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Beating bowel cancer together

Bowel cancer treatment and side effects

You can find lots of useful information about bowel cancer treatment on our website. You can also get information and support from our Ask the nurse service.

JC36

Post op reversal pain

Hi Guys

I hope everyone had a lovely festive break.

I had my ileostomy reversal 6 weeks ago and mostly things have been great. The last few days I’ve had stitch like, sometimes stabbing pain near my stoma site. The wound is still open and I’m still getting it dressed every other day but it’s not the wound itself that’s hurting, it’s the area next to it. Has anyone had anything similar? I’ve left a message with my colorectal nurse and I’m hoping she’ll get back to me tomorrow.

Thanks, Jenny

ElEff

Hi @JC36 - hope you and the family had a lovely Christmas!

I had a thing after my initial op which sounds like it might be similar, and asked about it on here (community.bowelcanceruk.org.uk/...520-developing-pain-after-surgery) with some lovely helpful responses. For what it's worth, mine did eventually settle but I'm still 'aware of it' when I'm running, and when I got an infection in hospital post- reversal the pain seemed to be centred on that area. Never got to the bottom of why, though!

JC36

thank you @ElEff - this is super helpful. Seems like I’m not alone. Mine also gets worse if I move - good excuse to chill on the sofa for another few weeks! :x:

Tri_Rich

Hi Jenny I’m glad the reversal went ok. I hope the pains subside soon :) Rich

jupiter20

Could it be due to traumatised or injured nerves? Hope you feel better soon @JC36 :x:

JC36

Thank you @Tri_Rich. @jupiter20 thank you. The nurse said it could be nerve damage but they sent me for a :x:-ray and bloods this morning. :x:-ray showed some faeces stuck in the left side of the bowel, so I’ve been given laxatives. Hopefully this eases the pain. I did go a bit crazy with food and drink over Xmas! Back to beige foods and water for a while (boo!)

annie50C

Hoping you are doing better now @JC36 lots of love to you zxx 💕

Tri_Rich

Ah well sounds like hopefully it will be resolved. At least you enjoyed Xmas by the sounds of it ☺️ :x::x:

Mark McC

Hi @JC36

I had my reversal nearly 9 weeks ago now (mid Nov) and also feel like something suddenly catches around the op site occasionally, a stitch is a good description. I mentioned it to my consultant at the post op meeting and he wasn’t worried, and said if was a few deep stitches holding the bowel back in place and that the stitches would disolve eventually. It still also aches a bit as food moves through, but again the consultant said this was normal as that anastomosis will need time to settle (like the one lower down) and scar tissue can be a bit less flexible.

If you’re anything like me every little ache and pain sets alarm bells off, but I guess that’s normal and I do tell myself the surgeons know what they’re doing.