I've actually never showered without my bag on. My stoma nurse said I should leave the bag on since Coloplast products are water-resistant, and I can use the filter sticker if I like. I do hydrotherapy and have never had a bag come off. The flange extended strips protect the seal. Then, after being at hydro, I do a full change.
Now you've all got me thinking about risking a shower for the first time without a bag! I like to live on the edge, so we will see how it goes! 😂
Yes, please be naked in the shower. Feel free! It's the only time I feel really free! Had my stoma.
Rosie since March of 2022. Sometimes there may be an accident, but you can catch it pretty soon.
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I want to thank everyone for their suggestions, messages, and tips! So many have helped! We are learning as we go, learning the ins and outs of this bag. I have ordered special tape that does not irritate my skin and am now using Domeboro powder before putting on a new bag. My boyfriend says that my skin is so much less red!
Saw an ostomy nurse today; she said my boyfriend is doing everything right. One of my issues is that I am really thin, and my skin is really crinkly due to the surgery. We shall see how this bag goes.
This site is a real blessing. Everyone here is so awesome!
Kim
I have showered with or without my bag, etc., and everything is fine. I also am in the pool all summer. If everything seems overly wet, I use my hair dryer on the area. Good luck!
I also showered with bags off in the hospital, changing them immediately afterwards, but as SusanT said, that means changing my bags (I have both a colostomy and a urostomy) more often than I want and need to, which is usually once a week. Also, in the hospital, more than once output plopped out in the middle of the process and ran down my leg onto the shower floor, which was a shitty (pun intended!) feeling, so no thanks. I not only shower with mine on but sit in Japanese hot springs baths, which are over 40°C, with no trouble at all. I've been doing this for a year.
Worse than wet, I found some adhesive oozing out from under the wafer from hot water, but never poop. 3-4 bags a week is a lot.
I shower with mine on too. I have an ileostomy, and the warm water actually helps with the adhesive sticking better. It's the same as when you change your bag and then place your hand on your bag for a minute or two to warm up the appliance to stick better. But I'll admit I thought the same as you for the first four years until I saw someone else on a feed say it was okay. I still waited months and just did it one day. It only takes maybe one or two minutes to dry (I rub it lightly with a towel afterward). Some people use a hairdryer to dry it, but I've never done that.
I shower 2x a week and give everything a wipe down the rest of the week with distilled water and fill up my humidifier at the same time. I'm never really dirty, and Moana likes to shower when I do. It helps to keep an eye on her and alleviates my chlorine allergy if I don't shower every day. I'm allergic to band-aids and adhesive as well, so if my bag gets wet, I can get a rash that makes me suffer for a week or more and causes me to have to change my bag daily. It's too expensive and too much of a hassle, so I shower less and bagless to give Moana a good rinse when I do :)