Post-colostomy sports

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active_jake_uk
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Jul 29, 2021 3:56 am

Post-colostomy sports

Postby active_jake_uk » Thu Jul 29, 2021 5:12 am

Hi everyone,

Does anyone have experience of returning to sports post-colostomy? Am currently in early cycles of neo-adjuvant chemo for rectal tumour, with radiation and then surgery to follow. Will almost certainly be left with a permanent colostomy. How big of an impediment is the hernia risk when it comes to sports? I kitesurf, windsurf and ski - and all use core/ab muscles quite heavily.

Thanks.

catstaff
Posts: 177
Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2021 11:37 am

Re: Post-colostomy sports

Postby catstaff » Thu Jul 29, 2021 12:57 pm

I'm the caregiver, not the patient, but I read up on ostomies before he got his and I'd suggest you look into the various support belts/cummerbunds. Many are made of fabric appropriate for water sports. Stealth Belt is popular in North America; I do not know of an equivalent in the UK (or whether they ship overseas) but I'm sure something exists.
D/H Dx 10/2019 RC age 61
Clinical T4bN2M1a (common iliac and para-aortic lymph nodes)
MSS KRAS G12D
CRT 11/19-1/20 FOLFOX 3/20-7/20
Pelvic exenteration w/LAR 8/20
ypT4bN0Mx G3 0/14 nodes LVI not seen PNI-
CEA 10/19:20, 1/20-11/20:1.6, 4.3, 3.4, 2.7, 2/21:9.0 3/21:18,40 4/21:28,19, 5/21:13.3,8.6
PET 3/21 recurrence in distal nodes, L5 vertebra, pelvis
FOLFIRI+bev 3/21-

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beach sunrise
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Re: Post-colostomy sports

Postby beach sunrise » Thu Jul 29, 2021 10:53 pm

I was told not to lift anything that weighs more than 1/2 gal of milk for 6 months then nothing over 20lbs thereafter. No one ever mentioned abdominal supports, smh.
I have one hernia now. I use to be big into bootcamp/crossfit type gym and Krav Maga so thinking I can get back into it now over a year and half later.
I wear an abdominal support wrap when I know I will be doing things.
8/19 RC CEA 82.6 T3N0M0
5FU/rad 6 wk
IVC 75g 1 1/2 wks before surgery. Continue 2x a week
Surg 1/20 -margins T4bN1a IIIC G2 MSI- 1/20 LN+ LVI+ PNI-
pre cea 24 post 5.9
FOLFOX
7 rds 6-10 CEA 11.4 No more
CEA
7/20 11.1 8.8
8/20 7.8
9/20 8.8, 9, 8.6
10/20 8.1
11/20 8s
12/20 8s-9s
ADAPT++++ chrono
CEA
10/23/22 26.x
12/23/22 22.x
2023
1/5 17.1
1/20 15.9
3/30 14.9
6/12 13.3
8/1 2.1
Nodule RML SUV 1.3 5mm
Rolles 3 of 4 lung nodules cancer
KRAS
Chem-sens test failed Not enough ca cells to test

Rock_Robster
Posts: 1027
Joined: Thu Oct 25, 2018 5:27 am
Location: Brisbane, Australia

Re: Post-colostomy sports

Postby Rock_Robster » Fri Jul 30, 2021 3:59 am

My colorectal surgeon did a lot of work and research with hernias (and is Head of Surgery at a major cancer hospital), and had some interesting views. In short, he basically advised me that in his view - if you’re going to get a hernia then you’ll probably get one anyway; regardless of support belts and activity levels. He believes it comes more from anatomical factors than lifestyle, and the evidence for the belts preventing hernias isn’t very strong. An ostomy is already a hernia (by definition), so it is unfortunately quite common for them to grow over time (which may or may not end up needing surgical correction.

He did say to avoid heavy lifting for 6 weeks until the surgical wounds had healed though.

I was careful to avoid ab/core work while I had an ileostomy, but still did other exercise (gym, riding, Pilates etc). I never wore a hernia/support belt, just a Stealth Belt (literally 24/7, except for showering). Never had an issue with hernias, thankfully.

None of the above is advice of course - just sharing a perspective.

One other point - there’s a difference between ‘support’ belts (ie hernia belts that put pressure across the whole stoma site), and belts like Stealth Belt which mainly are designed to cover the ostomy and keep it secure. Both need to be fitted, but getting a hernia belt fitted right is very important and they need to be very firm. You can also buy hard plastic stoma guard attachments if you do impact sports, as getting hit in the stoma is very unpleasant (and potentially dangerous).
41M Australia
2018 Dx RC
G2 EMVI LVI, 4 liver mets
pT3N1aM1a Stage IVa MSS NRAS G13R
CEA 14>2>32>16>19>30>140>70
11/18 FOLFOX
3/19 Liver resection
5/19 Pelvic IMRT
7/19 ULAR
8/19 Liver met
8/19 FOLFOX, FOLFOXIRI, FOLFIRI
12/19 Liver resection
NED 2 years
11/21 Liver met, PALN, lung nodules
3/22 PVE, lymphadenectomy, liver SBRT
10/22 PALN SBRT
11/22 Liver mets, peri nodule. Xeloda+Bev
4/23 XELIRI+Bev
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catstaff
Posts: 177
Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2021 11:37 am

Re: Post-colostomy sports

Postby catstaff » Fri Jul 30, 2021 8:09 am

Yeah, as mentioned by people with actual experience, you will have a permanently weakened abdominal wall. Not much you can do about that. But a Stealth Belt or equivalent would secure the appliance, which may tend to loosen when wetted or when you are unusually active, and also is something of a coverup without being too obvious about it.

Some ostomates do light abdominal exercises once cleared by the surgeon.
D/H Dx 10/2019 RC age 61
Clinical T4bN2M1a (common iliac and para-aortic lymph nodes)
MSS KRAS G12D
CRT 11/19-1/20 FOLFOX 3/20-7/20
Pelvic exenteration w/LAR 8/20
ypT4bN0Mx G3 0/14 nodes LVI not seen PNI-
CEA 10/19:20, 1/20-11/20:1.6, 4.3, 3.4, 2.7, 2/21:9.0 3/21:18,40 4/21:28,19, 5/21:13.3,8.6
PET 3/21 recurrence in distal nodes, L5 vertebra, pelvis
FOLFIRI+bev 3/21-

active_jake_uk
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Jul 29, 2021 3:56 am

Re: Post-colostomy sports

Postby active_jake_uk » Fri Jul 30, 2021 9:36 am

Thanks everyone, all very helpful info.

Jake

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beach sunrise
Posts: 1034
Joined: Thu Mar 05, 2020 7:14 pm

Re: Post-colostomy sports

Postby beach sunrise » Fri Jul 30, 2021 6:00 pm

to mention, I talked with a nurse of a TCM practitioner who told me I should go see the TCM doc about the hernia. He might could manipulate it to put it back in place. I am very interested in his approach. He has done this and also turned breach babies among other things like dislocated joints ect.
8/19 RC CEA 82.6 T3N0M0
5FU/rad 6 wk
IVC 75g 1 1/2 wks before surgery. Continue 2x a week
Surg 1/20 -margins T4bN1a IIIC G2 MSI- 1/20 LN+ LVI+ PNI-
pre cea 24 post 5.9
FOLFOX
7 rds 6-10 CEA 11.4 No more
CEA
7/20 11.1 8.8
8/20 7.8
9/20 8.8, 9, 8.6
10/20 8.1
11/20 8s
12/20 8s-9s
ADAPT++++ chrono
CEA
10/23/22 26.x
12/23/22 22.x
2023
1/5 17.1
1/20 15.9
3/30 14.9
6/12 13.3
8/1 2.1
Nodule RML SUV 1.3 5mm
Rolles 3 of 4 lung nodules cancer
KRAS
Chem-sens test failed Not enough ca cells to test

Rikimaroo
Posts: 436
Joined: Tue Dec 20, 2016 8:48 pm
Location: Florida

Re: Post-colostomy sports

Postby Rikimaroo » Fri Jul 30, 2021 6:24 pm

Honestly haven't done much exercise since getting colostomy. Also I have a stealth belt but scared of using it now because I had it on and it would not let the poop go down in the bag and caused it to burst out of the sides of the base and I was at a client's office. It was quite embarrassing lol...
RC T3N1M0 12/16
MSS - NRAS Mutation
Chemo Rad, CCR - W&W 5/2017
Recurrence 11/2017
CT Scan 11/2017 Liver Met 5.5cm Stable, Stage IV
LAR/Liver Resect 4/2018
Reversal 10/18
CEA highest 500, lowest .8 throughout process, waiting for latest
Recurrence left vesical/pelvic sidewall - 10/7/2019 resect perm bag,
CEA rise Feb/May 3.7, 8.8, 30, Recurrence in Pelvic
CEA 40 right now, but was 57, so folfiri to beat it back down.
Lots of chemo for the past 4 years.


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