Traveling In India With A Urostomy: Seeking Advice

Traveling in India with a Urostomy: Seeking Advice

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GA cyclops

Feb 03, 2013 12:43 am

I would love to travel in India for a month or so.
At the risk of offending any of you good folks who may live in India, I need to ask a few questions.

I have a urostomy. Most of the books I've read about India, both nonfiction and fiction, describe public hygiene in the major cities as significantly different than we Westerners are used to. (The books are all by South Asian authors, and include "Maximum City, Bombay Lost and Found" by Suketu Mehta, and several of Salman Rushdie's works.)

I would want to mix with the people, not confine myself to western-style hotels and restaurants, to visit the temples and historical sights, eat the street food, browse the shops.

If you were me, what precautions, if any, would you take (aside from innoculations and other normal travel preparations)? I would bring my own ostomy supplies.

Or am I being overly-cautious? My intent here is NOT to appear to be another Ugly American, but just protective of my health.

Dhanyavaad

CanadaNana

Feb 03, 2013 5:02 pm

Hi
I also have a urostomy - ileal conduit - surgery was in October 2011, so it's now my new "normal", and I haven't really had any problems since the surgery.  I am 67 years old, and in good health.  I live in Canada.

I travel - I went on a month long trip through Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, and Croatia in the summer of 2012.  I travelled with my daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter.  I took along more than double the supplies I thought I would need, and we travelled carry-on only.  The packing was a big challenge, haha.  Other than that, though, I had no problems. We stayed in modest, but decent hotels.  I soaked in the thermal baths in Budapest - no problem.  I swam in the ocean in Croatia - no problem.  Public toilets are actually easier for me than for most women who either have to squat or sit down to urinate.

I have not been to India, but it is quite likely, in my opinion, that travel there may be more challenging - both as far as accommodations and food, and especially the water.

May I suggest that you check the discussion forum at the BCAN website, as there are members there who have travelled in India, and some members who live in India.  It is a website devoted to coping with bladder cancer, and there are many urostomates who are members.
www.bcan.org and then click on Facing Bladder Cancer and then click on support groups in the drop-down menu.  That will open a page with instructions on how to join the discussion form.

Good luck!  Happy travels!

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Posted by: Karen & Stella

Fay,

I am one of those few people who still have a lot of output at night. However, I suffer from short gut syndrome after seven bowel surgeries that led to the loss of much of my small intestine as well as my large intestine from the initial bowel cancer surgery. It does get better over time as your system adjusts, but an ileostomy can be a challenging adjustment. It's important to connect with a good Enterostomal Nurse - ET nurses who can help you problem-solve over time. It's been five years since my initial surgery, and I had a great visit with a new ET nurse in December. He really helped me with the problem of high output at night. I had been getting up every 90-120 minutes to empty my high output bag because of filling. If I slept for three hours without emptying, I would have problems. My ET nurse helped my husband and me make a nighttime collection system using a Rubbermaid juice container with a handle and my old CPAP hose. This is connected to one of my two-piece high output bags and allows for continual drainage. It isn't pretty, but it has been a real lifesaver. I guess the real message I want to share is to stick with it, find a nurse who you can work with, and together you will find solutions to whatever challenges you face. This website is also an important support for me and others. There is nothing you will go through that others haven't already faced and figured out. There is so much wisdom here. Read the materials they've put together for newbies. There are a lot of great suggestions to use. I hope things get better quickly for you.
Karen