Like with all kinds of surgeries, you probably have heard of complications. What are the complications of an ileostomy? should you be worried? Read on to find out.
Obstruction
This means that the ileostomy doesn’t work for a bit. This isn’t normally a problem, but if you notice it hasn’t been a bowel movement in at least 6 or so hours, and you feel nauseous or have cramps, there may be an obstruction.
They may recommend that you avoid solids, drink a lot of fluids, and massage the stoma area to help. You can also roll around with your knees at your chest to help, and you may need to take a hot bath to help with relaxation. If it really isn’t getting fixed, you need to go to the ER, since there could be a chance that the bowels might be ruptured.
Dehydration
There is also a risk of being dehydrated since the large intestine was a large part of absorbing water. Make sure to keep your pee a yellow color that’s not too deep yellow. That’s because, being too dehydrated causes kidney stones, and sometimes renal failure in severe instances.
Discharge from the Rectum
Those who have an ileostomy, but also have a large intestine that is still intact may experience a discharge of mucus from their rectum. Mucus is something that was produced from the bowel lining that’s a lubricant and helps with stool passage. It still is made even when you’re not using your large intestine.
It can be like an egg white or a gluelike type of consistency. It’s not something to worry about, but if there is discharge or pus, you should talk to the GP immediately since that’s a sign of tissue damage along with infection. The best way to make sure that they don’t have too much discharge is to push it out like a stool, which helps get the mucus out of there, and prevents buildup. If that isn’t working, there may be a need for treatment further.
B12 Deficiency
Those who have an ileostomy deal with a B12 deficiency. This plays a major part in keeping the nervous system along with the brain, nice and healthy. The decrease of this is occurring because of the intestine part getting removed, and that part is a big part in getting the B12 from the food you consume.
Those who have a B12 deficiency deal with what’s called pernicious anemia, which is fatigue, a faint feeling, heart palpitations, breathlessness, headaches, tinnitus, and the appetite being lost. Whenever that happens, you need to contact the GP immediately, since they can check the B12 levels and fix it immediately.
You should never ignore the symptoms of this, since if there is an untreated B12 deficiency, it does cause serious issues with the nervous system, including memory problems, and your spinal cord may get damaged. The best way to treat this of course is to have enough B12, whether through injections and tablets. Or other means.
Other Stoma concerns
If you feel irritation around the stoma, that’s quite normal after an ileostomy. You also may experience stoma stricture, which is where the stoma narrows. There is also the opposite, which is where the stoma prolapses or pushes through the skin opening. You also may deal with a parastomal hernia, which is where the internal portions of the body press out through a weak muscle in the tissue, and that can be painful. There may also be a stoma retraction, which is where the stoma sinks below the skin level once the swelling goes down too.
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