Phantom rectum

I did for a bit. Never affected my quality of life because I knew I didn't have to go out my butt anymore.

I am 13 weeks out and have felt it a couple times. It's very mild just feels like I might need to fart and then the feeling passes. It doesn't cause any pain or issues so definitely doesn't affect my quality of life at all.

Life is good right now. I feel completely healed at this point which surprised me because I was very sick at the time of my surgery and my surgeon thought my healing might be slower.

I have been back to work full time for 2 weeks. Exercising and going to the gym for 6 weeks. My energy is great even after working all day. I have already traveled for short weekend trips twice with no issues. No pain and I am eating a normal diet.

I would say all my abdominal pain was gone by 6 weeks and butt pain really was a non issue around 10 weeks.

I was most worried about the butt healing but I feel very grateful for the skill of my surgeon and that I had no complications. I would ask your surgeon how he closes the bottom. Some sew and some staple. It seems from patient feedback and my research that sewing/sutures produces better results, quicker healing and less pain.

Yes, I did adapt quickly to the bag and having the loop ileostomy in the fall did help make this time easier.

I have been very lucky and not had any leaks with either ostomy. I attribute that to a few things. My surgeon making a perfect stoma (twice), an awesome ostomy nurse, and my anatomy.

My stoma is just over an inch long and sticks out. A lot of people with leaking issues have a short or flush stoma. When my ostomy nurse saw my stoma she said "oh you have a good one!". That is something else i would ask your surgeon is how long he makes his stomas. The ideal stoma is 1 - 1 1/4 inches long. What I was told when researching was the outcome of a good stoma is 50% the surgeons skill and 50% the patients anatomy.

My ostomy nurse in the hospital ordered my samples for me before I left the hospital so I had samples at my door literally the day I got home. She requested samples of bags she thought would work best for me. That really helped because there is so much to choose from and at that point I had no idea what appliances would work best for my body and stoma.

I feel very lucky to have had such a good outcome and while some of that is chance I do attribute most of this to my surgeon and nurses. I felt very prepared and supported before and after my surgery and received excellent care.

You are welcome. I asked a lot of questions and watched a lot of you tube videos just for my temporary ostomy!!

I meant an inch protruding from the skin. I don't think the diameter matters much.