Feces collection in Anus

[gkvanderhorst]

I had my colostomy for 1 year and a quarter and the only thing collecting in my anus was mucous plugs about the size and color or a chick pea. Then I started getting fecus balls about the size of a grape. I called my internist who said there could be a hole someplace. I contacted Dr. S who did the colostomy who said it was probably residual. I lived with it but it kept getting more frequent. I called Dr. S again and he scoped the tube from anus to bag and said it was clear. Weeks later I noticed fecus coming out of the lower part of the stoma and again accumulating in my anus. This time Dr. S said it was probably bacteria creating fecus as fecus was mainly bacteria.
This makes no sense to me. Anyone else have this issue?

My concern is that if the fecus in my anus changes to liquid discharge then I am backto the beginning that caused the operation in the first place.

thank you.

[Diane C]

It could be severe diversion colitis which is the mucous that comes out your rectum because your anus is no longer receiving beneficial short chain fatty acids in stool which wind up in the pouch. Many of us deal with mucous (and also blood) but it doesn't tend to ball up unless you aren't cleaning out the mucous frequently enough. If you do a search for mucous or diversion colitis here, you'll find ways that many clean out the anus with water enemas, rectal tubes, lavage (washing) in the shower, or even try special enemast from compounding pharmaciesy that try to replace the fatty acids you no longer benefit from.

I recently gave up on that as I also had cramping and had my rectum and anus removed but this is a BIG surgery. I was switching from a colostomy to an ileostomy so we decided to do it all. Carefully consider if you want to undergo surgery. I developed a post-surgical wound that took 5 months to heal -- not fun. It requires much patience and was harder than anticipated but some have easier experiences with surgery.

I'm behind on posting myself and recently some doctors have guessed I may have a fistula or hole that allows leakage but it's very unclear. To try and determine this, I had an X-ray and a CT-scan with dye but many loops of small intestine blocked the view. You might ask your surgeon or a GI doc to give you a CT-scan if possible or at least scope out your anus. I'm not sure about other tests but if you are having grape-sized material coming from your anus, I'd think a doctor would look into that.

Good luck!