for 6 months. I would ignore the feeling of having to go for as long as possible and it would eventually disappear, and then maybe once or twice a month I would actually go and pass mucus.
I would try to ignore the feeling it will most likely pass.