One question I'm wrestling with is the future placement of the stoma on my abdomen for my urostomy. My surgery is scheduled for Aug 19th. When we met with the surgeon before I had decided to do the surgery, he pointed to a spot that was 3 inches higher than my belly button and to the side. Is that normal? From what I've seen online, most showed the stoma equal to or lower than the belly button. That seems more discreet. And it seems like wearing a wrap or band to stabilize the bag would be more comfortable in my high waist area than around my back. But...I don't know...is there a reason medically it needs to be higher? Is it more functional higher so the bag is not folded when I sit or bend over? I plan to reach out to my surgeon tomorrow but wanted feedback from others who have lived with a bag.
Not sure about a urostomy, but in general, you want somewhere fairly flat so you get a solid area to attach your bag to.
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I replied in your other thread. I was more verbose, but Alex always manages to say it all in one sentence. Being succinct is not one of my talents! Lol
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My placement was not planned; mine was an emergency surgery with 47 staples from under my rib cage down below my belly button. That being said, I am short, just 5 ft. I am able to wear jeans and such, and everything tucked in. My farmer husband, who crossed over due to stage 4 colon cancer in 2020, had a planned one; he was a little over six feet tall, and his was high. It was hard to hide even in a wrap, just below his rib cage. Now, if I had a planned one, mine is close to my belly button, and my belly is soft—no abs of steel, lol. I would have planned away from my belly button a couple of inches.
I don't know if this helps, but that's my 2 cents.
Yay - another with a urostomy! My stomach is placed a bit higher than yours, and I can't tell you how much trouble I've been having. Not sure if my surgeon was really dialed in for my issue… It might've partly been because I was overweight, and he kept mentioning that I should lose a bit. In any case, it looks like revision surgery is on my radar because I'm changing appliances at least twice a day.
So, the surgeon decided what the site would be instead of an ostomy nurse?? Hmm
I wish you the very best of luck!
I am not sure about a urostomy, but my ileostomy was first placed at my waistline and had to be moved because I couldn't keep a bag on at that placement. I find the higher placement much better. I can wear a bag, and it is hidden under my shirt. I like it being up higher because it is more functional for me. I can still wear a cover, and it doesn't bother me too much. The only time I can't wear a cover is when I get a mammogram. That's because the cover comes up too high. Other than that, no issues at all.