Getting Comfortable After Ileostomy Surgery

Ulcerative colitis gone wild here. Fed up and seeing a surgeon on monday about a total proctocolectomy with permanent ileostomy and I have a few questions for you folks.

I find myself living in an easy chair lately and wonder what will be most comfortable with a healing butt wound. We have some slightly "stiffer" recliners in the house but my wife and I have talked about buying a cushy new recliner since I've read sometimes it may be more comfortable while I heal to sleep in a recliner. Any thoughts?

If you didn't find a big chair like this comfortable what worked for you to get comfortable? One of those inflatable butt rings? Cold packs? Warm packs?

I'm SOOO ready for this surgery! Any basic advice for myself or my wife?

Thanks! I'm sure this won't be the last you hear from me.

Brent

I'd suggest propping yourself on either side with pillows and angling your lower half to the side. It'll keep your cheeks closed and allow the stitches to heal well. I think anything that takes the pressure off your bum is the best thing.

I have a permanent ileo but my doctor didn't want to close off my anus, stating it was a difficult and oftentimes pointless procedure. I was fine with that since it doesn't bother me to pass mucous from time to time.

Good luck with everything!

I spent most of my time at home on the couch, lying on my side- the butt it definitely the most sore of the surgeicl sites, if your surgeon opts to close it. Sitting up was a joke- your abdomen is really tender for a good 3 weeks. I'd have to roll over to my side, & sort of push myself up with my arms. Lowering myself to the toilet to pee was rough too- if you can get a comfort height toilet, do so! I took lots of sitz baths too, 2-3 a day, for a few weeks. Funny enough, sitting in the hard tub didn't bother my butt like sitting for any legth of time on a soft chair. You'll have to change position often too, if your rectum is removed and closed. It took a while to heal, a good 6-9 months to feel like myself again. But so worth it, UC is a distant bad memory- I haven't felt as good, or been as active, in the past 15 or so months since I was much younger & healthier.

I found it very difficult to sit much at all....pillow or not....for the first week or so after having my back side sewn shut. Even after that, I wouldn't sit for more than a few minutes at a time for a couple weeks. I also had pillows in every place I might need to sit or lay! When on the couch, I found it best to put a pillow in one of the corners and then kind of ease down on to my side, using the arm to lean on so I didn't have to by laying down all the time but could still keep all pressure off my backside. When I had to ride in the car, I would lay the seat way back and use my legs to push up and take some pressure off of my rear....and even when I had to drive I would push up with me left leg to lift my butt of the seat a bit. All said and done, it was unpleasant but well worth it, and I was back to all normal activities in 6-8 weeks, but your mileage my vary. Good luck!

Oh, and I had my surgeries separately....proctocolectomy with end ileostomy first, then almost 2 years late had the anal stump removed and was all sewn up.