3 weeks after surgery .... What to expect?

My surgery was originally scheduled for 4 weeks ago but was postponed due to low hemaglobin and iron levels as well as a high pulse rate. After blood and iron transfusions, the surgery went ahead 3 weeks and 2 days ago.

After surgery, the permanent ileostomy wasn't working properly and I had a distended stomach that caused me constant hiccups as well as some vomitting. A tube was inserted through my nose into the stomach to relieve the diistention - the tube going in was a horrible experience! This meant I did not start eating solid foods for 9 days after surgery. Due to UC, I had lost 20kg in weight by the time of surgery and the delay in eating after surgery undoubtedly saw me leave hospital with even less weight.

I have now been home for the past 11 days and today is 3 weeks and 2 days since surgery.

I've not had any issues with leaks, the stoma looks healthy, the output is consistent in thickness (not watery), and the quantity of output is as expected (empty 5-6 times a day).

However, I'm not exactly sure what to expect in relation to the following:

1. I have noticed a sharpish / stabbing like pain when the stoma is active (releasing stool). This does not happen all the time but can be persistent. It only occurs when the stoma is active.

2. When I walk there is a tight feeling in the area around the stoma.

3. If I press the area around the stoma it is hard and tender. This is a complete ring around the stoma. No bulge. I assume this is swelling of the abdominal wall?

4. Finally, I am quite tired each day even though I have a nap or two every day.

Any shared experiences related to these things would be appreciated.

I think a lot of what you describe is normal. I Had firmness behind that area too when I had the stoma. I don't know exactly why. It literally felt like there was a board behind there. Now I am reconnected and there is no firmness, it feels perfectly normal again.

I wonder if you have some tiny amount of seeping into a wound that is causing #1. In the early phases, I had a good seal, but I had a lot of sharp pain, I think because I was doing too much too soon. I ended up with what sort of looked like a cut right at the edge of the stoma. Every time I moved it hurt and felt tight, stung... the worst was when I tucked the pouch into my pants and it felt like it was pulling down, causing the sore area to hurt and feel worse. I stopped tucking in the pouch for a while and took it easy and everything healed up nicely.

Right after surgery is a weird time. I had a lot of weird pains. I remember I had one pain whenever I stretched my leg a certain way. It was in my crotch area. So odd and uncomfortable. It went away after a short time thankfully.

I am always tired too, but I always was - even before surgery. You should try to keep very hydrated as a general rule with an ostomy.