living with your stoma Archives

What to expect after surgery

A few months after your stoma surgery you will still be adjusting to living with a stoma, getting into a routine and learning how to deal with everyday challenges. Even though you’re probably doing brilliantly, there are still so many questions to ask. It takes time for your body to heal, and everyone recovers at their own pace. So, take your time and don’t put too much pressure on yourself to get back to normal straight away. When you’re ready, here are some of our top tips on everything from returning to work and going on holiday to dealing with daily problems like leaks and sore skin. If there’s something we haven’t covered, give us a call, we’d love to help.

Adjusting to life with a stoma

There’s so much to think about when you’re living with a stoma. What can I wear? Do I have to avoid certain foods? How will I cope at work? Can I still go swimming? It takes a while to think about all the aspects of your life that might be affected, from going on holiday to relationships, and how you can overcome any issues. We’ve asked other ostomates to share their experiences so we can bring you the best advice.

Common Problems

From time to time, there are some common challenges that can affect people living with a stoma. If your bag doesn’t fit properly or your flange isn’t secure, you may have some leakage. This, and the constant changing of your bag, can lead to sore skin arround your stoma. People also report problems with air flow in their stoma bag which can cause pancaking (when the insides of the bag stick together), ballooning (when the bag inflates) and odour. However, with the right stoma bag and/or accessories many of these problems can be overcome.