An ileostomy can cause marked changes in the way you go through life. You also may wonder how in the world recovery is going to go. If you’ve decided to get an ileostomy, you may wonder what life is like. Luckily though, there are doctors that ensure healthy recovery as well. It is possible to go back to normal life as quickly as you think it will be, but it does take a bit of time to get adjusted, so it may take a bit longer.
What are Ileostomies?
These are when you have a part of your ileum, or small intestine, pulled out via the abdominal wall, and of course, the fecal matter leaves there, usually via a pouch. These are done when the digestive tract has been badly hurt by inflammatory conditions or colon cancer, and Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. This can be painful and debilitating, but ostomies help to relieve this.
You also may get a BCIR, which is an intestinal reservoir, where a part of your ileum is then formed into a place where the stool collects, and from there is drained in the same way as the bodily cavity does. There aren’t any tools needed for this, and it can also be a good way to restore normal bowel movement. These can be both temporary and permanent, depending on what you’re treating, and how bad the disease is.
Usually, you’re going to be in the hospital with this for three days, or up to about a week or so. You will be on an all liquid diet for a bit, until you’re able to handle those foods which are solid. During that point, nurses usually talk about what living with the stoma will entail.
What to Expect?
Full recovery can take about two or so months. You may need to change a few things that are a part of your daily routine. You may wonder what you can eat. Before you go and grab the fibrous foods, eat low fiber options since it’s better to prevent gas. Whole grains, dairy, nuts, fatty foods, and anything that’s fried will cause this. You want foods that’ll thicken up the stool and offer better digestion, and also drink a lot of water since in a lot of cases, you’re not going to get as much from this as you would if you still had a normal system.
What about exercise? Workouts including lifting and heavy movement aren’t recommended early on. The doctor will inform you of when you can do these things again, but it’s best if you do a walk daily to help with blood flow and helping to stimulate this. You also should be mindful of the stoma and wear an ostomy belt to help prevent injury once you do this again. Finally, there is pouch care. Your nurse will tell you how to do this, and they also will help you figure out how to order the supplies necessary.
With this, you’ll learn how to take care of the stoma, and also how to monitor for changes in the stoma, especially in the skin that’s around the opening. In a lot of cases, if you notice there’s excessive inflammation, you’ll want to reach out to your doctor, since it’ll help with irritation through treatment using various products.
As for smells which aren’t pleasant, you can buy air filters that are good to help with this. When it comes to care, it’s pretty straightforward, but always be mindful for the complications which may happen following this surgery as well.
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