Ileostomy in one week - terrified

[Hellcat]

I am about to have an ileostomy. I am also having a gracilis flap which is a transplant of muscle and tissue into my rectum. I have alot of perianal disease and recto vaginal fistulae so am needing to replace the tissue the surgeons will be removing. Has anyone else had this kind of surgery? I am scared but I know I have to do this. I am on countdown now - 7 days tomorrow. I am looking forward to putting this behind me. I have suffered with Crohns for 30 years and have spent lots of time in hospital with obstructions, various surgery involving bowel re-sections, inserting setons, lancing abscesses and trying to fix fistulae but this to me is the BIG operation. Everyone always says how wonderful this will make me feel but at the moment I feel so many emotions - scared, depressed, angry.

 

[Samboi]

Good luck Hellcat.
Hope it all goes well for you.
Fingers crossed you are liberated by your stoma.
They take awhile to settle etc - but you will get there.

 

[DJW]

Hi. Perfectly normal to feel this way prior to surgery. Sending you my support and best wishes for successful surgery.

 

[nogutsnoglory]

It is scary and a definite lifestyle change but it will give your body a chance to really heal itself. I have a love/hate relationship with my stoma now. I'm happy I'm not shitting my clothes daily but I don't like having a bag. It's a process we all go through. We are here fit you. Best of luck with the op.

 

[CrazyCrohnieKatie]

I just had the same exact surgery done. Minus the rectum part. I had my whole large colon removed and got an ileostomy, I have a recto vaginal fistula and perianal disease as well.I am one week out of surgery and feel amazing!! The first couple days are hard trying to get your bowels to wake up and what not, but I was eating anything I wanted the day after surgery. The ileostomy is gonna take some time to get used to, but you will love it. Your body will love you for giving it a break. Just relax and think about all the things you will be able to do. Just think of the positive outcome of things. Good luck and keep us updated on how things go.

 

[UnXmas]

I just got out of hospital from having an ileostomy (I'd already had my colon removed some years ago). I had complications following the surgery so my hospital stay was a lot longer than planned and my recovery has been hard - especially the eating as my digestive system became paralysed temporarily as a reaction to the surgery (this is a rare complication). But now I feel human again - even if it's taken some weeks longer than I expected to reach this point - and I am loving having a stoma. Looking after it is so so easy compared to what I used to go through when I was going to the toilet the normal way.

Having surgery is always terrifying, but you will come out the other side, life will go back to normal again - hopefully an easier and healthier life than you've had before.

 

[Hellcat]

Thanks everyone for your replies and support. 2 Days to go now. (Hospital tomorrow for tests and stomal therapist to site my stoma) Stay overnight and Wednesday 7am it is. Feeling a bit more steady just breathing deep and trying to focus on the positive outcome.

 

[nogutsnoglory]

It's great that you sought info and support beforehand so you have a better idea of what to expect. Best of luck for a successful surgery.

 

[fazell72]

I am interested to hear how your surgery for the gracilis flap repair went - I ve just been told I ll be having this done in the next few months. - any advice much appreciated. Thank u