Question about old stoma site

I'm over 3 years out and mine hurts sometimes when i move the wrong way. My big scar never hurts.

Mine hurts after a lot of exercise. A heating pad makes it feel better.

Every once and a while I sense some weakness/soreness there, but it does not last long.

I had a feeling of pulling or a tightness, then one day after about 9 months after take down, I picked something up and I felt a tear of pop. I really was scared I did something wrong. I looked down and my scar was much flatter. I felt much better after that. I still get the occasional pains there, but nothing like it was before. The surgeon said it was just fine.

I think that's a bit of adhesion going on. Mine will pull every once-in-a-while but then it's fine. Maybe happens a couple of times a year. If it's an adhesion and it's causing you too much grief you can see a massage therapist who does myofascial release . If it's not too bad you can just let it go.

kathy

I had my takedown done only with local anaethetic (no epidural) and I could feel what was going on. The only part that was uncomfortable was when the surgeon was pulling the muscles back together. I still get this discomfort.
Have to say, would highly recommend the procedure under local, I was up and about almost immediately.
Caroline

17 May 2012 - Single stage J Pouch surgery.
28 May 2012 - Emergency loop ileostomy following sepsis.
August 2012 - Take Down.

Caroline, having a takedown on a local sounds bizarre to me. I would hate that, and am glad I was fully out(no epidural here either).

It could be scar tissue, or possibly herniation. How does the area feel when you sneeze or cough? To play it safe I'd ask my surgeon and/or GI about it to see what he thinks.

Wow. A takedown with just a local. Holy smokes. God bless ya.

After having had almost 12 hours of sugery/gen anaethetic in the prior 3 months, when a local was offered thought it was the best option. Having been awake and fully aware I could see that take-down really is just a stitch together and muscle haul up and connect. Compared to my first sugery, which was a single-stage all in one and the second emergency temp-ileo, it was a minor thing.
I was totally scared beforehand, particularly when I found out there was no epidural, just a local, but I would have no hesitation in having concious sugery again. I would say it was 100% better than having colonoscopies.

I currently have no ongoing pain in my old stoma site, but I'm frequently aware of movement in the area and I have had gurgling there since takedown. It can be quite loud at times. I'm pretty sure I have an adhesion in the area, since I am a known adhesion former. As far as discomfort goes, I recall that the area just below the scar was tender to the touch for several months post takedown. That gradually improved. However, the scar still occasionally itches. I have no itching in the larger, vertical scar.

My husband is going through that now.  It is quite concerning watching him go through this.  At first he thought it was pouchitis, but now after antibotics he doesn't think so.

I have pain there too after a year and a half.
Last weekend I took a nap laying on my left side.  Stoma was on my right.  When I got up after 45 minutes I was doubled over with pain from the area.  Wow.  The only way to relive it was to lay down immediately.  Stood up again and it was still there but went and had a BM and it went away.  That night after I was asleep for a couple hours I woke.... As I usually do... Almost the same time every night.... When I got up after laying on the left side I had the same pain but it was radiating across my shoulder!  Same exact pain in both areas.  Weird.  As soon as I layed down they both went away but returned when I got up.  Had another bm and it faded away.  But the areas were sensitive and still are after a week.  I had an appointment with my surgeon and she said I may have a tight spot in the area and would do contrast x rays when I get a day off work to do it.  I am afraid to lay on my left side.  But I wake on it and know if I get up its gonna hurt. 
It feels like everything has shifted to the left side.  Seems to be larger when I feel it with my hand. 
At least I am not just dreaming this up as see others have the problem.  Sorry that you do but we are not alone.
Richard.

Yes, this is common. I STILL have problems at the old stoma site and I'm over 7 years from surgery. I have adhesions/scar tissue in the area. The adhesions have caused me several partial obstructions, and very occasionally I will get a brief but sharp pain at the site.  I'm also often aware of a "hard" sensation if I press on the area, particularly before a BM, and that area of the bowel can become very noisy at times. My surgeon has warned me of possibly needing adhesion release surgery at some point down the road, but I've been managing for the most part and obviously, more surgery could simply lead to more adhesions and further problems later on.  It's a catch 22. So I'm determined that more surgery will be a last resort for me. I'd rather manage things conservatively.

Spooky.
I don't blame you for not wanting more surgery.
I know where you are coming from.
If it gets no worse I would rather just deal with it.
It's just revealing that it affects the Stoma site.  What I mean by that is I have two much larger scars where I was opened.  I also have a photo of the whole thing.  It looks like someone else's body.  Not mine.  I was left open.  My muscles were stapled but the other part was just left open.  I took it when they took the covering off in the hospital to change it.  I had a suction pump and tube hooked up to get gunk out and keep it clean. 
I just find it strange that the Stoma site causes more problems.
Richard.

im just over two months since takedown. I get some sensations coming from the stoma site. not pain as such, but sometimes the area around it feels harder and I think I feel things passing through the bowel underneath there.

 

I was worried I was getting a hernia so I started wearing a hernia belt for any exercise and also when on the toilet as I sometimes strain a little.

 

reading this thread has reassured me a bit. hopefully its normal and not a  hernia. it looks like my belly is indented where the stoma was and slightly protruding just above it but again I've read that can be normal and not a hernia.

Mysticobra, my surgeon says problems at the stoma site are pretty common. Like you, I have a much larger scar down the midsection which has given me no problems whatsoever. The issue with the stoma area, I believe, is that this is where the bowel itself was diverted, cut, or resected to create the ileostomy and pouch, which means more trauma and therefore more potential to form adhesions and scar tissue down the road. I had both an end and then a loop ileo. That's a lot of slicing and dicing. No wonder it's adhesionapalooza in that spot.

 

That sounds right.  To think the bowel was actually cut along with the muscle and skin.  Ya... I see that.
Richard.