Hi I'm Emma,have posted a couple of times on here before but still fairly new. I'm 31 and have had crohn's for 15yrs now,due to alot pain and problems had no choice but to have a temporary ileostomy done in march 2004. It took a while for me to feel comfortable with it and found it hard to tell people about it but after a few months I realised it was the best thing....I was finally pain free! I had a great pregnancy and now have a very healthy 3yr old daughter. Around 2yrs after the op I started getting stomach pain again and also had alot of urges each day to go to the toilet and in fact sometimes I would lose alot mucas,was told to expect this occaisionally but not several times a day! In august 2007 I had the ileostomy made permanent and  nearly 2yrs on I'm still happy with my decision although I'm still having trouble with perianul disease.

Just wondered if there are any other felow crohn's sufferers with a stoma? I haven't come across anybody yet.

Hi Emma.
No experience on the stoma but I might be asking you about it when my next op comes up. I don't know how many times they can cut bits out before you need one. Only had the 1 so far so I might get away with it.
Dave.

Hi Emma

I am a fellow Crohnsy with a stoma! Had a colostomy formed in 2002 - supposedly temperory but nearly 7 years on I still have it!

HI Emma,

I have just come out of Hospital with a temporary stoma (see my thread on Surgery) . I do feel very unsure about it all especially telling freiends and work mates. I think the problem is that it was not planned so came as a bit of a shock !! My confidence has taken a bit of a beating but i am sure over time this will change and I am hopeing it is only temp,poss up to 6 mths.I think the hardest bit is when I am fit enough to face the outside world and go out on my own...the worry of having an accident is set in my head !!

Best Wishes

David64

Hi Emma
I am new to the site but I too have an Ileostomy.  I am 49ys old but was diagnosed at 15ys.  Managed to put surgery off for 16ys but finally had to give in due to fistula formation.
Best wishes
Gary

Hi,Thank you for the replies. Gary I too had alot of problems with fistula's,they just weren't healing even with the permanent ileostomy. Back in August this year,I had plastic surgery on them,this amzing surgeon cut them all out! I admit I don't have a bum crack (to put it politely) but at least I have no more discharge or discomfort. Apparently I was a guinea pig and now it has been successful (so far),they are going to consider it for others.
Just wanted to share this.