Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum. ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.
Gastroenterology Community
This forum is for questions regarding Gastroenterology issues such as Acid Reflux (GERD), Barretts Esophagus, Colitis, Colon/Bowel Disorders, Crohn's Disease, Diverticulitis/ Diverticulosis, Digestive Disorders, IBS, Stomach Pain.
Colostomy reversal
by kcmomof3, Jan 30, 2008 10:17AM
I have a 13 year old son who had a colostomy reversal 3 years ago. Luckily he only had to have the colostomy bag for 6 months. (which seemed like an eternity) After the reversal, we had to watch his diet, make sure he got lots of fiber, etc. Ever since the reversal, he has had lots of stomach problems, including pain near the incision site, constipation, stomach aches, excessive gas, and belching. I have asked the doc about this many times, and they say there is nothing wrong. He has even been to the ER a few times with terrible stomach pain. They have done CT scans, x-rays, etc. and just tell me that he is constipated, which seemed strange to me because he has very regular (almost like clockwork) bowel movements. I try to make sure that he gets lots of water, and push the fruits veggies as much as possible. If anyone has any suggestions, or has experienced these things, any advice would be much appreciated!
Post Comment
One way to check the anastomosis is through colonoscopy. You might ask your son's gastro doc about that. In some lucky people, the process of moving the scope through the area of intestine can break up the scar tissue, open up the intestine, and there are no further problems. Obviously you aren't going to get this problem treated effectively through the ER. All they can do is get him stabilized and discharge him and tell him to follow up with his own physician. I agree with you that constipation alone is not the problem; constipation is a symptom. Start with a gastro doc or even consult with the surgeon who did the original colostomy and reversal. Bring along copies of lab work, test reports and even the CT and xray films. You can request these from the hospital in person.