illeostomy

[shoom1]

Hello from New Zealand. My daughter had an illeostomy at 3days old and we are anxious to know when others had there bags removed. The surgeons have said that we should wait at least 6-12 months, is this normal. Also while your children had there bags did the back end function normally at any stage before the hole was removed? My daughter is now 6 weeks old and has been on enzymes and so has put weight on quite well. The surgeons say that all we are waiting for is for her to get bigger so that the aneasthetic is not so hard on her, Look forward to hearing your stories.

Todd

 

[NoDayButToday]

Todd,
Greetings from the States! I had an illeostomy at birth due to a blockage, and mine was reversed while I was still in the hospital (so sometime before six weeks). I don't know if this is typical or not; it was almost 16 years ago, and procedure may be different in New Zealand. But that was my experience with the bag. I also know that some of my surgeons were more eager to reconnect than others were; the more eager doctors won out.

 

[anonymous]

They made my daughter wait until she was 10 lbs and then they removed it! No, her back end did not function at all. The enzymes kept eating away at the waffer part of it so it fell off all the time, it was a pain in the you know what!!<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

 

[anonymous]

My younger daughter had an ileostomy at 5 days old. We had to wait until she was 11 lbs or around 3 months old before they would reverse it. I too found it difficult to keep the wafer on. It was a huge pain!!! I was so relieved to have it reversed. She did not have any functions from the other end until it was reversed. She is 2 years old now and you would be amazed at how small her scar looks!

Tammy
(mommy of 2 girls with CF)

 

[shoom1]

Hello again,
Thank you for your replies. We have just been advised by our surgeon that she will be booked in to have it reversed next month so that is a huge relief. Really looking forward to it not being there. I didnt realise it was the enzymes that made it not stick cos we are having the same hassles.
Thanks again

Todd

 

[NoDayButToday]

My illeostomy scar is maybe an inch long, and barely noticable since it falls basically on my natural waist. It's almost cute!

 

[EmilysMom]

My daughter did not have an illeostomy but had surgery at 2 days for Meconium Illeus and her scar is pretty weird. It's about 5" long and runs vertically to the right of her belly button. It's also not a particularly straight scar. It's sort of jagged due to the fact that babies have such loose skin, the surgeon told us it's hard to make a neat surgical cut on newborns. Emily doesn't mind...she likes all her scars "They make her different and that's who she is". Her words! ;o)

 

[NoDayButToday]

Weird... my meconium illeus scar is a inch above my bellybutton, and is horizontal, about four inches long. I guess they vary depending on your surgeon and also where in the intestine your blockage is located

 

[EmilysMom]

Coll,
it may also depend on how long ago the surgery was done too (guess) I would imagine they have perfected it over the years *winks*