Irrigation with Parastomal Hernia

A forum devoted to "Irrigation" - a procedure that may be helpful for some people with left-sided colostomies.
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Rasputin
Posts: 20
Joined: 2015-04-28 18:00:51

Irrigation with Parastomal Hernia

Post by Rasputin »

I was doing so well with irrigation, until I developed a parastomal hernia. I guess I am prone to them, as I had one large and several small hernias repaired away from my stoma, doc said I looked like Swiss cheese. I have a lot of mesh in me.

Getting to the point, irrigation has become difficult and frustrating with the hernia. When I get back pressure, I often spring a leak with my barrier (using Hollister two piece system). When I am able to get a full 2 liters of water in, I get very little in the way of solid returns. Some days are better then others. It is rare I get through 24 hours without output (I used to be able to use a bag for several days).

Talking with two WOCNs at our local UOAA meeting, they were not surprised I had difficulty, but were surprised my surgeon was still letting me irrigate. I've seen the surgeon a couple time since the hernia presented, and he encouraged me to continue irrigating. We don't want to operate as I have no pain at the present. Hernia is softball size.

Anyone here have any experience/tips/tricks/empathy/guesses on any changes I could make to improve my results? It is so frustrating some days I just don't bother.

TIA,
Chuck
'07 CRC sigmoid, resect., NED
Nov. '14 it's back
Apr. '15 APR, perm. colostomy
Murph00
Posts: 175
Joined: 2014-01-24 14:16:12

Re: Irrigation with Parastomal Hernia

Post by Murph00 »

Hey Chuck,
I had a similar issue with infusing. My hernia is also the size of a softball. I found that by pressing in or manipulating the area to the upper left of my stoma I could feel a bend in the colon. When I press on it I can feel and sometimes hear a little pop which opens up the colon allowing the water to pass. I then have to point the tip of the cone slightly upwards and left to allow free flow. You may want to feel around your stoma and see if you can move the colon around a bit to help.
My surgeon was ok with me irrigating.
2 litres of water sounds like a lot to take in. Have you tried reducing the amount to limit back pressure? I used to do 2 @ 1500 but lately I've been doing one @ 1000 and getting the same 24hr plus results.

Hope this helps,
Murph
Testicular Ca 2007
IV Colorectal Ca 2011
Colostomy 2011
Irrigation 2014
Lung resection x2 2012,17
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Jimbob
Posts: 3591
Joined: 2007-06-18 17:40:16

Re: Irrigation with Parastomal Hernia

Post by Jimbob »

Try laying on your back for a while before irrigating. Gravity will tend to get the hernia back into position. Might help. Hernias are the Bane of a colostomates existence.
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ot dave
Posts: 2119
Joined: 2010-03-04 19:26:19

Re: Irrigation with Parastomal Hernia

Post by ot dave »

I had the same issues you are having this time last year. Happened after a colonoscopy when I think they moved my colon into a position that it wasn't in before the test.
Anyway, I tried everything I could think of to get my irrigation to work from drinking more, eating before hand, standing up, etc. I finally found that if I set the snooze on my alarm clock, and then laid on my back, like JimBob suggested, for around 10-15 minutes, the hernia would retreat, and then I was able to get into the bathroom and irrigate before gravity took over and starting "pressing" the pipe closed. Give that a try and see if it helps. Again, you want to try and get the water in before gravity wreaks its havoc!

Hope that helps.

David
stage III rectal CA 12/08 - colostomy 3/09
"Gatoring since 2010"
Psalms 91:2
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Rasputin
Posts: 20
Joined: 2015-04-28 18:00:51

Re: Irrigation with Parastomal Hernia

Post by Rasputin »

Thanks for all the replies. Doc stuck his finger in and said it is on the left side. I tried pushing much harder on that side this morning, and water flowed well. Doc had told me to aim the cone that way. He also said I could insert a finger first to open things up, I'll buy gloves soon and try.

I lay on my back on the couch normally, maybe tomorrow I'll set up irrigation with warmer water and take a short break before beginning. Mirilax and drinking more water might help, too? Still not much in the way of solid returns.

I'll keep you posted. I'm 59 today.
'07 CRC sigmoid, resect., NED
Nov. '14 it's back
Apr. '15 APR, perm. colostomy
newsueinWI
Posts: 29
Joined: 2015-02-01 15:39:47

Re: Irrigation with Parastomal Hernia

Post by newsueinWI »

I haven't logged on for awhile but glad I did today. I also have about a softball size hernia. My surgeon is totally fine with me still irrigating. She even called the ostomy nurse to confirm. I've been irrigating about 1 year. Past few weeks, 1 time per week I have just enough liquid output to fill the stoma cap and leak out the filter. Leaves a nice stain through my undies, compression undies, and clothes. It ain't just water (Grr LOL) I think it may be hernia related. I try to reduce my hernia before I get out of bed. Have no problem getting the water in, pretty good results. I do 1000 cc, 15 minutes, then 500 cc for 10-15 minutes. Shower, finish getting ready, so total 75-90 minutes before I change the sleeve. About 30-60 minutes later I get the watery output. Have decreased my eating trying to loose some chemo weight. Maybe too much water I was thinking. Probably more the hernia it sounds like.

Most days pretty darn good so I won't stop, just hate the days it tells me who is in charge.

Sue
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steiconi
Posts: 1114
Joined: 2015-05-18 03:12:03

Re: Irrigation with Parastomal Hernia

Post by steiconi »

I was having trouble with leaky filters (seems it was a bad batch; Convatec sent new ones and the problem stopped).

While struggling with the leaks, I would stick a "light days" lady pad on the inside of my clothing over the filter (absorbent part facing the pouch, sticky part stuck to inside of undies). That absorbed the leak and saved my clothes.
Lee

I am not my disease.
Janpan
Posts: 1
Joined: 2020-08-12 23:08:43

Re: Irrigation with Parastomal Hernia

Post by Janpan »

I'm so glad all of you are discussing this. My hernia is new, and I'm so frustrated that my irrigation is no longer going as smoothly as it had been! I usually feel full with pressure after irrigating, and don't feel like moving around much. So a great deal of time during my day is shot.
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