Colostomy location???

Hi, it’s looking more and more like I will get an elective Colostomy! Any opinions on placement of the stoma? 

When I got mine, my ostomy nurse had me come in and made me move around, bend, stoop, etc., then she marked me on what she saw my body do. Which, for me, was just to the left of my belly button. 

I ordered a sample bag and kind of need a starting point because i want to wear it around to get a feel for it. Thanks for the info.

I don't have a colo but my ileo experience says keep it well away from your navel so the flange has a complete flat surface to adhere to and nowhere near any fold such as the fold that appears at the abdomen when you bend over, after that consider where the waist band sits on your pants.

The day before my colostomy I had to see an ostomy nurse who made me move around and bend them marked the spot for it.  I didn’t get a choice.  Mine is also just left of my navel.

I had no say in the location of my stoma.

Nurse comes in. Asked me to stand. Asked where my belt is when I wear pants.. and marked an X where it was going. 

It is located to the right of navel. 2 inches.  Just below  belt line. Wearing the applinace sideways helps with wearing a belt for pants. No issues at all. 

can tuck shirt in. And use a belt for pants. Even suspenders.

You’re welcome. For me, I’d hate to have mine any lower and have it mess with my waist line. Like Axl said, keep it far enough away from your belly button so whatever type of setup you use doesn’t get hindered by your belly button. I’d also ask or reinforce to your surgeon that you want your stoma to stick out a bit and not be flush to your skin. Stomas fluctuate a lot in how far they protrude thruout the day, I’d hate to have it be flush at its highest point and then retract below skin level. 

Personally...I'd like the location of my stoma.....on..someone else🤦‍♂️😊.

I have a colostomy.

I had no choice.  My surgeon did an excellent job placing it perfectly on me.  I'm a small guy, so my Hollister bag is pretty long on me.

Mine is 3 inches to the left of my navel, and in line with the navel.

I have no problems with belts or bending over.  

My stoma sticks out from 1 1/2 to 3 inches.  Causes quite the bulge.  I have a peristomal hernia... so I really have a bulge.  My wife comments about it all the time.   I sometimes wear a Nu-Hope support belt with prolapse strap to rein in my wayward stoma.  For a little while anyway.

Be sure and tell your surgeon... don't cut your stoma length too close to your skin.  Better a small bulge than the constant hassle of a stoma flush or below your skin.

I had emergency colon surgery on Christmas Day 2024, so I did not get to choose where my stoma would be. I also did not have a clue what was going on because of the pain and drugs. The surgeon placed my stoma 2 inches left of my belly button and right on my waist line. SO I now only where sweat paints and paints with elastic waist lines. SO, don't put it there. Like everyone else says 3 to 4 inches from your belly button and below or above your waist line. If you have it above your waist line your paints will fit under the stoma. The bag might need to stay on the outside of your paints so the output will fall to the bottom of the bag. NOTE, there are waist line belts that the bag fits in that will hide the bag. If you have it below the waist line you paints can fit over the stoma and bag. Just watch out for pancaking.

Hope this helps

golf&osto

.hi. good reply..welcome to the community.  it sounds like you had a colonostomy 12.25.23. Correct me if I am wrong.

Some tidings of comfort and joy, huh,?🤦‍♂️😩

.there is no reason for your bag to be "hanging out" of your pants... unless you want it to be.. there are choices..options.

  Being a newbie yourself, you will need to do some research on belts or wraps that hide the bag. And support it too.  Also there are appliances enabling you to turn the bag sideways if that's more comfortable.  Turning the bag sideways enables you tuck in shirt and use a belt for pants. Now do excuse me cause I don't know if having a colonostomy you can do this or not. But someone will answer that question here.

Of course, location was topic thread.  Your body organs  also dictate placement that's why ileos are located on your right hand side. Colonostomy on left.. my 2 cents worth. 

(7yrs being an  ileo. Kenn Buttor.)

 

 

 

You have a choice? Mine is to the left of my belly button, Has not been too bad, I have made it work with clothing, etc.

Yes make sure it sticks out, not flush with skin, away from belly button and watch for your skin folds. See an ostomy nurse.

I never had a choice. They came in. X Ed the spot. Boom. Done.

  It's like trying to tie shoe laces on flip flops.

I don't believe you have a say in location. A suggestion perhaps..then the nurse explains " this is where it goes". 

I know for me a lot of people say my stoma is higher up than usual. That’s because I’m in a wheelchair apparently. I had a memory that before the operation like right before the operation the surgeon asked me if I was left-handed or right handed. I’m right handed and I woke up with it on my right side. I also heard somewhere that the colostomy is usually on the left side and the ileostomy is usually on the right, so I don’t know if there’s any truth to that or not.

JVM, just curios if you are in a chair because of a spinal cord injury? I have a sci but am not in a chair and am fairly active. I assume that before i get the operation, the stoma nurse or Dr will help me decide where to put the stoma. Thanks for the response

No. Born with neurological damage.

I'm right handed, my colostomy is on left side.

Hello and glad to have you here. What hospital are going to be at? I think the placement may be based on why your having it done yours being Neurological Do you know if its going to be a "Loop colostomy"? if so it will be on the left just above your button. But call all the manufacturers and get all the free samples you can. And start looking at the support belts Stealth is the best but pricey. And you will end up with a peristomal hernia with in a year just be ready. 

Besides placement of the Ostomy, how much stoma sticks out is important.  A stoma is a shape changing little beast. It will grow longer, shorter, fatter, thinner.  It's constantly in motion due to peristalsis .

If your stoma is too close to your skin, output will get on your skin near the wafer seal area.  Causing irritation and leaks.  You'll have to use convex wafers.  

Mention to your surgeon you want the stoma to stick out enough to prevent it from declining to skin level.

Mine sticks out from 1 inch to 2.