Swimming in the Ocean Without a Pouch?

Can I swim in the ocean (not pool or river) without my pouch on?

Not recommended. Your stoma is your open intestines with blood vessels to absorb nutrients directly into your bloodstream. Unchecked bacteria that are in open water could cause infections, including flesh-eating bacteria. I wish it were possible to swim like in the old days without a bag on, but you open yourself to too much extreme risk to do so. Think of red tide in the ocean, where algae blooms can cause skin issues on regular skin just on its own.

You'd be risking a lot if you did.

Really not a good idea.

I will add my voice to the chorus. No way is that a good idea. Not in the ocean, not in the lake, not in the river, not in the pool, Sam I am. Allowing your insides to interact with the bacteria in open water or the chemicals and bacteria from fellow humans in a pool sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.

Daniel

How to Get Back to Fitness After Ostomy Surgery with Ryan | Hollister

Alas, I can no longer skinny dip like in my days of youth. Now I fatty dip.

Am I the only one picturing fish trying to nibble at a stoma? 😳😬

LOL or leeches! 😳😱

Ohhhhhhhh forgot about those darn leeches 😬

So are there any products I can use...or do I have to put on my inventor/entrepreneur hat?

Sally & Crappy.....

Leeches? Slimy kind found in rivers & lakes.... Or those inhabiting a certain Washington swamp? 😀

Stealth Belt makes a neoprene belt for water sports. Use that with nothing else.

I didn't see who this post was by at first and thought it had to be Bob because of the crappy reference. It's funny watching people figure out what to call me with a username like I chose 😁

CcD...

I'm jealous of your fancy mustache.

On a more serious note: This is the only online site I truly enjoy. Folks here all have something in common that each of us is intimate with. Except for our healthcare professionals, who else could we discuss ostomy life with?

Wishing you continued good health,

Dan

Dan,

I cannot take the credit for the stache; the lovely drawing was gifted to me, followed by a dare to make it my profile picture.

There are some good people here who, like you said, have been through stuff and go through stuff on a daily basis, and most don't have people (locally) who understand it on a visceral level like the people here. Glad you found your way to this site 😃

Feel free to call me Jodie or your abbreviation, or if it's funny, I'll probably still answer to it 😁

Having spent time in the military, the name Jodie always had a negative connotation. But that has been supplanted since I have come across crappycolondiaries. 😎

Daniel

Daniel, I bet they spell it Jody too. Knowing my mom, she probably had no clue, or she didn't care… I don't see there being a gray area with her. My mom had decided when she was a little girl that if she ever had a girl, she'd name her Jodie… My grandma I was named for was Joanne, and her nickname was Jodie. She and I both also answer/ed to Jo, so that got confusing. My cousins' kids and foster babies we do respite care for call me Jojo. My mom said the name sounded like someone who loved to have fun, and she hoped I would turn out that way. I don't think she thought about how fun and trouble often go together. 😜 My nickname on my floor in college was ‘the fun,' as luck would have it. 😂

Jojo reminds me of what we used to call my mother's sister, Dorothy: Dodo. Families can come up with the darndest nicknames. :-)

Daniel

I would not suggest swimming in the ocean or any open waters without some form of protection for your stoma.

The oceans, rivers, and lakes are full of biology, including parasites attracted to soft tissues much like your intestine.

Cheers

Hi, I'm going to Hawaii in 3 days. Can I swim in the ocean with my bag on?
Will it leak?

Thanks,

Rod

Any splashing around in water bigger than a bathtub with a bag should be accompanied by an ostomy swim wrap or belt. I think it is not a good idea to add the pressure of water to the connection between your bag and wafer. I do not have firsthand experience, only a basic understanding of hydrodynamics. :-)

Daniel

Yes, you can. I swim in the surf all the time. You can also take your bag off if you have a 2-piece system. It feels so good to be free in the ocean.

All the best

Yes, you can. I swim in the surf all the time. You can also take your bag off if you have a 2-piece system. It feels so good to be free in the ocean.

All the best

Also, my surgeon suggested swimming in the ocean. I have an ileostomy. Surgery was in January 2022, and I have probably had over a hundred ocean swims since then, and nothing has bitten my stoma off. The salt water is great for its healing properties, and it makes you feel alive and free.

Go live. It's all good.

Yes, mate. Go swim and have a great time.

Yeah, nah, I wouldn't want to do that.

I'd be worried it might attract the sharks.

My bags come with a little round stick on to block the filter. I've read that if you don't do this, then water can come in through the filter and fill your bag up.

But if you take your bag off, isn't your intestinal content that would normally go into the bag going into the ocean? That sounds nasty to me!

G-Day Petmol, If you were further north of where you live, you would have the Snapping Handbags after you, or the Sharks. Really not a good idea, mate; get an infection there and your F.

I've read there are plugs you can use to stop output for limited periods of time. I'm not sure if this is real or someone's wishes...