Stoma number three

[UnXmas]

In under a year I've had three stomas. This one came about after emergency middle-of-the-night surgery last week, which I don't remember. I have vague memories of being in Intensive Care. Now I have a massive, but rapidly shrinking, stoma, which all the stoma nurses are telling me looks very healthy and is healing very fast. The surgeon says this one may allow me to eat more fibre than the others did, without getting blockages. I'm not entirely sure why a new stoma was needed; my intestine perforated quite near to the stoma, I think. But whatever, I have a new one. I don't plan on testing its ability to cope with fibre any time soon. I'm just so pleased that this one is working and the output is good (considering the situation).

My surgery was not laproscopic (all my previous surgeries were), and I have a wound from the bottom of my chest right down the very centre of my stomach down to below where your underwear would be, and there's no way to change the bag without changing all the dressings too. When it's a scar, will it matter sticking the bags on scar tissue, does anyone know? I'm assuming not since the stoma nurses don't seem concerned.

On the other side of my stomach I had a drain so I have a wound there too, so I can barely see any stomach at all now. :tongue:

I'm hoping this stoma will live a lot longer than the previous two!

 

[Absentminded]

I never had any issues with sticking my baseplate over my midline scar. I used convex two piece baseplates and never experienced any problem. If you find it's an issue, maybe the new coloplast bags might be worth a try.

When I initially had my surgery I was told to stick the baseplate over the staples holding my incision together and then the dressing would go around it but not stuck down on that side, that way the whole dressing didn't have to be removed each time. Does that make sense?

Fingers crossed that this Stoma works well for you and isn't quite as sensitive as the previous one. Great that it's working and your output is ok, hope you continue to improve.

 

[2thFairy]

My bag goes right over the incision line and hasn't affected the scar. I also have the long vertical scar.

Sounds like you are off to a good start with this one!

 

[UnXmas]

I spoke too soon-had a terrible night. I spiked a fever over 40, stoma went out of control and burst about six times, and I lost feeling down one side.

 

[Susan2]

Are you at home or still in hospital? How are things now? Do you have any infection around the perforated bowel area?

It probably doesn't help much, but my GI once said to me: "Don't expect your improvement to be an uninterrupted upward trajectory. There will be ups and downs but the important thing is that the general trend is upwards."

 

[UnXmas]

still in hospital and will be for some time. Turns out my TPN central line was infected with the candida fungus. Removing the line somehow triggered the release of a load of it... or something.

 

[2thFairy]

still in hospital and will be for some time. Turns out my TPN central line was infected with the candida fungus. Removing the line somehow triggered the release of a load of it... or something.

Geez louise!!

 

[cleuger]

I hope things work out for you thats great that hopefully this one will work better for you. Ive never heard of getting a fungus infection in a pic line I ve had several of those thats an interesting bit of information.

 

[If*]

Hi UnXmas, just had seen this and wanted to send some love your way. You will be in my thoughts and I will be sending you the best good vibes I can.

Get better soon! Stay strong chic I am cheering for a fast recovery for you!

 

[UnXmas]

I hope things work out for you thats great that hopefully this one will work better for you. Ive never heard of getting a fungus infection in a pic line I ve had several of those thats an interesting bit of information.

Is a pic line the same as a central line?

 

[If*]

I am pretty sure a picc is in the arm and a central is in the chest??

Are you feeling better today? Hope so.

 

[Fififluff]

A pic line us in the arm, much smaller than a central line if I remember correctly and can be removed much easier. Hope u are improving.

 

[UnXmas]

I definitely had a central line and it was in my neck. (Looks like I've been bitten by a vampire now!) Central lines have to be put in with an anaesthetist in surgery, or mine did anyway.

I had TPN once before, just for one day, and that was in my arm. There was talk of doing that again this time when the central line came out - I was planning to absolutely refuse it, but thankfully they changed their mind. I have a cannula in my arm which was going to be for the TPN but is now being used for my IV anti-fungals. Not sure what a pic line is - not a term they use in the hospitals here.

I think I'm getting better. Not much improvement in the paralysis/weakness today though, compared to the improvements the previous couple of days. Can't wait to finish the treatments and the testing and retesting and know the infection's gone.

 

[cleuger]

We'll I hope u feel better you've have a rough time. I now know the difference between a pic line an central line. I know you must be sick of hospitols by now. Take. Care!!

 

[UnXmas]

ok - so here's what a PICC line is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peripherally_inserted_central_catheter

and a central line: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_venous_catheter

so a PICC line is a type of central line, but not the type I had.

 

[FruitLoop]

I'm on my 3rd stoma - 1st was an emergency after a resection led to peritonitis. 2nd was an emergency after a resection led to peritonitis, 3rd resection also led to peritonitis but surgeon made a surgical fistula in the hope it would heal - it was joined by 15 more abdominal fistulas! So I got a permanent stoma as it was too risky to attempt another resection - all my surgeries have been full slice all the way so I am one big mass of scar tissue but my bags stick - I just use paste and flange extenders.

 

[UnXmas]

I'm on my 3rd stoma - 1st was an emergency after a resection led to peritonitis. 2nd was an emergency after a resection led to peritonitis, 3rd resection also led to peritonitis but surgeon made a surgical fistula in the hope it would heal - it was joined by 15 more abdominal fistulas! So I got a permanent stoma as it was too risky to attempt another resection - all my surgeries have been full slice all the way so I am one big mass of scar tissue but my bags stick - I just use paste and flange extenders.

That's a lot of fistulas!