Hi, I'm new to all this. Had my surgery end of Feb and am feeling pretty good. Want to get back to yoga but unclear about lying on my stoma. I have not laid on my belly since surgery. Is it safe?
Thanks!
Buzwoman
May 17, 2018 12:49 pm
Pirrip
May 17, 2018 10:36 pm
I would only lie on my tummy if my bag was completely empty, but I wouldn't dare sleep like that. Just imagine if the bag filled up with some liquid output and you rolled on it and the seam of the bag splits? I have had a couple go! It's a learning curve. Mattresses are expensive! Good luck, chum x
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Posted by: freedancer
In both of my cases, I had no choice. It was surgery or be put 6 feet under! I thank God that He has been with me all these times. Without Him, I never would have known what to do and might not have gone to the hospital when I did. I don't know if you have had your surgery or not yet but I hope you will hang out on this website when you are done. I have learned a great deal through the people here and it is so great having others who have had the same thing done and been through what you are about to or have gone through. The only thing I have turned down is a reversal of the ileostomy. When the doctors did the emergency rebuilding of my original ileostomy this last February, I told them I did not want to go through this again. My doctor told me at that time that I was no longer a candidate for the reversal. In a way, I was very relieved. The last three years of my life have been a nightmare for me. I do not want to go through any of it again. If you wish to be rehooked up and they say you are a good choice for that, research it carefully. Every surgery I have ever had except for Old and New Maxine and the emergency surgery on my broken foot, I have spent weeks researching. I recently had my C5 C6 disk in my neck replaced with an artificial one. I went to my pre-op with 2 pages of questions for the doctor. I knew everything that they were going to do and could talk intelligently with them. I always try to research my adversaries! Don't cancel your surgery. It is nice not to have to suffer any longer with horrible pain. We all had to change a few things around when we had our surgeries but in the long run, most of us are glad we did it. I know I am. Good luck to you!
Bill
May 18, 2018 5:45 am
Hello Buzwoman. As Pirrip says. having an empty bag is a sensible pecaution to prevent leaks. However, there should be no reason why you could not lie on you stoma. many of us wear hernia belts and I have not heard of any damage being done in the process. the pressure of a belt must be equal or more than the pressure that would be exerted when layin on the area. It's all about comon-sense and experimentation. Give it A TRY AND IF IT DOESN'T WORK, THEN STOP! Having a stoma should not prevent us from doing anything we want (apart from pooing from our bums!)
Best wishes
Bill
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Past Member
May 18, 2018 1:54 pm
You can lie on your belly if you irrigate. I'd recommend it if you have the type of ostomy that permits it. (Descending or Sigmoid). It can be a hassle for an hour in the morning, but after that, you're good to go for a day and night at least. Good luck.
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Miniroll
May 21, 2018 1:52 pm
Hello
I've done all types of yoga classes with an ileostomy. I had no problems at all.
Very few poses mean lying flat on your front, but even if you do, it doesn't hurt - just feels a bit strange at first!
Obviously, you would probably go to the toilet before you start the class, but I find I'm so distracted concentrating on the yoga that not much activity goes on bag-wise during a class.
Good luck! X
denverguy
May 22, 2018 3:51 am
Empty bag, wear a wrap and be safe by not really putting pressure on it. You can learn that and it becomes second nature.
Past Member
May 22, 2018 10:44 pm
I don't have an ileostomy, but I have been learning more about yoga, meditation, and trance. Four months into it, I can almost do handstands without using a wall for leverage. There is a nice lady with Crohn's and she has an ileostomy. Plus, she has over 500 hours of yoga experience. She could help you with any questions regarding poses, restorative yoga, and even nutrition. She's on YouTube... Go check it out?
Her name: Elaine O'Rourke Yoga
Blazest
May 23, 2018 4:00 am
It looks like you've gotten plenty of good feedback but I just wanted to contribute my two cents. I made it a point to ask my ostomy nurse about this and she said there was no problem. I'm worried more about possible herniation so I'm careful about some of the abdominal work that I do. But the nurse made it clear that there should be no problem lying flat on the ostomy. FYI, I have a colostomy. Also, I see no need to irrigate but the empty bag suggestion is pretty good. Best of luck and enjoy getting into shape, it's probably one of the best things we can do.
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Bagface
Jan 05, 2019 5:36 pm
After my surgery in July, I gradually went back to aerobics and yoga. I made sure my bag was empty first. As far as lying on my stomach for yoga, I do it carefully and have had no problems. I'm due for ileoscopy reversal soon, and my question is "How soon can I return to exercise without 'breaking something'?" Any input will be greatly appreciated. Many, many thanks to those of you who post your success stories, and I wish you continued good luck! And best of luck to those whose surgeries haven't gone well, and hope that things turn around for you!