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Post by nikki on Mar 9, 2004 23:05:07 GMT -5
Does anyone know what the life expectancy of a person with a sucessful reversal is?
I will have been reversed 1 year in April and I have questions about the durability of the joint and long term effects on the intestine.
I want to plan my life, but I am finding it hard to get beyond more than a few days. I was so depressed from the original surgery that I don't think I could take a second jolt(second surgery).
I also know that a lot has to do with your underlying health problems(my health is good), but I am concerned with how the intestine handles the surgey after 5, 10 or even 20 years. Anyone have any information?
nikki
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Post by Jason_D on Mar 10, 2004 6:16:20 GMT -5
Hi Nikki, Do you mean Life expectancy of the patient or of the joint? I ask because it does sound to me like you are more worried about the reversal join in the bowel than anything else. Anyways, the answer to both is generally, "excellent". I know people who have had a colostomy for nearly forty years and over, then had it successfully reversed and lived a full life beyond that. I know a person who had it on day three of life and still has it 25 years later with no complications due to actual surgery. Reversal wise your Surgeon would only do it if your body was ready for it and if your illness was suitably contained or cured for the bowels to handle it. And as far as the join goes, scar tissue/wounds are STRONGER than regular tissue and they reach their peak strength within 14 days of surgery, so I truly and honestly believe you have nothing to worry about. The only possible effect on the intestines is from adhesions, but you'd already know if you have them, and they only really grow during the healing stage of the post op period - which you have long since left behind with the reversal op being nearly a year ago. So you dont really need to worry about the possibility of those either. I know it's easy for me to say but to try to put all of this behind you now, and live life to the full. You've been very poorly in the past to have an ostomy, but now it is gone, and the surgeon would only do it if your body was ready. There are thousands of people who wish they could have a reversal, but cant - me included, so you have been very lucky to be able to have one. Depression after this type of surgery (stoma formation) is very common, most ostomists will admit to have having had some depression post op. And if you allow it to the depression will drag you down and keep you down. So, please do try to remain as positive as you possibly can over it, and dont let it ruin all the good work you've done so far. Have you talked to the Surgeon or Stoma Nurse about these fears and concerns? Just because you dont have a stoma anymore doesnt mean you still cannot talk to them or see them, or even your GP can advise you on this. They have your complete medical history and can give you the 100% accurate answers to your questions, where as we can only give you indictations as to what should be because you havent mentioned what your original condition was, age and so on. That said, I am as confident as I can be that you will have no problems post-op, your bowel will not suffer as a result of the surgery you've had, and so long as the original illness that lead to the ostomy is under control then you will be unlikely to have problems resulting from the surgery. Good luck Nikki, I hope you have a fantastic time now you are recovered from your illness and surgery, and dont forget that you are still welcome to come and post here, visit the chat room etc etc even though you dont have the ostomy any more.  Buh bye now, Jason D. webmaster and colostomist. www.ostomy.fsnet.co.uk |
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Post by Kathy_from_England on Mar 13, 2004 6:10:19 GMT -5
Hi Nikki,
It sounds to me as if you are still making an emotional recovery after your operations.
I was so sure that Gary was going to die after he'd recovered from his ileostomy. At one stage the GP actually told me his life expectancy was just the same as anyone else's but the worry continued to haunt me.
I didn't realise it, but I was simply reacting to all the trauma I'd gone through while he'd been ill.
Three things helped me, and may help you too.
1. Understanding why I felt this way.
2. Talking to others (getting it out of my system).
3. Realising other people, who'd gone through similar experiences, felt the same way that I did.
If you want to talk to me, my email addy is:
Kathy@colostomyuk.co.uk
As Jason said, you're still welcome to join us in chat and here on the board as well.
(((Hugs)))
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