Learning Ostomy

Question:

Having had a stoma for 5 wekks now, I’m doing ok.  When I wsa in hospital I was told that my wound had an infection. THey removed some of my staples and let it open up to allow the smeely brown stuff to escape from me a couple of inches below my belly button.  I WAS told that the end of mr ectum was attached to that area.   Now, at last, my stoma nurse has explained whats happening. That I have a mucous fistula, to allow rectum discharge a choice on how it leaves my body!!  Thanks for letting me know!!! I’ve been told that the "wound" ( about the size of my thumb nail) which is red and moist will shrink with time. And to keep  a dressing on it. Have you had the same? How long did you dress it for? When could you allow that area to get wet when you washed ? And did the discharge from it stop ?? Thanks Again Dave Judd, Cardiff   Wales UK

Response:

> Have you had the same? Yep > How long did you dress it for? A year (which is when I had the rectal stump removed) > When could you allow that area to get wet when you washed ? Immediatley > And did the discharge from it stop ?? no

Having said this my wound was badly infected with M.R.S.A. Mark – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -David Judd wrote: > Having had a stoma for 5 wekks now, I’m doing ok.  When I wsa in hospital > I was told that my wound had an infection. THey removed some of my staples > and let it open up to allow the smeely brown stuff to escape from me a > couple of > inches below my belly button.  I WAS told that the end of mr ectum was > attached to that area.   Now, at last, my stoma nurse has explained whats > happening. That I have a mucous fistula, to allow rectum discharge a > choice > on how it leaves my body!!  Thanks for letting me know!!! > I’ve been told that the "wound" ( about the size of my thumb nail) which > is > red and moist will shrink with time. And to keep  a dressing on it. > Have you had the same? > How long did you dress it for? > When could you allow that area to get wet when you washed ? > And did the discharge from it stop ??

Hi David, I have a mucous fistula too, and I find it more annoying than my ostomy. I have had it for five months and the discharge is variable.  Sometimes it produces little, other times it produces loads.  At one stage I was nearly tempted to put an ostomy bag over it, to see how long it would be, before it filled up! I use Tielle dressings on the fistula, and sometimes I get less than a day out of one, other times, over two days! The Tielle dressings tend not to stick as well if I get the area wet, so I avoid it if I can.  I long to take a bath, but would feel uncomfortable about it.  I imagine that the whole of my large intestine would fill up with water!!! There seems to be little information around concerning mucous fistulae.   Apart from my surgeon and my stomatherapist, none of the other medical staff who treated me, seemed to know anything about them.  One nurse told me that it would heal up on its own! Good luck, Sean – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Thanks Again > Dave Judd, Cardiff   Wales UK

Response:

I had ileostomy 2 years ago…had ileo bag and mucous fistula bag at same time.  Mucous fistula bag stunk to high hell!  When I went back for reconnection the MF (appropriate initials) was takn away…it was never a prob, but was the damn stinkiest thing ever….lotsa luck!

Response: