Hello Everyone!
I've been lurking for a while and this is my first post. I've had issues with constipation for years, but last fall, I stopped being able to go to the bathroom AT ALL, even with medications. I've tried every medication under the sun and gone to countless doctors to no relief whatsoever. Even dulcolax suppositories, which used to give me some relief, only result in stool less than the size of a hot dog
I basically get a colonic once a week to get rid of stool, and surviving the last few days of each week is hell. I eat like a linebacker, or did before, so it's been difficult to function normally with pounds of "stuff" in my belly, to say the least. Sparing you all the details of my many tests and procedures, I've been diagnosed with pelvic floor dysfunction, but in the sense that I HAVE very little sensation in my rectum, not in the sense that I actually have dyssenergia. I've done 8 weeks or biofeedback therapy but still have not regained sensation in my rectum. I've also been diagnosed with slow-transit constipation. My surgeon has decided that I would do best with a total colectomy with ileo-rectal anastomosis. The plan is that the first surgery with be for a temporary ileostomy (to see how I fare with it), and the second surgery will be to get the colon removed and reconnected to the rectum. The hope is that during the time I have the ostomy, my rectum will not be stressed with suppositories, I'll be able to sleep better, exercise, do some more biofeedback, and hopefully regain sensation in my rectum. I know people usually get the colon removed in the first surgery and THEN get the ileorectal anastomosis, but my surgeon (at Johns Hopkins), feels that it won't be a problem to get the colon removed and the ileorectal anastomosis at the same time. Here is my concern (among the many I have and will probably post later): I've had a lot of irritation to my colon from the medications and laxatives over the years, and my colon is basically acting like it has colitis. My question is, if I get the first surgery-the temporary ileostomy- and still have my colon in me (but of course with no food passing through), would I still be experiencing irritaion/pain/gas in the colon like I do now? Any help/thoughts/links to similar posts is much appreciated! Thank you all for being such a wonderful community as I gather my information!