Just want to share that I use an item which has made ostomy pouch maintenance a breeze. The product is flushable ostomy pouch liners. Not suitable for septic tanks. The liner is inserted into the pouch from the top. When a change is required, simply pull the liner out at the top of the pouch and throw it into the toilet. No fuss, no muss. Full instructions for use come with the package.

Hi
Hi everyone, 362 days on carnivore and I'm still doing great. I'm consistently at 150 to 152 lbs and full of energy, so the 44 lb weight loss is effortless to maintain. I eat whatever meat products that are on sale, and if it has a skin, I peel it off first. I cannot afford ribeyes anymore except as a treat, so I eat a lot of eggs, bacon, and ground beef. I do have scarring around my ostomy ...

Hey everyone!

Not trying to offend anyone here—just genuinely curious and slightly worried and looking for some wisdom.

I read online that the average age of getting an ostomy is 68, and some studies show people living up to 30 years with one! That’s why they call it a ‘full life’ but what does that mean if you get an ostomy at 35, life’s over by 65?

Also, can we make an inf ...

I had noticed a bulge around my stoma with my stoma in the middle of it. It doesn't hurt, and when I lay down, it goes away and is flat (no bulge). I went to my surgeon today to ask about it. He looked at it and said, "Yep, it's a hernia." I told him I've not lifted anything at all to get it. He said it happens and seemed unconcerned. He smiled and said, "You'll be fine. When we do your colost ...

Hi friends,
How do you apply your bags? Standing up, sitting down, laying down?
I've been doing it standing and have constantly had leaks. Wondering if applying it sitting will help.

Hello everyone. I just started using a new pouch lubricant called “It’s in the Bag” from revel. It has helped to reduce the “pancaking” I have problems with by quite a bit, although not entirely. It is extremely effective in getting my output down to the bottom of the pouch and the output slides out quickly and easily when I empty. The website address is: revelostomy.com. You ca ...

Hello my friends, who provide me with support, prayers, and smiles.
I had my stoma revision and have been going day by day on the road to recovery, and... I had indigestion; it was horrible. I started throwing up bile (YUCK), white, yellow, sheesh green.
I called my home healthcare nurse, she called my surgeon, he called me; Ms. Seward, please come to the ER at your convenience.
I went at 6 PM ...

October 26th will be the 1-year anniversary of my life-saving surgery. To celebrate, meditate, reflect, and process this milestone, I am heading to a cabin called The Little House that sits on the side of a mountain in Marshall, NC. The mountains are my healing place. And no place is finer, in my opinion, than the mountains of North Carolina.
I've adapted, accepted, and grown with my colostomy ...

Hello everyone,
I had an ileostomy done in August 2024. Thinking about buying a Stealth Belt to help with support and comfort. The horizontal one looks best in terms of concealment, but since I go through periods of high liquid output every day, I'm not sure this is the best choice. Has anyone else had a Stealth Belt? Any advice would be appreciated in advance.

G-Day everyone,
There has been a lot of talk lately about electrolytes. It is essential to not only drink lots of water to keep hydrated but to keep your electrolytes up to the right levels. I have not only bought ready-made drinks with all the right additives in the past, but I have also made my own following professional advice. I have come to the conclusion that the right drink to keep all ...

So 13 years ago I had my bladder removed along with my prostate and 16 lymph nodes. A urostoma was installed. I was very lucky and for some reason I healed very quickly and was back to work in 3 weeks. Twice I had a nurse show me how to change my bag and I was discharged from the hospital in a week and never saw another nurse.
But I then noticed I never got an erection of any kind. As it turns ...

Hi all,
I am new to this discussion group. I am a little over a year with an ileostomy now—very happy to be here and asking this question!
Has anyone tried swimming in an indoor heated pool? Would you recommend it or stay away? Also, if you do recommend it, what precautions should I take to make sure there is no leakage? I appreciate any advice you have.
Thank you,
Susan

I've had an ileostomy for 45 years. I have been through many situations and here are a few things that have helped me along the journey.
If someone asks or thinks you have a disability, tell them you have an ability. You can do everything anyone else can and sometimes even better. Don't hide the fact that you have an ostomy. I had emergency surgery when I was just 20 years old. My doctor told ...

It was hard for me to bring this up worrying about people being judgemental but it's a much needed topic for ostomates in this position and I will never see anyone here outside the forum anyhow.

Found out I had Hep c in the mid 90's and suspect I got it from my ex husband who actually had a liver transplant.

Anyhow I was always afraid of the horror stories of how rough the meds were to ...

One thing I have struggled with since my ostomy, is having to go to the chiropractor, or a massage therapist. Lying flat on the chiropractor's table is extremely uncomfortable on my ostomy, and having any pressure put on me has made it even worse. I've feared leaks, or even damage to my ostomy, although neither has happened. I simply haven't gone for a massage since my ostomy, and I've avoi ...

I got to thinking that there are leaks and then there are LEAKS. So I developed a staging guide. (Anyone else think I might have too much time on my hands?)

Stage 0: Output is pancaking but you catch it before it compromises the device seal

Stage 1: Leak is contained under the flange. You catch it before the skin becomes irritated.

Stage 2: Leak is contained under flange extender. The s ...

Hi All
I've had quite a week! I went for a checkup on Monday with my consultant, and after some scans and tests, he sent me for a colonoscopy yesterday. The result was really good, and now my reversal is set for next Monday.
I'm both excited and nervous. I wasn't expecting it to be so early, as I'll be just 10 weeks post-op.
What I'd like to know is if anyone has had a reversal this early and ...

Hello. I am nearly 2 years out from colostomy surgery due to cancer. I have come across information about using an enema-like irrigation process to train your bowel to release output at a desired time of day—once a day, or for some, every other day. I also came across a discussion using Dulcolax suppositories or tablets instead of the irrigation, however, I can't find which rabbit hole I wen ...

DOUCHE.

The douche has been a great device
for irrigating in a precise
way, usually using water to
cleanse ourselves of smell and goo.

Women have used douches, so they
can cleanse vaginas in a way
that leaves them feeling much more clean
than they might otherwise have been.

I used a rectal douche when I
was incontinent, whereby
I needed to be cleansed of shit
and this was what got rid of ...

This is the type of ostomy bag I have. It's a one-piece Hollister bag. I have been trying to find some really good waterproof shower bags that are easy to put on and take off and don't get your bag wet. Any help would be greatly appreciated, including where I can get them, the website, and all. Showering can be a lot easier for me because I was told I can't get this particular bag wet. While t ...