Hi, my husband had surgery for bowel cancer a year ago. You will be in the care of colorectal nurses who are a fantastic team and will hold your hand and answer your questions. My hubby had his stoma for about 6 months before reversal and although not great, it wasn't nearly as bad as we thought it was going to be. 

thank you so much for your kind reply,it has put my mind at rest,only seen a colorectal nurse the once so far but she seems lovely and understanding,hope your husband is keeping ok now

Hi

I was diagnosed with bowel cancer in June 2016. I had 1 op to remove tumour and put a stoma bag in place to reduce the chance of infection. Luckily my histology results showed it hasn't spread so I didn't need chemo. Stoma reversed after 3 months and I'm recovering and, hopefully getting back to normal.

A stoma bag isn't fun but you'll know from your previous experience of cancer that it's amazing what you can cope with when you have to. My colorectal nurses were also amazing. The 'advantage' of it being such a common cancer, in my experience, is that so much is known about it and how to treat it. 

All the best!

Oh yes, catheter. Didn't really bother me at all. Much better than a bedpan! Ask them to tape it up when you go for a walk, which you'll need to do asap. I hadn't anticipated how debilitated I would be by surgery, but as long as you're in morphine or similar, you probably won't be too bothered! Removing it was no problem at all - they just deflated the 'balloon' that was keeping it in place. I don't know if all modern catheters are like this, but I hope yours will be.

Opening my bowels was, of course, only an issue for me after op no2. It was slow but not painful, as I feared, and although I had to be quick to get to the loo I always got there in time. I didn't like using a bedpan, obviously, but it was required for them to monitor output. As soon as they could see I was passing enough water and that my bowels could open, this monitoring was stopped and my embarrassment was ended. 

I think I was just so glad to be alive and on the road to recovery that nothing truly bothered me, in a way that my 'pre-diagnosis self' would have been. People say, "I could have died" when they're embarrassed - when you know you really could have you can put up with a lot!

Oh Lord, have just seen the date on your post! Hope everything went really well and you are making good progress. 

Hi bonnie, hope your op went well?? I had mine just over 3 weeks ago, an anterior resection to remove a tumour on my sigmoid colon. I was marked up for a stoma bag but my surgeon managed to resect my bowel. I have made a good recovery and am more or less back to doing all the things I did before. I will start to drive again soon. Now trying to get as fit as possible to prepare for chemo. Jo 

Hi Bonnie71,

I am sorry to hear of your diagnosis, this must be so frightening for you. I can tell you of my experience and hope it can give you some hope and reassurance. I had rectal cancer and went on to have my rectum removed. I then went on to have 6 months chemo. During this time I had an ileostomy which i quickly learnt to deal with as there was no other option. I did end up having a reversal 9 months later. Opening my bowels after 9 months was difficult but I always maintained a very determined attitude which helped. Surgery can be very successful on bowel cancer now. I wish you good luck with regaining your full health.