The first 7 months

I was so terrified when this happened. What can I eat/drink? How do I deal with this depression ? Leaks? Different appliances?

 I was lost & afraid of every move. 
I had a ostomy nurse & Drs , but the advice I got on this site was INVALUABLE! 
It has not even been a year,but the 1st 7 months was horrifying and the advice from all of you was such a huge help! 
Thank you so much!

        Tiffany 

1. Dating and relationships
2. Concealing the pouch
3. Foods to eat and avoid
4. Losing or gaining weight
5. Pouch ballooning

you will learn to manage things given a little time. everythng your going thru, someone here has already been thru.... we`re here to help. best wishes for continued improvement :)

  Hi tmn86,

I remember, it's been 13 months for me. But the great thing is I look back at it and thank God I'm alive. I think everyone does sooner or later. And yes this place is full of wonderful caring folks and along the way we find some friends. So just posting thoughts and questions helps easing some of that trauma we've all been through. 

Best regards to you 

Hi Tiffany 

I've had my permanent Ileostomy for 20 years and honestly I have learned so much on this site .. making friends along the way.....so happy you are getting along ok..cheers!

Ange 

Hi Tiffany, Glad you are feeling better. I also found a lot of good advise on this site. Feel free to ask questions.

Hello Tiffany.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the benefits of this site, which I think we would all agree with.

I did, and still do, learn a lot from people's posts on here, which makes me so grateful I stumbled across MAO in those early days. I feel it is not only the advice and information about the way people manage, but  the simple fact that we can communicate with each other in the knowlwdge that there are other people out there trying to cope with the same or similar circumstances. This allows for a genuine, honest and open conversation about things which we might otherwise have nobody to share it with. ( or at least, nobody who has any interest in this shit!) 

I'm glad that you are now over the first hurdle and getting the hang of it.

Best wishes

Bill

Hi Tiffany this site and UOAA.org are great site for learning about what we have to deal with, and finding out that there are so many others out there like us and we are not alone really helps us manage what we have to live with.

Pleased to hear your doing well.....Best adivice I ever had few days after surgery from my ostomy nurse was "bollocks" eat and drink what you like! Best advice I ever had...even after 30 for me years there's always something new to learn

I was petrified of food/drink,but I got that same advice here and it was the absolute best advice EVER!!!

Tiffany, 

so glad you are doing well! The same was true for me! I learned so much from some great people on here. 
you will continue to learn every day if you visit often. This Ostomy world is a world that evolves and changes constantly. Don't be afraid to try anything that will improve your quality of life! Just go for it! 
Puppyluv