You have been through a lot, and hopefully, things will improve for you posthaste!
This website will help with support, tips, tricks, and possibly a few laughs. Ask me how I know…well, these are a sampling of the folks who helped me when I was a newbie and continue to help on my journey.
There is, for instance, TerryLT, very helpful and empathetic; IGGIE suggested the use of the IGGIE clip� ...

Yup, I've had my colostomy since Dec 2023, and I just had a blowout that caught me by surprise. Luckily, I was at home, but now I need to do 2 loads of laundry instead of just one. I've been changing my diet around, and it's having an impact on my output. Plus, I was busy doing all the morning things, getting kids off to school, feeding the pooch, so I didn't pay enough attention when The Pro ...

I did it; I tried cauliflower. The first time, I had about 4 spoonfuls. It went fine. No gas, no blockages. So then, two days later, I tried half a cup of cauliflower (that was last night). No gas, no blockages, no problems. I did well. I cooked it and blended it in the food processor. Then I ate it. I avoided the stems as much as possible. It was good. The smell was not great, but it tasted j ...

I'm due for reversal in 5 days. My luck, I developed a fungal infection. My nurse recommended Flonase sprayed on the skin for the itch and inflammation, miconazole powder, and skin barrier wipes. I think I will change my bag every day in hopes that it will clear up before Monday. Keep your fingers crossed for me, please. If you have any other suggestions, don't hesitate to chime in. Have a won ...

It's my birthday. Back in April, I had no idea how sick I was, but when not one, but two of your doctors tell you that if you had waited another week, I could've died from the infection I had in my colon, that kind of makes you think. Even though I had to have a colostomy and ended up with my stoma, I keep telling myself it's worth it. And if I am lucky, I can have a reversal, but I'm here. Al ...

Hubz had a regular checkup with the oncologist on Friday (his numbers are improving), and as they were asking how he's feeling since surgery, they became curious about how he's doing so well with his ostomy, both physically and mentally. He credited doing research online, trying different things, and especially the support from this group. They were asking because they see so many patients str ...

Hi, all: Curious to hear if anyone plays pickleball. I have had my "buddy" for 25 years now. It has never stopped me from swimming, triathlons, biking, kayaking... and for the last 7 years, pickleball. I got certified as a Pickleball Canada Instructor 2 years ago, and I play and teach almost daily. A few local players know of my ostomy; most don't. No one on the court would suspect (not that I ...

My hobbies are racing motorcycles, skydiving, bungee jumping, and flying. I can drive anything from an 18-wheeler to a unicycle and work on computers when inside.
Never let an ostomy stop you from doing anything you want to do.

Hi everyone,

I'm almost four months post-ileostomy surgery, and I'm looking to start rebuilding my core strength. I haven't been able to exercise for years, so I'm starting from scratch and want to be really careful.

One of my biggest concerns is overdoing it and increasing my risk of a hernia. I know core strength is important, but I'm not sure what exercises are safe to begin with. ...

Hello Ostomates,
We just returned from a trip to Switzerland. What a beautiful place filled with good food, people, and scenery. The trip lasted 13 days. We traveled by bus, train, and various gondolas, trams, and lifts. There were a few things I noticed that may help with travel here or any such place.
First, the 12-hour flight necessitated a few trips to the bathroom. Following my advice o ...

I have noticed that some people are talking about the cost of products.
I am wondering what the costs are that you have to carry.
Prior to surgery, I had specialist appointments with colorectal and plastics. Also, I had CT scans, ultrasounds, biopsies, and pre-op meetings. I had surgery and spent 23 days in the hospital. I had daily hospital care at home, followed by chemo and radiotherapy. Un ...