We are pleased to advise that deep linking capability, enabling users to directly download individual mobile toolkits, has now been released on the RDS mobile app. When you install the update, you will see that each toolkit has a small QR code icon the header area beside the search icon – see screenshot below. Clicking on this icon will open up a window with a full-size QR code and the alternative of a short URL for sharing with users. Instructions are provided.
You may need to actively install the update to install RDS app version 4.7.1 to see this improvement. Installing this update is also strongly recommended to get the full benefits of the new contingency arrangements – specifically, that if the RDS website should fail, you will still be able to download new mobile app toolkits.
To check your current RDS version, click on the three dots bottom right of the RDS app screen. This takes you to a “More” page where you will see the version number. To install latest updates:
On iPhones – go to the Apple store, click on your profile icon top right, scroll down to see the apps waiting to be updated and update the RDS app.
On Android phones – these can vary, but try going to the Google Play store, click on your profile icon top right, click on “Manage apps and device”, select and update the RDS app.
Please get in touch with ann.wales3@nhs.scot with any questions.
For a copy of this information in:
telephone: 01896 826832
"Information given on this site is not meant to take the place of a talk with your doctor or health worker."
The bowel is a tube of intestine, which runs from the stomach to the back passage. The lower half of the bowel is called the colon. This runs up to the right ribs and loops across the upper part of the belly. Then it passes down the left side to run backwards into the pelvis towards the back passage. This is called the rectum.
In your case, the problem lies in the left side of the colon or upper rectum. The left side of the colon is taken out, and the ends are joined up whenever possible.
Sometimes the ends are joined up at the first operation, but a short term stoma is made as well. This keeps the bowel waste away from the join while it is healing. Usually this is reversed three months after the first operation.
If the problem area is in the lower part of the rectum, the back passage may need to be removed as well. This is rare. You would be warned about this before the operation.
You should plan to be in hospital for a week after the operation.
Simply waiting and seeing is not a good plan. The trouble you are having with your bowel will simply get worse and may lead to very serious problems. Tablets and medicines will not help, neither will X-ray and laser treatment.
You will meet with the stoma nurse, who will see you in a clinic. She will talk to you about your operation and stoma.
We usually recommend that five days before your operation you eat a light diet that is low in fibre. For example fish, chicken, rice and mashed potato. Try to avoid vegetables, fruit, cereals and wholemeal bread. You can drink as much as you like.
The day before we would like you to take clear fluids. This means that you should not eat solid foods and only take drinks you can see through - no milk or fruit juices. Clear soup or squash are fine, as are black tea and coffee. Sweet drinks will help to keep up your strength and calorie intake.
if you are not sure about anything, please ask a doctor or nurse for more details.
You will have a drip to give you fluids while you are not allowed to drink. This is a plastic tube attached to either your arm or neck. The doctors listen to your bowel through your tummy with a stethoscope. When they can hear sounds from your bowel or you have passed wind they start to give you oral fluids. This can take a few days. This is gradually increased until you are able to drink as much as you want.
Once you are drinking normally the drip will come out and you will be able to eat a light diet.
The wound will have a dressing, which may show some staining with old blood in the first 24 hours. There may be stitches or clips in the skin. Stitches and clips are removed after about 7 to 10 days. The drain tube is removed after about 2-4 days.
You can shower and bath as often as you want.
You will be given an appointment to visit the outpatient department for a check-up about six to eight weeks after you leave hospital.
The nurses will advise about things like sick notes and certificates.
Recovery from keyhole surgery is much quicker than with open surgery but caution should be paid to heavy lifting and driving.
The anaesthetic drugs will make you sleepy, slow, clumsy and forgetful for about 24 hours. Do not make
important decisions during this time.
You are likely to feel very tired and need to rest two or three times a day for a month or more. You will gradually improve so that by the time three months have passed you will be able to return to your usual level of activity.
At first discomfort in the wound will stop you from harming yourself by lifting heavy things. After three months you can lift as much as you used to lift before your operation.
You can drive as soon as you can make an emergency stop without discomfort in the wound. This should be after about six to eight weeks.
You can restart sexual relations within two or three weeks when the wound is comfortable enough. There may be some damamge to the sex nerves after the operation. The surgeon will talk to you about this.
You should be able to return to a light job within eight weeks and any heavy job within twelve weeks.
Recovery after keyhole is much quicker than the open method but caution should be paid when heavy lifting and driving.
As with any operation under general anaesthetic, there is a very small risk of complications related to your heart and lungs.
The tests that you will have before the operation will make sure that you can have the operation in the safest possible way. This brings the risk for such complications very close to zero.
Complications are unusual but are quickly recognised and dealt with by the surgical staff. If you think that all is not well, let the doctors or the nurses know.
You may get a chest infection, particularly if you smoke.
To prevent chest infections it is important to:
The bowel can be slow to start working again.
There can be some discharge from the drain by the wound, but this stops given time.
Wound infection happens more often in any bowel operation compared to other 'clean' operations such as taking out your gallbladder. The reason is that the bowel has many bugs that can cause an infection. This settles down with antibiotics in a week of two.
Very rarely, during the operation, another part of your bowel, your bladder or a blood vessel can be damaged.
Another operation may be needed to deal with this.
You may also have:
Some patients are surprised how slowly they get back their normal stamina. Nearly all patients are back to normal within three months.
We hope these notes will help you through your operation. They are a general guide, and do not cover everything.
If you have any questions or problems, please ask the doctors or nurses.
To start with your bowel actions are likely to be very loose, unpredictable and quite urgent. It can take several months for this to settle and for you to develop a predictable pattern. Your bowel function is unlikely to be exactly the same as before your operation.
The expectation of what is "normal" for you might need to be adjusted. If loose bowels become a persistent problem, discuss this with your doctor. There are medicines that can help to firm the stool up.
Some people have sexual difficulties after major abdominal surgery. It is normal to feel wary and anxious at first. If difficulties last, please discuss this with your doctor, as help may be available.
Patient information leaflets