Feeling of wanting to open my bowls

[Dogbot]

Hi all I am new to all this as I had my Stoma as an emergency operation on the 12/1/20 so it has been 4 weeks and yesterday and today I have had the pressure feeling that I need to open my bowls trouble is that when they took the staples out of my operation wound that is about 6inchs long (17 cm) to the young out there, opened up to leave a rather large hole, I have pictures but they are rather gruesome so won’t post, but it means I can’t push or help myself to open my bowls. Question is am I expecting to go to quickly after the op ?

[Tony-LakeDistrict]

Hi Dogbot.

Your stoma does the pushing, I`m afraid you don't have any control over "output", I`ll qualify that, a lot depends on what you eat, but physically no control,

The muscles down below have been removed,but as with a leg that has been removed it feels as though it`s still there.

I had my stoma 30 years ago, but just occasionally I get the feeling that I could do with a good "poo".

It is surprising, how quickly you will get used to your new lifestyle

I wish you the best of luck

Tony

[Dogbot in reply to Tony-LakeDistrict]

Thanks 😊

[Howlinwolf999 in reply to Dogbot]

Hi Dogbot, Tony-LakeDistrict, as a seasoned ostomate, is absolutely right, I had my panprocolectomy in April 2016 and very occasionaly I feel like I want to go even though it is an impossibility. I mentioned it to my stoma nurse and she confirmed that a "phantom poo urge" is not that unusual, just like Tony she compared it to someone who had lost a limb but sometimes "felt" it was still there. A little wierd but knowing it's not unusual you get used to it. Again Tony is correct on the output side of things you have no direct control over it and depending on what you eat and how 'fluid' the output it is a slow seep over time. Important you drink plenty of fluids as you can get dehydrated quite quickly. Downside is output may be watery, I use gelling caps to thicken it up.

Best of luck buddy

[Whilla in reply to Tony-LakeDistrict]

My stoma is still relatively new and i also get the urge when you can pass like a mucus plug not to be gross my stoma nurse this is quite normal the whole thing is a bit weird i am hoping fot a reversal in a couple of months good luck with it all

[raqmc]

it depends on how your bowels work.Do you go regularly or does it take a while for you to go sorry to ask this.

[Dogbot in reply to raqmc]

Because I have cirrhosis I can go 3 or 4 times a day but I definitely go every morning without fail and the doctors want me to go more ( sorry makes for a sore bum 😂)

[Taztarr]

Similarly I've a stoma as a result of an emergency operation last Nov. To me it looked gruesome, was large and elliptical. To be honest it looked more like an open wound, however my stoma nurse told me it looked fine. She visited me 2 or 3 times a week to monitor me changing the bag, give me guidance and monitor the stomas progress. At that time I was changing the bag up to 3 times a day and dusting the stoma with protective powder. Eventually (and suddenly) it started to shrink down and tighten up. Right now its just 25cm, circular, pink and healthy. I wouldn't worry too much about it. If you have a good stoma nurse and treat it will and gently it should pull itself together.

As for the poo reflex I was told that if it happened just to sit on the toilet and see what happens. Do not push! You may produce something. Even after 3 or 4 weeks I did, just a tiny amount. I was told that this was quite normal and even this week I'm getting the occasional poo reflex feelings.

Good luck and treat your stoma well. 👍

[Dogbot in reply to Taztarr]

Thanks Taztarr that’s very reassuring and informative great information

Dogbot