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Ostomy: Adapting to life after colostomy, ileostomy or urostomy
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?
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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.
@foss Thanks for the offer. I gladly accept and am interested in any 'tricks' you have come up with. I have both a loop colostomy and a suprapubic catheter (SPC). I use basically Coloplast products for both with bits and pieces from Convatec and Hollister.
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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1 ReactionHere is another gem I have learned and perhaps I am nieve and y'all already know this: I shower every other day when I do I take a plastic container with me, pour water into my pouch, swish it around and empty, makes me feel cleaner. Then I run the shower thru the drain for a minute or so.
The bottom of my pouch does not reach to the toilet, I'm laking about 5".
I sit backwards on the toilet. I don’t know if that would help you. Just dump in toilet and wipe tail with TP and clean inside tail with TP. No extra stuff needed.
I just use single use disposable ostomy bags.
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1 Reaction@xxxlt, Terry, you have found some ingenious ways to work with your height and dealing with an ileostomy. I'm tagging @candywocrn to see if she if she has any further suggestions. I'm not sure if any other members like @kenc @marco789 @piki @csjxvcsjxv @cjay share your stature of 6'5", but they too may have tips to share.
Colleen: I am a 79 year old male and relative new with my ileostomy appliance. I may have to have for the rest of my life, just don't know at this time. I am 6' 5" tall and was not able to reach the inside of a toilet while sitting, so I had to figure something else, I found flushable dog poop bags and a cup that will accomadate the bag, then I either hang the cup around my neck so it fits the bottom of my pouch or place the cup on something solid and discharge my pouch, then flush all. I can also sit on a toilet, depost into the pouch and flush the bag, have not plugged up a toilet yet, At home I use medical table that adjusts up and down, on the table I place a plastic container and adjust all to fit the bottom of pouch, then simple make my deposit, clean out the container and move on. Would all this information is there anything you have learned over the years that would help me? Thanks, Terry
Friday night I ended up in the hospital with a full blown UTI and they installed a Foley catheter in me. Today is Monday....the UTI is still there but not as bad. I guess that changes my relationship to drinking liquids for the time being. I wish I felt good about it, but I'm just miserable with my first ever UTI. I'm still useless at night and my husband's back still hurts (we are in our 80s), but at least some of it has changed, and with luck for the better.