2weeks post Ileostomy Reversal... 4 months post LAR

[4us4]

I had my ileostomy takedown almost 2 weeks ago (had it almost four months). My bowels have been sluggish post surgery. I read and was warned lots about increased/extreme frequency and urgency... but Feel like I’m the opposite. I’m having more stomach cramping & small “unsatisfying” semi-solid BMs. I was 6 days in the hospital (4 full diet) before my first BM... then sent home. Since I am “going” and not nauseated, my doc said it’s not a blockage. But these cramps!! Yikes!!

Did anyone else go through stabbing gut pain? It feels a bit like stomach cramping associated with food poisoning (minus the pukes)

I’m sure I’m not the only one who gets nervous with new pains... but in trying to name the pain, it does feel similar to the pain right before I got diagnosed with cancer a year ago...but maybe that’s just what “angry guts” feel like. Cancer... man- what a mind-trip!!

I’m going back to plain rice for a bit.... hopefully this is just part of bowels waking up still. Someone said you basically have IBS after this surgery.... so looking into that diet too.

Thanks!

[NHMike]

I have had Small Bowel Obstructions, one requiring a visit to the ER and an overnight stay. Mine is due to scar tissue around the ileostomy site. It is constricted but it's only a problem if I eat too much at one time. Several small amounts of food several times a day is much better than big meals. I think that the output of the small intestine backs up because of the constriction which puts pressure on the area. After it resolves, there's regular cramping every several minutes along with gurgling - stuff moving through the intestines. I'm on the floor curled up in a ball with a bowl in case I throw up when it is really bad. So the advice there is not to eat a lot at the same time.

You might be thinking of a Low Residue diet.

You might try laying on your left side when you have this cramping to see if it helps. It makes it easier for food to pass from the small intestine into the large intestine.

Your surgeon may suggest several products to speed things up or slow them down of bulk them up.

Miralax to speed things up.
Lomotil to slow things down.
Fiber to bulk things up.

[JJH]

LARS website - Low Anterior Resection Syndrome
https://coloncancersupport.colonclub.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=62507&p=498376#p498376