Bowel cancer and stoma problems

Heidi49

I am the exact same, but I had bowel cancer, the chem/radiotherapy has damaged my bladder, nerves, sweat glands, the list goes on! I might hold a job down for a while, then be in hospital for 5 week, either blockages, collapsed bowel, hernia, severe pain from adhesions...My Children aren't always supportive, but my Mum and Dad and family are, I feel that I try 10 times harder to prove, I'm not always poorly, but recently I've had my ileostomy resited and an hernia repair, my stoma is inverted, so always leaking, despite trips to the Stoma Nurse. Before all of this, I was a Community Care Manager, with Degrees and qualification, £40.000 a year, now I'm applying for pip and feel totally helpless... People have no idea what it's like, having a long term health problem and all the depression and anxiety that follows, I am a strong person and a single parent, but I try so hard to bring my children first.. I simpathise with you, it's such a difficult health problem to have...Some people can hold down jobs with hidden difficulty.. 12 year's down the line and I'm having my 7th surgery.. So it's never ending.

Sam_Alumni

Hi @Heidi49 welcome to the community, I am sorry to hear that you are struggling.

Have the stoma nurses offered any solutions to the leaking? Coloplast offer a service where you can talk through stoma problems with them, you don't have to be using their products.  

Or can you try speaking to your ostomy supplier? I saw a product recently that was like a cuff that goes around the stoma.  There are new products coming out all the time so don't suffer with leakage, keep asking for support to find a solution.

I have an ileostomy and have had it for 4 years, I know where you are coming from especially when there are continuing problems. I am going to have to have my fifth surgery and it does get you down, doesnt it!

Heidi49

I'm just using the Dansac convex, with a but of paste and a belt, so far I have had no accident or leaks, starting to feel confident again, set back are a way of life. X