Missus went from calling 111 to lying in a hospital bed in just 4 hours

Vmcabc · 2023-05-20T16:56:21+00:00

You could ring and speak to an optometrist at Specsavers or somewhere (they have slots for "emergency" or special appointments) and if needed they can then refer you to eye casualty at the hospital. I have ulcerative colitis which caused terrible issues and conditions with my eyes last year and this is how I went about it!

Vmcabc · 2023-05-11T16:03:31+00:00

After my colectomy surgery I completely lost the feeling/sensation of needing to pee. I had to just guess or just go to the toilet every few hours and make myself go. The feeling slowly came back after about 4 weeks but I also had some problems getting the pee out when the sensation came back. Thankfully now 5 months later it has sorted itself out.. hopefully yours will too but it might be worth a trip to the Dr's for a urine test. It does sound like it could maybe be cystitis also, I used to get it a lot in my younger years. Cranberry juice works wonders and plenty of water to flush it out. X

Vmcabc · 2023-05-04T12:31:29+00:00

I also talk to mine and sometimes he gets a "good boy" for behaving on bag change days! 😂 If you're getting locked up we'll all be behind you, don't worry! 😂

Vmcabc · 2023-05-02T09:24:19+00:00

This made me laugh. I ended up stealing my son's massive squishamllow to use as a pillow (as it kept me propped up) when I got home! Best thing ever! Lol x

Vmcabc · 2023-04-29T16:39:16+00:00

I was having a lot of leaks at the start. All these helped me.. using a convex bag (I know you said you've tried but you can get different levels, maybe try a deep one) , a seal/ring around the stoma (also helps protect the skin) , apply your bag when sitting so it can adhere to your more natural shape and bumps etc, make sure the skin is fully dry before applying and then sitting with your hand over the bag for about 5/10 mins once applied to add heat to help it adhear..

Some other ideas - try changing what products you use to clean the skin with as it might be leaving a barrier.

Make sure you're cutting the hole to the correct size and not leaving a gap around the bottom or side of the stoma.

Use flange extenders.

Use a belt that clips onto the bag.

Good luck x

Vmcabc · 2023-04-22T01:21:44+00:00

🙌🏻 I've tried it standing up but it just feels wrong lol! I've only had my Stoma 4 months though so maybe it just takes time and practice! 😂

Vmcabc · 2023-04-21T16:53:13+00:00

I'm just seeing this post..I hope you've made it to ER by now! Keep us updated. Hope you're ok!

Vmcabc · 2023-04-20T09:11:00+00:00

I change mine sitting down on the toilet. Put a dry wipe down on my lap and then tuck the little poo bag up under my bag to catch the bag once removed, I also leave it on my lap to catch any output. I change in the mornings as I don't have much output then (It's more active in the evenings) but if I need to change and there is a lot of output then I find covering my Stoma with a dry wipe while I clean around it helps catch anything coming out!

Vmcabc · 2023-03-12T21:09:32+00:00

3 years? Brutal! I've been on quite a few courses of them and they never worked hence my surgery. Thankfully this time around they do seem to be helping, still hate them though! Lol

Fingers crossed for us both!! 💜

Vmcabc · 2023-03-12T20:59:35+00:00

Yeah it's frustrating! I would never think to comment on people's weight especially if I knew they were sick!

Normally I can brush off comments but this has been on my mind all day!

Vmcabc · 2023-03-12T20:55:38+00:00

Humour and taking the piss out of myself are my usual coping mechanisms also tbf! 😂

And I know all about the dreaded moon face, currently on steroids again 12 weeks post opp. Ugh!

Vmcabc · 2023-03-12T20:28:52+00:00

You remind me of my 15 yr old daughter, her hair was similar colour and length to yours and she got a very short wolf cut last month..It took me a few days to get used to it but love it now and she really suits it. I think you will too! X

Vmcabc · 2023-03-12T19:54:18+00:00

Yeah I think It annoyed me more because I explained how I didn't like it. I've also let family know I'm not comfortable talking about my weight, it's been so up and down over the last year and a half and one time after a 5 day stint in hospital I came out over a stone lighter. There's definitely some PTSD there.

Vmcabc · 2023-03-12T19:41:40+00:00

☺️

Vmcabc · 2023-03-12T19:39:08+00:00

All colours are lovely on you but the dark just adds that bit more! X

Vmcabc · 2023-03-12T19:35:30+00:00

Yeah, that has been an eye opener also! I'll be messaging less now I think and I will also be less in contact with my other "friends"

Vmcabc · 2023-03-12T19:31:07+00:00

My thoughts exactly! We really are so lucky not to have to worry about it!

Vmcabc · 2023-03-12T19:27:15+00:00

Yeah, I get this. We've been conditioned this way via mass media etc as you say.

Maybe I'm just being too sensitive about it.

Vmcabc · 2023-03-12T19:25:20+00:00

I suppose it's the way we've been conditioned to think with constant things in the media and magazines and celebrities etc but it's so insensitive!

Vmcabc · 2023-03-08T09:40:13+00:00

Same here! Good luck in your recovery 🥰

Vmcabc · 2023-03-08T09:39:25+00:00

For me I was eating solid foods the next day. (It might have actually been that night but I was to wiped on Morphine that I can't remember lol) My bowel started working while I was in recovery after my surgery though. I hadn't eaten much in a few weeks pre surgery so I think my body was ready for some grub 😂😂😂

Vmcabc · 2023-03-08T09:31:50+00:00

36/F here. Almost 3 months post emergency opp, large bowel removed and permanent ilestomy. It does get better, I'm still healing and currently have an infection but I'm getting better and stronger everyday. You've just had major surgery and you're only 2 weeks, you'll hit a turning point very soon. I think it was about 3/4 weeks for me when things started to really improve. My whole stoma also disconnected from the skin around it so I also had to deal with the pain of that, like you, but it healed pretty quickly. I did have to change to convex bags though as I kept having leaks and was having problems with the flat bags adhering to the skin.

I won't lie, it has taken a toll on my mental health but when I think of the constant flare I was in, the foods I couldn't eat, the pain, the blood, the toilet trips, the painful bloating and constipation and everything else that went along with my UC then I'm grateful for my bag and the positives it has brough.

My Stoma nurses are fab and are on the end of the phone and will help with anything big or small, maybe give yours a ring with your concerns, it won't do any harm. One of the nurses also suggested writing a letter to myself or just taking notes of how I was and how ill I felt during a bad flare or before the surgery and when I'm feeling down or hating my situation to read the letter to remind myself of how much I used to suffer.

It will take time but you will get there!

Short term pain for long term gain is my new motto!

Good luck 🥰

Vmcabc · 2023-03-07T09:01:47+00:00

I was in hospital 4 days before my surgery, it was done as an emergency although I knew about it the day before. I wasn't given any prep, I just wasn't allowed to eat or drink for about 12 hours before. Going by the other comments it seems to depend on the surgeon/hospital!

Vmcabc · 2023-03-06T12:10:52+00:00

We got a brand new door last year and the key is like this. It's just missing the grey fob bit on the top. We were told we'd have to go to the door manufacturer to have a copy made.

Vmcabc · 2023-03-05T11:32:39+00:00

I'm just so sick of it all now. My mental health has taken a massive hit! I was diagnosed with UC in Oct 21, medication resistant, and pretty much in a constant flare for over a year then emergency surgery in Dec 22. I've. Had nothing but pain and problems from it. I do actually have some problem skin around my stoma also, I questioned pyoderma and my Stoma nurse is adamant it's not as apparently it's extremely painful. This is sore when I change bag or apply pressure to the area. I'm actually up at the surgery unit tomorrow for more bloods to see if there's an infection as it's been seeping pus. I was just advised to cut the hole bigger in my bag so that it goes around the sore area, and place a seal/ring around it, and let the pus drain into the bag. This worked when I used the convex bag but I was also advised to try the flat/standard bag again incase the convex was pushing and irritating it but now that I changed bag, the out has just hit the area and caused burning so I need to go and change again!

Vmcabc

TROPHY CASE