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A colostomy tends to ease your life significantly, but you cannot rule out the chance of complications that may arise after surgery.

In this article, we will talk about the complications that may affect your quality of life.

Rectal discharge

If you have a colostomy, but you still have the rectum and anus intact, you may experience the discharge of mucus from your anus. Production of mucus is a natural function of the bowel tissues to promote smooth passage of stool. Even though a part of your colon, along with the rectum and anus, is disconnected from the active part of the bowel, it still has the living tissues that will produce mucus. This mucus can deposit in the rectum and may leak through the anus. To manage this rectal discharge, you can sit on the toilet and push as if you are passing stool.

You can also consider using glycerin suppositories to ease the passage of the mucus. You will need to insert these suppositories in your bottom. This capsule dissolves and causes the mucus to become watery.

You may want to talk to your doctor to find a way to manage this issue.

Parastomal hernia

A hernia occurs when a part of the intestine pushes through an area of the abdominal wall with weakened muscles. In the case of the parastomal hernia, the intestine pushes through the muscles around the stoma, resulting in the appearance of a bulge. People with colostomies are more prone to developing these hernias because their abdominal muscles become weak after surgery.

There are some ways you can prevent these hernias.

• You can wear a support belt.
• You can avoid lifting heavy objects, at least until your bowel and abdominal muscles recover.
• You can follow measures to prevent weight gain. Being overweight can cause strain on your abdominal muscles.

The parastomal hernia might not be painful, but it can make the ostomy pouch management quite a challenge. Your surgeon may want to perform surgery to treat the parastomal hernia.

Stoma blockage

Stoma blockage can occur as a result of a buildup of food. The symptoms of blockage may include:

• Not passing out stools the way you should
• Swelling or bloating in the abdominal area
• Cramps in the abdomen
• Swelling in the stoma
• Vomiting or nausea

If you notice any of these signs, you may want to:

• Avoid eating solid foods for the time being
• Drink plenty of water
• Massage your abdominal area
• Take a hot bath to relax your abdominal muscles

If none of these measures work, you may need to contact your doctor or ostomy care nurse.

Other complications

Several other complications can occur with a colostomy. Those complications are the following.

• Skin problems: The skin around the stoma can become irritated as a result of coming in contact with bodily wastes. You can ask your stoma care nurse regarding how to manage this problem.
• Stoma retraction: After the initial swelling subsides, the stoma might sink below the level of the abdominal skin. It can cause leakage because the ostomy appliance won’t fit around the stoma well. Convex ostomy appliances may help you overcome this problem.
• Stoma prolapse: Contrary to the retraction, a stoma prolapse can cause the stoma to come out of the skin a bit too far. You may want to undergo surgery to fix this problem.

You can contact your doctor if you notice any of these issues.