Hi Deb, I have an colostomy bag and have been undergoing Chemo for about 8 months. I am a retired American living in Ecuador, South America, so my experience may be a little than what you hear from others. The 1st thing I know is; everyone reacts a bit differently from their treatment. They all have their opinions of what to do and not to do. Everyone's body is different. One important thing to remember is that chemo has a direct effect on your immune system. I went through this during the pandemic so I was extra careful going and meeting people in crowded areas( I really didn't need to catch Covid in addition to my cancer. I wasn't a hermit but I did keep my contact with large groups to a minimum. I have the bag and I do believe it is easier once you get the hang of it. The biggest problem I have with the bag is keeping the wafer sealed. I usea skin film to seal my pores and a cement to double seal the wafer itself. I have only had a couple of cases of leakage. I swim, do gardening, am pretty active with no problems.
As for my chemo, everyone reacts differently. i have only had a couple of instances of diarrhea and no real nausea. I do take the nausea medications my doctors have prescribed, but I have missed days and it had no ill effects.
If you have any specific questions or you just want to commiserate with someone, feel free to contact me direct at