Colostomy Reversal Surgery

[Sandi K]

Hi all. I am a new user here and have found many helpful posts. My husband had emergency surgery for diverticulitis with perforation and leakage. If we had waited any longer he would have died. I may not be the one with the colostomy,but,as I'm sure others realize,spouses and/or family members are also affected. The surgery was performed on 5/20/14. He had problems with the bag sticking,recurring fungal infections,etc. All fixable. I learned a lot,including patience,due to the fact that there was no one who would give me a straight answer...until I talked to a friend who had done in home wound and ostomy care. She told me a few things (the doctors laughed when I told them how I treated the fungal infection) to help with these problems.
He went back to the hospital for the surgery to reverse the colostomy 2 days ago,10/16/14. I was told that between surgery and recovery it would be about 3 hours and they gave me a room number where they would be taking him. They took him in the OR around noon and I waited for the Dr. to come out and talk to me. Four hours later I was beginning to worry. I went up to his room and waited there. No one bothered to contact me regarding anything that was going on. Finally,after 6 hours, I found someone that told me there were complications and I would find him in ICU but they couldn't tell me when. About 7:00 the ICU nurse called my cel to tell me I could see him in 1/2 an hour. He was still pretty out of it and couldn't say too much about anything.
The doctor didn't even come in to see him until after midnight the following day. I received a call from my husband and he put him on the line. He very quickly stated that there had been complications and he had to remove more of the colon. He repeated "no problem,no problem" and hung up the phone! I still have no idea what to expect being his primary caretaker when he comes home.
Now that I'm finished ranting ( thank you) about the horrible way they went about keeping us "in the dark" about everything my questions to anyone who can help are:
1) is it normal to continue on with the reversal after removing even more of his colon?
2) his wound seems quite large,about 3-4 times the size of the stoma and 3-4" deep,why so large?
3) can this complication lead to more complications we should know about?
4) how long of a recovery period should we expect? I do realize it's different with everyone but would appreciate any input from anyone who has experienced this procedure.
5) length of hospital stay?
I should mention that my husband is 56 years old,diabetic (controlled with oral meds) and has a family history of diverticulitis (3 out of 4 siblings) but the reversals were less complicated.
Any advice would be very welcome. Thank You.

[DebEvans]

Hi Sandi,

I, too, had diverticulitis. I can tell you that my surgeon attempted reconnection and I had only about 1/2 of my colon left. Mine didn't work but there were many other things leading up to the final surgery (I had 5 in 12 months) that prevented the successful reconnect.

I'll be praying for a quick recovery for your hubby and strength for you. I hope all goes well.

Deb

[Sandi K]

Thanks,Deb. Everyone I hear from helps. He seems to be feeling better every day. Still in the hospital,but that's to be expected. So sorry it didn't work for you. Five attempts in 12 months and no success,wow,that must have been tough. Thanks again and the best of luck to you. Stay strong.

Sandi

[pccheryle]

Sandi,

I hope that by now your husband is home and on his way to recovery! I had my reversal almost a year ago, and I hope I can help you by telling you what you might expect.
You asked about the huge deep wound....yup, it's a doozy, but my mine healed in 6 weeks. Protein really helps the healing process, so make sure hubby eats lots of protein.
Walking helps get the bowels going, so walk (even if it's just for a few minutes around the house) several times a day.
My bowels were really active...like 12 times a day. I took Metamucil capsules and that helped. I learned that lot's of foods made my bowel work harder...like tomatoes, BBQ sauce, very rich foods.
Your hubby might experience "butt burn". There is a product at Walgreens called Calmoseptine, and that helps alot.
I hope things are going well for you!

[JillEliz]

I'm seeing my surgeon next week to discuss my reversal. In September I had diverticulitis that burst and I became septic and had peritonitis and he did emergency surgery because he said I was about to die. I was shocked to wake up with the bag, but am managing ok now. I'm excited and fearful to have the reversal. I guess in my mind I just assumed he'd go in, do whatever connecting necessary, and I'd be right again. He removed a foot of my sigmoid colon, so I'm hoping there's enough of what I need to reconnect it ok. I do not understand how any kind of colonoscopy can be done if I'm disconnected there?
Are all of these tests and preparations you're all mentioning part of all reversals?

I heard some people use Depends for the beginning because of the uncertainty of when and where you have to go.
What about more weight loss? Does that happen again too?
I was in the hospital 8 days and another 10 in a rehab place before I came home, still with open wounds. Then in home Rx's and pt. will there be all that all over again?

If you have any answers, I'm grateful to hear them. Thanks.

[Maryg59]

I was 57 when I was going through a lot of stress with work and my mom dying, I went to the quick care clinic who said I had diverticulosis, the gave me some antibotics and said I would be fine, but I got sicker and had to go back, they gave me stronger antibotics and said I should go to my primarey doctor, two days later I had my daughter drive me to the doctors because I was so sick, I come to find out my colon was perfrerated an I was septic ..so I was rushed into emergence surgery, I wake up with a ripped opened stomach and a bag on my side, I was in shock...I had lost 35 lbs ( I went from 165 to 130) so I spent the next 7 month gong on you tube to see what I was in for because I wasn't getting help from doctor or nurses, I kept getting the run around
( I was told by all of them to talk to my Ostomy nurse but I never had one ) So I learned on my own...I now had the reversal in June 2017, I haven't felt the same, again not getting answers for the doctors..I use to go poop 4 times a day, now luck to struggle with one a day, I also gained so much weighs and I don't know WHY or how to get rid of it... IF ANONY OUT THERE can help me I would appreciate it ...I am now 58, my stomach looks like a jigsaw puzzle and I have put on more pounds and growing I am up to 175lbs