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Malone to Colostomy/Bagged stoma
Posted: 2022-02-06 21:49:55
by PrincessVictoria
Hi all, I'm 21 y/o and I've had my MACE/appendicostomy for my entire life. Currently, my bowel flushes take anywhere from 1-5 hours and I do them 3-4 times per week. Since starting college I have questioned several times if my life would not be better if I had a bag to empty throughout the day as opposed to spending several hours in the restroom at once. Now I have a roommate, and the sounds and smells of my treatment make me even more self-conscious. Anyone have experience or thoughts on moving from a non-bagged MACE to some sort of bagged system (I think it would be a colostomy?) or K-pouch?
Re: Malone to Colostomy/Bagged stoma
Posted: 2023-05-10 09:20:27
by Diane C
Princess Victoria,
Are you still reading? I had a MACE for 2 years because my anorectal muscles didn't work well and this was to circumvent an ostomy. It IS a great idea but like you, I had to irrigate more than once/day to feel comfortable and ease the pressure and distention. I ended up with an abscess (unsure if caused by the MACE) and at that point, surgeons decided on a colostomy... in, I think, 2002. I was able to irrigate the colostomy but surgeons really felt I'd do better with an ileostomy. Mixed reactions on that because I think a colostomy is easier to handle. But I did develop a hernia with the colostomy and was assured the ileostomy would be easier to manage. Due to leakage and poor placement of my stoma, I'm not so sure about that. For some the MACE works well. It just depends on our GI system, transit speed, and many factors.
I hope you are doing better now.
Diane C