Post-Ostomy Surgery Guide
In this article, we are going to talk about what to expect after your stoma surgery. Ostomy surgery, or stoma surgery, is a life-changing procedure that tends to leave an impact on your diet and other areas of lifestyle, at least for several months. Knowing what to expect after surgery can help you show anticipation, which is quite necessary if you want to regain normalcy in your life.
The initial form of the stoma
The stoma might look terrifyingly large during the first few weeks after surgery. That’s normal, so you shouldn’t be alarmed. There is going to be swelling on both your abdomen and stoma. Your stoma might also ooze blood for a few days.
The stitches around the stoma will dissolve in a few weeks after surgery. If they are not dissolvable, you can go to your ostomy care nurse to have them removed. It will take 2-3 months for your stoma to acquire a permanent shape and size.
Managing any pain
Some pain after ostomy surgery is inevitable, but even that can be managed. You can discuss postoperative pain relief options with your doctor or surgeon before surgery. They may allow you to use PCA (patient-controlled analgesia). Several oral medications can also be plenty helpful in this regard.
How long will you be staying in the hospital?
For how long you will be staying in the hospital depends on the type of stoma you have. Typically, you will need to stay in the hospital for 3-10 days, given that you do not have any additional complications. Your doctors will let you go home once your stoma starts functioning, and they do not see any problem in it.
Learning to change the pouch
Around the third or fourth day after surgery, your nurse will train you on how to clean your stoma and change the ostomy bag. They will also explain the different types of ostomy pouches. If you must use any other additional products, they will tell you about those too. You can talk to your nurse about your personal preferences, and ask them if these preferences are going to have any impact on your ostomy management routine.
Eating and drinking
The diet that your doctor will allow you to have right after the surgery will consist of mostly fluids. You will be able to have softer foods once your bowel wakes up. You may start eating your normal foods in a few days after surgery. Nonetheless, you will need to avoid foods that can cause gas, diarrhea, and constipation.