Hello all,
I've had my ileostomy since 8/21. Still lots to learn but one area that I'm struggling with is clothing! I know it's really not earth-shattering in the grand scheme of life but... I am a fashionista and I long for my normal clothes.
I can't seem to wear anything non-stretch. Do I need to alter, but a size up? Any advice??
Hi Katie, wish I could help but I am as far from being a fashionista as it gets. LOL I live in leggings (stretch), loose fitting jeans/pants, or sundresses (in summer lol). Good luck.
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It depends on where your ostomy is located. Mine is low enough (below my natural waistband) that I don't have many restrictions around what I can wear.
I do have to be a bit more thoughtful about what I eat/drink if I'm wearing something like skinny jeans where the bag might not have as much room to "grow" so to speak.
Why can't you wear what you want? Have you tried a wrap to hold your bag closer to your body? Being a guy and probably the furthest person from being a fashionista, you'll have to explain why what you want to wear isn't possible right now.
Because with an ileostomy it's more like a filled water balloon and expands, and some people have high output and we can't do irrigation.
Ok, that makes sense. So is it about not being able to wear formal (I guess you'd call it) clothes because of the bag being shown through? Or is it more of a hassle to deal with by wearing the clothes you'd want to wear? I'm just trying to understand it.
Katiedid, I know what you are talking about, but as you are a little further into your ostomy journey, you will find that things are not so difficult as you might think. I had my ileostomy in 2016, and thought I would have to get a whole new wardrobe. Actually, there are only a few adjustments you might need to keep in mind. I like to wear my blouses untucked, but I did that anyway. If I'm going to be out and about for several hours, a sweater or jacket can help cover any ballooning that you might have. For me, the most difficult thing was finding pants that are comfortable to wear all day. Try different types of pants to see what suits you. I like to wear pants that are more forgiving, not tight. I wrote a post a few years ago, titled, "Perfect Pants", and there were lots of responses from ladies giving their suggestions. You can still find that post on here, I'm sure. You'll get lots of good advice on this site, so just see what works for you! Good luck! ;Lucy
I wear elastic waist pants and do not tuck my blouses in. I let the bag hang between my pants and underwear so there is no pressure on the bag.
I do the same, lovely. I have several pairs of the ostomy panties, but I only wear them when I feel like my bag needs a little more support. Lucy
Hi Katie,
There is a great company called Comfizz which does underwear for ostomates. It's kind of like support underwear but nicer. It hides everything but is very comfortable. I can wear skinny jeans and other slimline clothing. Have a look at their website. Why shouldn't we still glam up! Good luck!
Rocket, look at ostomysecrets.com. They have a lot of selections to choose from. I would say that their prices are high for the quality, but our choices are limited. My experience is that their sizes run small, so I suggest you order one item to see how it fits, and then go from there. Lucy
Thank you so much SallyNBC. I've been doing this as well. I just can't get my jeans and ostomy to cooperate.
I know what you mean about the jeans. I have not found any so far that fit perfectly.
Katie, I usually don't put anyone in the spotlight and put the focus on them, but from what I can see in your 2 photos, you're a beautiful woman that has nothing to worry about on how anything looks on you. You're gonna make any piece of clothing look beautiful and wear it eloquently. I know it's about how you feel in the clothing, but from an outside perspective, no matter what you wear, it'll look better on you. Have a great day and don't put too much stress on how clothing looks on you.
Where were you able to find the ostomy panties? I had some but I moved from Wisconsin to New York and they got lost somehow.
I got ostomy panties from Ostomy Secrets but they don't seem to have them anymore. Am I looking in the wrong place??
I seem to have an ileostomy "blimp" most of the time. I feel your pain in this area. I'm usually a jeans and hoody kinda guy, but would love to be able to wear one of my suits to formal gatherings, opening night parties, etc. Most days it feels like I have a small yet big enough to see water balloon attached to my right side, and I hate it!
Rocket, maybe you typed it in wrong. I just checked their site, and they still have panties. Ostomysecrets.com
Lucy
I wear my bag over my jeans using an Ostomy Secrets wrap to support the bag. I also wear a Nu-Hope support belt (hernia belt basically) 24/7 due to hernia problems at my stoma. Until I started wearing my bag outside my clothing, life was a nightmare. Since then, things are so much better! I am a hobby mechanic and race cars for fun, so being agile is important for me. This change really did save the day.
I swear by LL Bean high waist jeans and slacks and capris. They are just right for my body and bag, although mine is a colostomy, which I know takes up space differently than an ileostomy.
I too want to look good when I'm out and about, it makes me feel good. I'm super grateful that tunic tops are in style!
I'm going shopping for overalls at Tractor Supply after the doctor to see if those will work for me. My stoma is slightly above my belly button. Very odd spot to wear jeans without the horizontal belt that I have yet to use. I'll give that a try after pouch change tomorrow. Second pouch in a row to make it at least half the week! Progress!
Good luck. I tried overalls for going back to work, very uncomfortable for me. They just rubbed right on my stoma the wrong way. Maybe they would work if I bought way bigger than I needed but then they're way bigger everywhere else too. I ended up buying cargo pants from Duluth Trading Company. They actually have a little stretch to them and are very comfortable. My pant line is under my stoma so there is no rubbing.
I have some Duluth pants I'll have to try, waistline is below stoma, I'm wearing suspenders today instead of a belt, haven't tried that yet. Been wearing sweatpants or no pants since I got the stoma.
I bought a thing called Belt-Bro. It's a piece of elastic that goes between 2 of your belt loops on your pants and then velcros together to tighten your waistline like a belt would. They work okay and are cheap. They also make buckleless belts that go about 3/4 of the way around you and then snap onto your belt loops on your sides so there is no belt where your stomach is. I haven't tried one of those yet. I can't wear a regular belt anymore as the buckle, though small, digs in and drives me nuts.
Well, first day in overalls wasn't so bad, I can empty with no issues. I really wasn't doing anything strenuous so no idea if the rub would bother me at work. I've seen the belt bro and see one in my future.
I love my Duluth pants and suspenders worked well with some Old Navy jeans.
I saw on another post here about using a shower cap as a pouch cover so I won't waste my money on that shower belt thingy, brilliant!
Stoma nurse comes tomorrow and I'm going to have her measure me for the vertical pouch belt, pouch cover, and wrap 3-piece set.
Slightly personal question. Do you still wear the same kind of underwear as you wore before your ostomy? I've been wearing diapers for months and am tired of them, when this batch runs out I wanna go back to my old boxer briefs or try out some of the ostomy underpants I've seen. Seems a bit pricey or ugly or both, and if I don't have to spend $30 a pair that would be helpful to me and my mortgage payment.
Thanks in advance, I know that was a lot to read.
Paul aka Abe "the sausage king of Chicago" Froman