Hi Pat
I have heard so much about the reversals and that is why I asked on here so
thank you for getting back to me. I was told that my body would not take all the
infections a failed reversal may bring, ie with leaks as my immune system took
such a bashing last time from the burst bowel. I had peritonitis and sepsis, my
lung collapsed and the doctors think I had a heart attack (not entirely sure but
my doctors have seen the printout of the monitor and say it was )  and I take
medication for that. My kidneys failed and I had to have dialysis. As I am
taking medication for the heart attack that is a problem as it thins the blood,
I take aspririn and another tablet which I cannot spell but is something like
cloppidogrel. I also have psoarsis which with all the medications I have taken
over the twenty five years I have had it has thinned out my skin and that means
I am not a good healer as well. I am not sure as yet when my appointment will be
but I am writing
down all the questions I need to ask and going ton take it with me.
The reason I would like the reversal is because I would like to be back to
normal again and please don't take that wrong. I woke one morning with a
stomache ache and six weeks later woke up with the iloestomy. I thought when I
left the hospital it would be removed as I thought it was  a temporary thing due
to the op. It was only when I was moved to a normal ward that I saw a stoma
nurse and she explained everything to me. I was so shocked and upset. I never
knew stomas existed and it has been hard to come to terms with, but it has
nearly been a year now and i have got to know my stoma well and am coping quite
well with it, have only had one leak while out and am geting better and quicker
at changing the pouch. I also have a muscous drain which is giving me problems
as I pass muscous normally through what is left of my bowel but that keep geting
bunged up as does the drain itself so even though I have a stoma I have to keep
getting enemas to sort this
out.  It is early days still for me and I really value this site as it has
given me more knowledge about my stoma than anywhere else. I do not want to go
through all the surgery to be back to square one again and I think you are
really brave to have done it twice and feel for you as it did not work. I really
do not know at the moment what to do
Ann

--- On Tue, 8/12/08, Pat Connaughan <pat.connaughan@...> wrote:
From: Pat Connaughan <pat.connaughan@...>
Subject: RE: [The Ileostomy Group] Reversal
To: ileostomy@yahoogroups.com
Date: Tuesday, August 12, 2008, 10:46 PM











Hi Anne



My surgeon attempted a reversal 3 years ago but the sutures didn't hold and

I was starting to develop peritonitis and sepsis. He had to reverse the

reversal. The last time I talked to him he was still determined to try yet

another reversal but I don't want to try again. I've had 2 very close calls

and I don't want to try for a third.



I was in to see my gastro yesterday and we were discussing my diet. I am

currently on a low residue, low fiber diet but this means that there are a

lot of foods that I should be eating because of diabetes but can't digest

properly. I asked him if my diet would change if I had Sadie reversed or

made permanent. He asked me if it was giving me problems - which it isn't.

He said that if it wasn't bothering me that there was no reason not to leave

it exactly the way it is. If it isn't broken, don't fix it were his exact

words. So I guess Sadie is going to continue to be "permanently temporary"

for a while yet.



I don't know what the reasons are for wanting to try to reverse yours but

when you see the surgeon make sure you tell him that you aren't sure if you

want it done or not. Tell him about your past history and exactly what your

fears are. There is no way that you should be forced to have it done if you

are the least bit unsure. It's your body and you have a right to have a say

in what is done to it - unless, of course, it is an emergency and your life

is at stake.



Good luck and make sure you keep us posted.



Pat in Ontario





























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