Posted 8/6/2007 3:09 PM (GMT 0)
Depending on how far you have to move it, it may or may not be possible. I too am unhappy with my stoma placement.
I had a stoma for 17 years that was in the perfect spot and because of disease my surgeon said they would have to move it to the other side. When I asked him if we could mark the spot I want, he said no, just tell him and he'll move it there.
Well, the spot is too high (At the waistband of my jeans), and too far to the center. Ufortunately it's too close to the spot that I wanted it, so moving it would be almost impossible not to mention another major surgery which I'm not ready for.
It drives me crazy that these surgeons don't bother to think about the impact this surgery has on our lives. We have to live with this for life (most of us) and we have to have a life. "Placing Stomas" should be a continuing education class that all surgeons should attend, and it should be taught by an ET nurse, with patients showing how hard it is to live with and pictures.
Have you talked to your surgeon, and is he willing to relocate it? Will you be using a different surgeon? Have you reviewed your surgical notes from the surgery to see if anything was mentioned regarding physical reasons that they had to put the stoma where it is, you may want to find out about that.
Good luck, you're brave to want to go through another major surgery to have it moved, however if you can't lead a normal (meaning normal for you, normal clothes, etc.) life, I understand your need to do it.