Irrigation with a hernia

[sassie]

Wondering if anyone has had this issue..

I have a hernia right under my stoma and when i irrigate it seems the area gets so big, I got scared after 5 trys and stopped and went back to milk of mag..

Last week i tryed irrigating again and still had that same issue, no i have not had the hernia scanned and if i do not irrigate all seems okay.

The reason i'm trying irrigating is before the surgery i had trouble pooping and sense the surgery i have the same issue, unless i take milk of mag. no output, they told me Oh you will find your sweet spot, well 9 months out no sweet spot, i like that i can control when i poo but at the same time i worry what could happen if milk of mag. stopped working.

I take milk of mag, mon,wed.fri. so thought hummm use the same days to irrigate...should i ignore the bloated tummy or could i be hurting something...

[steiconi]

I irrigated with a hernia and had no problems, but every hernia is different. When mine poked out during irrigation, I just pushed it back in.

Maybe you could support yours during irrigation with a compression garment or hernia belt.

[Jimbob]

I would recommend that you see a doctor.

[sassie]

I tryed it again today and it did not get huge, not alot of water came back so i did another 1000cc and that came back ok, so maybe i just need to try again in a couple days, thanks for replies....I read if the water don't come back i probably am dehydrated ...

sassie

[Murph00]

Mine is the size of a grapefruit so its always bulged out. I have to push it in with my left hand and point the cone to the left with my right hand while infusing to find the sweet spot. You won't hurt anything by pressing in and moving your cone around. However, I also only infuse once at 1200 so I don't feel as if I'm bloated with excess water. Hydration is a very important aspect. Without proper hydration you will just retain most of the water.

Best,
Murph

[ot dave]

Sassie,

I really think you will get better results if you were to get a consistent routine developed. It takes your colon a little time to adjust to a new normal. If you find that the Miralax helps, you might incorporate that into your irrigation routine. I know that my colon and irrigation success are better when I stick to a routine (mine is daily, every morning). I only adjust my routine for lifestyle choices (early morning travel, camping, hunting, etc.). Hope you can find a successful routine.

David

[sassie]

David, i have had a routine from the third week because unless i take MoM i just never have output, so mon,wed,fri. have been my poo days for 9 months, so i was going to just irrigate on those days..also i am guilty of not drinking enough water and trying hard to do that plus miralax each morning ,hopeing to get things moving so i can stop MoM .. its a long trial and error process and most of my learning is from members like you that help everyone, i am so grateful for that..

Thank You..sassie

[Diane C]

Sassie,

I was irrigating -- not the way most do but through my Malone Appendiceal Colon Enema (MACE) procedure -- and developed inflammation and a hernia -- that increased. I strongly recommend you see a doctor and get a CT scan with contrast. The end result, as you probably know, is that I recently got an ileostomy but I wasn't the most consistent with irrigation and was dealing with much diversion colitis, esp after irrigation.

I did see another surgeon before getting my ileostomy. He said he'd leave everything as it was. However, none of my clothes fit over that hernia, it was bulging out, I was getting very depressed, felt pressure or pain all the time and it was not worth continuing. I've yet to see the operative report but I had inflammation throughout my colon and rectum. I'm learning to be an ileostomate now. I wish you luck with irrigation and hope it works for you but think a test might give you some answers.

Good luck!

Diane C.

2000 MACE Procedure for Chronic Constipation Due to Non-Relaxing Anal and Rectal Muscles
2002 Colostomy
11/2018 Removal of colon, MACE, rectum, anus and creation of ileostomy

[sassie]

Thank You All for replies, I have now been irrigating with great success, Alice just took her time to adjust but it is working great,I am a happy camper... Thanks All.. sassie

[Jono]

I've got two hernias (a pretty good sized parastomal, and a smaller incisional) which will occasionally obstruct (but fortunately not incarcerate) and I've been a fan of irrigation for a long time. When I bought a stoma of my own, I followed my own advice.
I have a fold-up plastic chair that fits in the shower and reclines. That lets me push stuff back in, and being recumbent keeps it there while my colon does its thing.

Jono

[sassie]

I have a parastomal as well, it was there from the get go but seemed to get bigger with time, it looks like half a grapefruit laying out on my tummy.. but so far it is dealable and hope it stay that way..

I do wear a ostomy belt most the time to keep it pulled in or it feels heavy like its dragging to hang out which is to bad because there are no loops on a stoma cap to hook the belt to so i have to waste alot of flanges appx. 3 a week after i irrigate being my stoma has no clue how to poo and has only done that one time in 12 months and very little output then so i need nothing to catch poo but unless i have a flange on the stoma does not feel happy. but it could be worse so i'm happy..

sassie

[Jono]

I have a Stealth Belt that doesn’t do much to keep the hernias reduced, but does a great job of supporting and protecting the appliance.