colostomy for constipation/slow colon motility

does anyone know if they do colostomies or something like that for severe constipation/ slow colon motility problems? I have been dealing with severe issues for years now I have had surgery for hemohroids, fell hysterectomy with pelvis structure repair with rectocele repair and also the starr surgery for oulet dysfuction and still can't seem to have a bm without taking tons of laxatives and enemas... my behind always hurts and my life for 5 years has consisted of going to work (barely making it their due to the pain) and going home and taking a bath and getting in the bed... the weekends I barely can tolerate going to the grocery store ... I really want my life back I have a wonderful husband that wants a wife that can do things with and I have kids that need their mother but the doctors don't seem to understand that I can't live like this anymore, its not fair... everytime I go to the doctor they are like I know what's wrong they do surgery like the starr surgery and then when it doesn't work its like they don't want to admit that it didn't work so they just say take laxatives and fiber well it all that I have lost so much weight I look really sick I am weak all the time I puke every morning and still have severe pain... they just don't get it.... to me the answer seems simple BYPASS all that I will give my left leg to feel better~ will a colostomy help? How do I convince the doctor I can do the laxatives anymore, IT DOESN'T HELP!

I was you two weeks ago. I had no movement in my bowels for forty years. The only way to pass waste was with large Enema but it took 5 of them to make my body work once. Each doctor not knowing what was wrong said I had IBS, mental problems, raped as a child up the butt without knowing it.... I was in bed off and on for 5 years with no life at all . I had Vertigo, vomiting, spasms in my gut and no longer ability to absorb Vitamins , blackouts, could not tolerate heat and started showing signs of stroke with slurred speach and unbalanced walking. I have went to 20 GI doctors over the years. This last doctor a colorectal surgeon said the muscles in my large intestines were not working. This was found after many test.
The surgery I had was called a sub-total colostomy. The doctor removed my large bowel and attached the rectum to the small bowel. What does this mean I have no bag and go to the bathroom like before only less pain. Should I tell you yet that the surgery was done June 10Th. It was a painful recovery for a week and I spent three days in the hospital.
If you need advice start researching doctors in your area to see who is the best and please get a second opinion.

Sunshinefl,

Where in Florida do you live?  I go to the Colon and Rectal Clinic in Orlando and have had all the tests, etc.  I am having biofeedback now for pelvic floor dysfunction, and then am scheduled for the STARR procedure for a large rectocele, and then a colectomy if that is still needed, which the Dr. feels it most likely will be.  Have you had the sitz marker test?  If you flunk that, your surgeon shouldn't be laughing about you having a colectomy!

There are good surgeons out there who will be sympathetic to your problems.  If you live anywhere near Orlando (I live only an hour away) I would suggest you visit them.  If you need a recommendation for a Dr. there, I'd be happy to talk to you more about it.

Janie

Sunshinefl, it sounds like you might need a colectomy (not a colostomy).  It's when they remove your colon and attach your small intestine to your rectum, and it allows you to have bowel movements.  A year ago this coming August, I had a colectomy, and it's been the best thing in my life.  Before surgery, I had a motility disorder (colonic inertia) and couldn't have a bowel movement on my own in a month.  No laxatives or fiber worked for me, and I had problems eating.  My stomach and legs were full of toxins, swollen, and I hurt.

 

I live in Florida, too, and I'm saddened that you've had a difficult time with your doctors.  I had a rectocele surgery exactly a year before my colectomy.  Before my rectocele surgery, I could have bowel movements on my own.  Due to the surgery, I couldn't any longer and suffered until my colectomy.  Primary care doctors, digestive disease clinics, and emergency rooms didn't know how to help me.  They sent me to Emory hospital in Atlanta and they wanted to give me a colostomy bag.  Thank gosh I didn't give in to them.

 

Have you heard of Cleveland Clinic in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida?  They have one of the best colorectal departments in the world, and number 1 doctors in the world, too..  You can make appointments with them, or send them your medical records and they'll try to give you advice thru the mail.  I saw a wonderful doctor there.  His name was Dr. Wexner, and he and his surgeons are the best in my eyes.  Before surgery, I had 8 days of testing and 3 months later I had surgery.  I stayed in the hospital for 9 days and the doctors always came by at least 2-3 times a day to check up on me and my family.  It's a beautiful,caring, and clean facility.  The nurses are kind and I didn't once have a problem while there.  Still, when I have questions, I call them and always within an hour or so, one of the doctors will return my call and answer my questions.

 

You sound as sick and uncomfortable as I was.  Keep pursuing your health until someone listens.  It's frustrating but there are caring doctors available.   I did alot of research on the internet, too.  A colectomy is a difficult and painful surgery, but it's been a godsend for me and my health.  I'm eating healthy, excercising, and enjoying my new body.  Everybody says that I have a spark in my eyes that hasn't been there in awhile..  I hope that you can get the help that you need and deserve..

 

If you have any questions, don't be shy.  I'll try to help you if I can.

 

Butterfly

Sunshine,
My doctor is Dr. Ferrera. I know there are several doctors at the clinic, but he's the one I've seen several times. Who did you see tthere? Did they run all of the tests (sitz marker, defogram, etc)? What did they show?
Butterfly,
I thought of going to Cleveland Clinic, but I live about 3 hours from Ft. Lauderdale and didn't think I wanted to have the surgery so far from home. Are you nearby? Did you have any complications after surgery? I just don't want to have to run back and forth to Ft. lauderdale after surgery. I think I will send them my records though...just for another opinion. Thanks for the information about them.
Also, did you have much of a problem with incontinence after surgery? Sorry for the questions; I'm just scared! LOL

I am doing great after surgery my bowels started working four hours after it was done and they work like a almost normal person. I eat then have to go. For me and my husband it is a wonderful since going has never happened in my life.
You asked if I had rectal pain before and yes I did. It always felt as if I was being torn apart by nail on the inside of my guts. On the outside of my body it felt like I was carry around 30 pounds of extra weight around the midsection. It always hut when I bent or moved. The pain stopped after the surgery.
When I did the Enema's I would not do them all the same day. The doctors wanted to clean out the waste every five days. I would do one a day until by the 10 th day they would start working.

Mcmom~ thanks for the reply I left my email address for janie you are welcome to it also... my biggest fear about a colectomy is all the pain that I have gone through espessially through my rectum from all the laxatives and enemas and straining that that pain will still be there actually still having a bm through my rectum but I am going to talk to my dr about it... I hope he will atleast consider it...

Butterfly,

Did you have an open or lap. surgery?  The Dr. I'm seeing said he would perform the surgery laproscopically. 

I'm really torn about what to do.  I know I won't be having the surgery until after the first of the year--we have so many things planned for the fall, I work at Kennedy Space Center, and we have a new contract starting October 1, so I really dont want to take off until I've been wth the new company for a few months, and I'm going to have my first grandbaby the beginning of December, so I'm going to put the surgery off until at least January...that's the plan anyway.  I'm pretty happy with my Dr. at the Colon and Rectal Center, and his credentials seem very good.  My local gastro Dr. said he's very good.  However, I keep hearing how great the Cleveland Clinic is, and I wonder if it's worth a trip there to talk to them?  At the very least, I'm going to send them my records and see what they think.  I'm really scared about having the surgery--I'm not crazy about having surgery at the hospital in Orlando.  Did you ever consider any other place?  What made you decide on the Cleveland Clinic?  If you were to have a problem now (blockage, etc) would you have to go back there, or would you just go to your local hospital?

Have you lost weight since the surgery?  I've read that some people have lost; others have gained.  I'm ok where I am; like most women I'd love to lose about 10 pounds, but I'm not really overweight....it's just that things have shifted over the years to be sure!!

Janie

 

Thanks for responding. I'm going to keep your email address and get in touch with you soon. We're leaving Tuesday for a 10 day vacation and I've already figured out which nights I'll be able to stay in and poop! Isn't that sad?? LOL

I will definitely be in touch when I get back. Thanks so much for the information. I feel like I really am doing my homework before having this surgery; but it really does sound like it's pretty much luck of the draw when it comes to how each person recovers. I'm very scared, but know I can't live like this forever.

Thanks again, and I'll be in touch.

Janie

Janie~did u receive the response I sent you to your email yesterday? I have been having problems with my email when I hit reply and found out today some people aren't getting my responses.. My husband bought me one of those cell phones where I can email, internet or anything like a minature laptop so that I didn't have to sit at a computer all day and the dang thing doesn't want to send my replies... if u didn't will u please send me your email address again because I didn't save it before I deleted all my emails

Hi Sunshinefl

I also had the STARR and pelvic floor repair.  I am seriously considering a colectomy, but my surgeon will only do a total on me.  so i am in crisis, but cant go on like this as it is ruining my life too.

The crunch came when i had an MRI june 2007 which showed my sigmoid was twisted in two places and lodged inbetween my rectum and vagina.  my surgeon thought, because of my obstructive symptoms, that it should be whipped out, so i agreed. Afterwards the obstruction was gone, BUT straight after, my colon just would not start to work, and hasnt recovered since.  i now take up to 30 senna a day. Fibre is the worse thing ever for a slow bowel. 

Before i had the sigmoid removed, I was able to sort of sufficiently go to the loo about 2x a day, but had to use 2 boxes of glycerin suppositores a day and spend 3 hours on the loo am/pm.  my bum always hurt in the morning and afternoon.  however, the last few months i have been having pain again - i think through the loose stool, plus the rectum can become inflamed - it became inflamed before because of all the assistance i was giving myself with the suppositories and finger etc.  I hope you and i and all of us find peace.

all the best x

Nonna, I've only had a couple of times of constipation since having colectomy surgery last year.  A couple times is enough, because you're right.  I felt bloated and miserable, and it does give you flashbacks of pre-surgery.  Some things that help me go to the bathroom are: eating bunches of purple grapes, eating a couple of pieces of sugar-free chocolate, drinking a coffee cup of warm microwaved prune juice, and eating a small bowl of chili...  I don't know if this list will help you or not, but I really hope that something does.  I understand how frightening not going can be.  I think that I'll always watch my bowel patterns for the rest of my life..

butterfly

To SunshineFl... Here's my story. I feel your pain, I've been there. I finally came to terms with it and had to make a head adjustment.  Hope it helps. 

I’ve suffered from constipation for 15 years and believe me I’ve had my share of depression with that too.  I'm a 53 yr old woman, 125 lbs, 5'7".   I’ve seen enough doctors too, I’ve had all the tests, including the xrays with the markers and the defography. I’ve tried the drugs from the mild laxatives to Zelnorm to Amitiza. Nothing worked.  I’d go as long as 3 weeks before I would have a BM, then I'd give in and then I’d have to take 3 strong laxatives.  Those 3 weeks were painful. Just awful waiting around for something to happen, feeling more and more bloated, not being able to button my pants as the weeks went by. The left side always hurt the most.  Finally I’d give myself an enema and I’d have relief.  This went on year after year. I was miserable and depressed. Four doctors told me I needed to have part of my colon removed due to a motility problem.  Since I had been using the enema all those years, I worried that I was doing serious damage to my colon.  I gave it one more try with another doctor. The 5^th doctor told me if continued to use the enema every day, that it would not hurt me and that I did not need to have part of my colon removed.  Well that was all I needed to hear. I went home and decided I needed to change my thinking.  I had to come to terms with it and accept it and that it was going to be okay. It was going to be a routine like brushing my teeth.  I could deal with it. Other people have a BM every day, well, so was I. Only I was going to do it a little differently.  And it was no big deal.  So now, I don’t wait until I am in pain, I just do it every day (in the morning before my shower).  I get up 30 minutes earlier and I don’t think about it anymore. It’s easy.  It’s actually my quiet time. I’m not depressed anymore and I finally got my life back.