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Ostomy: Adapting to life after colostomy, ileostomy or urostomy

Posted by Colleen Young, Connect Director @colleenyoung, Sep 20, 2017

It takes time to become comfortable with an ostomy — a surgically created opening in your abdomen that allows waste or urine to leave your body.

Many questions may run through your mind as you practice good ostomy care and live your life. It can help to talk to others who have been there. Perhaps you'd like to ask others questions like: What can I eat? What about leaks? Can I go back to work after colostomy? Can I ride a bike with an ileostomy? Will everyone figure out I've had urostomy surgery just by looking at me? What about intimacy?

Welcome ostomates. Let's talk frankly about living with an ostomy. Why not start by introducing yourself? What type of ostomy do you have? How's it going?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Ostomy & J-Pouch Support Group.

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mariar55 | @mariar55 | 3 hours ago
In reply to @foss "I have had mine coming up 8 years now. I wear a ostomy pouch during the..." + (show)
Profile picture for fos @foss

I have had mine coming up 8 years now. I wear a ostomy pouch during the day and hook up to a overnight bag for bedtime. It holds 2 Ltr of Urine enough to last all night so you dont have to get up.
Within a couple of days I had no trouble changing it myself
As far as a brand I tried them all. They will send you free samples to try. I finally settled on Coloplast products and have been using them for years.
I have some little tricks I invented and would be glad to share them with you if you like. It makes it easier.
I go once a year to Sunnybrook hospital for a cancer scan and have been cancer free each time. Wearing a bag is better than the alternative. Hope this helps. Good luck…Foss

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@foss I would love to hear your invented tricks. Please share if you want as it might help others in similar situations. I had a urostomy almost 4 years ago and have had a lot of issues with skin irritation. I too decided on the coloplast products.

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fos | @foss | 51 minutes ago

# 1 when changing bag the important thing is to make sure you use barrier cream, I wash around stoma and use a hair dryer to make sure it’s bone dry then a thin layer of barrier cream wipe of access . Use dryer again till dry make sure it’s dry or you will get embarrassing leakage .
#2 when showering I use Saran Wrap enough to cover bag and use adhesive tape to tape top of bag. Have also used plastic bags and taped them at top also.
Hope these little tricks help you
Good luck …Foss

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fos | @foss | 47 minutes ago
In reply to @foss "# 1 when changing bag the important thing is to make sure you use barrier cream,..." + (show)
Profile picture for fos @foss

# 1 when changing bag the important thing is to make sure you use barrier cream, I wash around stoma and use a hair dryer to make sure it’s bone dry then a thin layer of barrier cream wipe of access . Use dryer again till dry make sure it’s dry or you will get embarrassing leakage .
#2 when showering I use Saran Wrap enough to cover bag and use adhesive tape to tape top of bag. Have also used plastic bags and taped them at top also.
Hope these little tricks help you
Good luck …Foss

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Forgot to mention I use protection ring after barrier cream before putting on pouch. I use only Coloplast products. To me they are the best. Foss

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