bad frustration!!

jewel · Silver Member Joined: 30 Oct 2002 Posts: 285

It’s been almost half of a year now since I fight this bad frustration I have. It’s that I was diagnosed with colon cancer about 8 months ago I had a surgery which result turned out to be ileostomy. Now I’m being really bad frustrated for this bag I have to carry all the time around. And I don’t know how to help myself I stil haven’t managed to cope with this really bad frustration I have! So help me someone with some good advice, please! Thanks.

trebilcock · Newbie Joined: 01 Jun 2005 Posts: 13

Here I come with ileostomy reversal. I know how you must be feeling for I’ve suffered from the exact same bad frustration. I was in the same “trouble” you’re in now for I got almost my entire colon removed and also woke up after the surgery with that ugly beg that I carried on around for 7 years almost. And during all that time I suffered from bad frustration that was really harsh to cope with. Actually I’ve never managed to cope with it until I decided to have ileostomy reversal no matter what. And when I turn around now I see I was that bed frustrated for 7 years and enough is enough. I went to see my doc and fortunately I had some colon left just enough for reversal. And I did it and it’ll be now almost 3 years that this ileostomy reversal made my bad frustration disappear. I walk around “normally” now and am able to do anything I want and the most important thing that my bad frustration is gone for good.

Borelli · Newbie Joined: 03 Jul 2008 Posts: 4 Location: na

I had colon cancer and lost my entire large intestine and rectum. I have a bag for two years. My hospital provided psychological counselling for free. Cancer and chemotherapy changes the chemicals in your brain. Medication and counselling made me feel good again. Because my mother has had a bag for 45 years, I couldn't feel sorry for myself but grateful to be alive. Plus I have the option to have my ileostomy reversed, my mother didn't. Now she is 92 years old, I am 66. But now I worry about what life will be like after the reversal and want to talk to people about how my life will change. I cope very well with the bag but I fear that after the reversal I will always need to be close to a toilet. Some say it took years for the "J" pouch (false rectum) to stretch and hold large amounts of waste. Some say the best to expect is bowel movements 10 times a day. Are they evenly spaced throughout the day? Do they occur shortly after eating? Will I awake in the middle of the night? How many times? I talked to people who had ulcerated colons and also had the large intestine and rectum removed. They are different. They had to go to the bathroom 30 times a day before surgery. Now they only go 10 times a day. For them, this is an improvement in the quality of their life. For me, going to the bathroom 10 times a day would be a hardship because I retired last year and my wife and I want to travel the back roads of the USA. I fear that the only way I could do that is to have a motorhome so I have a toilet with me all the time. With my bag, it would be easier and can not decide whether to keep my bag or reverse the ileostomy. Can I help you with answers to your questions? Can you help me with my questions? With love and best wishes to all. Frank (fborelli@msn.com)

bad frustration!!

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