I'm wondering the same thing. For some reason, my doctor is having my stoma scar close on it's own, no stitches or staples. Is this common. Meanwhile, its been over 3 weeks and I still have a hole you can fit your thumb in. Also, my stomach is all jacked up from the 3 surgeries. I used to have a flat stomach. Now, my belly hangs over my underwear pretty substantially and on the right side of my abdomen (where my stoma was) it's puffed out much farther than on the matching left side of my stomach. It doesn't look like it's gonna go back to normal. I've seen pics of peoples scars after surgery and nothing is wrong with their stomachs? Why is mine all jacked???

...Because those of us with scars like yours are not posting our pictures. I'm 20 months post take down and have an indented stoma scar that has lightened up in color and my right side sticks out more than my left. I have a scar from my belly button down to my pubic area from these surgeries. I have a horizontal scar right above the pubic area from my hysterectomy and since the sliced muscles are not working as intended it looks like I have a butt in the front. I also had 2 children and have the appropriate stretch marks. The scars have all lightened up to a lighter flesh color.

I've lost a lot of weight and maybe when I finally get to exercising will see if I can firm my abdomen. If I can't I'll just keep wearing spanks!

19 years later and my ostomy scar is still indented a bit. Unlike you guys, my left side is more puffy than the right (ostomy side). They are definitely uneven. I have a wild hypothesis that some fat somehow got removed when they fiddled in the ostomy area, and the left - fattier - side is the "real" me. I've tried exercising it away but never got that serious about it.

Well, I have the whole Paris metro map all over my abdomen...no kidding...over 11 different scars and my old stoma scars (3) all look like I was stabbed with a knife...I had plastic surgery to remove some of that horrid 3-4llb fat lump on my right side over, around and through the scars (looked like a quilt)...not much help...after 4 plastic surgeries I now look like someone who needs plastic surgery. He redid 1 stoma scar twice and it still looks the same minus the jagged edges.Keeps sinking in...meaning there is still a hernia behind it...will go back for one more fix and end it all there...it is a bit better, my muscles are pretty strong and flat now but the stuff hanging over it all is still there only a bit tighter.
Sharon

Nancy Ann,
I have exactly the same thing. My abdomen's left side is 3/4" of larger than the right side. My doctor just shrugged when I asked him about it. I also suspect it is because of the fat removed during surgery after the ileostomy reversal. It was even until that surgery. It shows a little in running shorts but at least I am alive.

butt belly! haha. join the club. I had to let both my stoma and open incision heal from the bottom up and it was a long, painful process. My stoma scar is somehow flush with my skin but I have a hernia behind it. My incision scar is indented (causing the butt belly) and it has been a year since surgery. It still looks pretty awful. I never had stretch marks but I got them (I think) from being blown up with air for lapro surgery. I now have stretch marks all over my belly. I too am uneven on each side. Despite my hernia, I think Im still uneven. Gulp... maybe we should start a discussion posting pics?

Like many of you, I still have my scars that are similar to toughenough, but being a man, that is it (no children, ha, ha).

I had my first surgery in 1993 when my colon was taken out.

The right side is higher then the left on my body too. Then I have another scar from Kidney Cancer on my right side.

JenniferG, No way am I putting photos of my scars on this site. It doesn't really bother me but I am gun-shy about going to the beach or a pool. The last time I went to a water park, I got so many stares so I tried to ignore it but it still was bothersome in a way.

My photos on this site would have to be a forum called Believe it or Not, or Sci-Fi Theater.

But my favorite woud be "Invasion of the Colon Snatchers" (rather then Invasion of the Body Snatchers, staring Keven McCarthy in the 1956 film).

That title works for me, does it work for any of you? I hope you all know I meant this to be funny, even though loosing one's colon is not a funny matter, and in no way am I trying to upset anyone. For me, laughter is great medicine.

Rocket

What I thought was a hernia near my stoma scar turned out not to be. When having a hysterectomy I had asked the surgeon to take care of the "hernia". He agreed to do so. After my surgery he told me it wasn't a hernia. I was rather out of it and can't remember what he said it was. Something tells me it is a fat deposit but I could be wrong. It protrudes. I never had a great looking belly before these surgeries. Now, they are my battle scars. When I see doctors for the first time they ask about them. I like being informative. Some have no idea what a J-pouch is. They know a little more when I leave!

I recall 10 years ago asking about the Umpa-Lumpa belly that replaced my perfectly flat abs after my colectomy . . . and the surgeon said, "Oh, yeah. That happens after this surgery." I assumed he meant it was pretty normal.

That said, my stoma scar keeps getting deeper. Add to that that I tend to keloid, my scars are still huge and thick and ugly, even after 10 years. About 4 1/2 years ago I had laparoscopic gall bladder surgery, and after that surgery the surgeon came in to my room, exposed my belly, and drew all over it with a marker, showing me where huge webs of scar tissue and adhesions had pretty much glued my small intestines to the wall of my abdomen, saying if I ever need another surgery I should let the surgeon know not to cut anywhere he had drawn the lines, or they could cut right through intestines! Oh, goody!

No wonder they don't want to touch me unless it is an emergency . . .