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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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Tough stuff, a lot to process and to live with. Are they ordering more chemo for the lung tumors? How do you feel?
Colon cancer diagnosis approximately 4 years ago. Surgery radiation and eight chemotherapy. Then find out no activity in colon, but lungs have 20-30 tumors last scan showed slow but regular growth
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2 ReactionsI’m so sorry. I relate. When was your diagnosis? What are your treatments?
Stage 4 colorectal cancer that has now spread to my lungs! Just getting back to normal and now I’m dealing with this news. I have a tough time dealing with ostomy bags and wearing depends. My life has changed and my heart hurts for my wife. She tries so hard but I feel her getting tired of all the problems. She is focusing on work to help deal with the issues. We’ve lost our normal life and can’t figure out what our new normal is.
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1 Reaction@applicant, have you tried Metamucil as @artv suggest? Have you talked to your ostomy nurse about ways to deal with constipation?
I've been living with an ileostomy for over 40yrs. I've never had much of constipation to deal with, in fact, it was the opposite: loose stools = many issues. After years of this, a wound care nurse mentioned Metamucil to me. Wow! that was a game changer for me. I experimented with the stuff until I got the stool just the way I needed it - like 2 times a day. Been using it for several yrs.
As far as I know, Metamucil works the other way for constipation. Ask your doctor. I know of people using it for that. I hope this is useful to you.
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2 ReactionsI eat almost anything. Had to cut back on eating bake beans though. Anyway, I find drinking lots of low or no calorie liquid vitamin drinks, which helps to keep me regular. Sometimes, more than I like. 🙂
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1 ReactionI am looking for advice on constipation after a colostomy (8 wks out). Can I eat kiwis? Steel cut oatmeal?
What fiber do you recommend in general.
Also once constipated what is best to eat? I know water is very imps always.
Thanks for your help.
Ken, the meeting is live on Zoom
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1 ReactionDo they live stream it?