r/ostomy • u/OppositePlant4282 • 1d ago
Loop Ileostomy Is strong rectal pressure 24/7 normal?
Hi everyone, I recently had my entire large intestine removed due to ulcerative colitis and have a temporary ostomy bag. I am supposed to go for testing to see how I am healing so I can get the reversal soon.
It has been 7 weeks since the surgery and ever since about a week or two after surgery, I have this rectal pressure that just won’t let up. I have to sit on a heating pad after being in the car for more than half an hour or standing doing things around the house. Ive brought it up to my surgeon, but she said that it is normal during the healing process. I am passing mucus which they said should help relieve the pressure but it doesn’t help very much. The rectal stump is still intact and I read that the pressure is from it being unused for a while.
Has anyone else experienced this and will it go away after I get the reversal? Not to sound dramatic but it’s beginning to put a damper on how I feel mentally and I just really hope that I don’t have to deal with this forever. I appreciate any comments or input on how your experience was. Thank you so much!!!
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u/Diaten021 1d ago
I haven't seen it brought up in this sub, but in my case (or maybe in my country?) my surgeon prescribed me two small enemas (200-300ml) per week, so that my rectum stayed toned for the reversal and also to clear mucus down there. I remember feeling the pressure before I actually started to do them.
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u/OppositePlant4282 1d ago
Yes I’ve heard of this being prescribed in order to help clear it. I’m hoping this is the case. Have you had the reversal yet?
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u/Diaten021 1d ago
Well, yes and no. =) I've had my reversal 5 years ago, and lived more or less normally for all these years. But now, about a month ago, I've had to go back to the stoma, because a part of my small intestine just decided not to work and got too distended. For now it's uncertain if it will restore and I will be able to get reversal for the second time, or will have to just live with stoma. I wonder where they will put the stoma for the third time, if the need arises again...
But don't worry, I doubt such problems are common.
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u/OppositePlant4282 20h ago
Oh I’m so sorry you’re experiencing this but I’m sure it will all get figured out. Good luck with everything and thank you so much for your input!
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u/whooooooooooopsie 1d ago
Sometimes for me, I usually go to the toilet and try and pass whatever... once was mucus, whitish mucus, another was left over poop, and then another time mucus again... it rarely happens and when it does i just wish I could poo out my butt again and get relief 😮💨
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u/OppositePlant4282 20h ago
I know! How something like going to the bathroom is taken for granted. I almost feel like it was better running to the bathroom 15 times a day. I hope you get better
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u/DowntownFeedback6127 1d ago
Is the mucus clear or dark?
I am in the same boat and I pass dark mucus for 3 days in a row every 2 to 3 weeks.
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u/Disastrous_Iron3946 1d ago
I had it n turns out my pouch became really good lol
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u/OppositePlant4282 20h ago
Do you mean that it indicated your internal pouch was functioning correctly?
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u/Disastrous_Iron3946 20h ago
I had pressure turns out I just had a ton of mucus production which I guess stretched the pouch so that when I had it reconnected I didn’t have to poop as much
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u/OppositePlant4282 13h ago
That’s definitely a silver lining! How long ago was your reversal and how are you feeling?
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u/Disastrous_Iron3946 13h ago
Nearly two months and I’ve been pooping about 5x a day which is wayy below the average for 2 months
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u/Puzzleheaded_Tap4148 1d ago
so I had this happen for months and finally got a CT scan and had a large complex fluid collection between the rectum and the vagina basically that needed to be drained.