Ostomy Topics

Hello,
I currently have a colostomy that I've had for about 20 years. I had this done because of terrible constipation issues that were ruining my life. I irrigate my ostomy every morning, where everything typically evacuates, and then I'm continent the rest of the day. In the last year, the ostomy has stopped working. When I irrigate, I mostly get water back out with very little stool. I've h ...

Hey all,
So for the last few days, my ileo has been functioning as normal, and I'm usually pretty good at timing when meals are going to pass through. All morning today, also normal,
but at lunchtime, I've been getting a slight stomach ache, and my stoma has been going really hard and pointy. I noticed solid chunks of carrot, which I ate early yesterday morning in a meat and potato pasty, in m ...

I had a parastomal hernia that required convexity for some time and damaged my parastomal skin. My surgeon moved my stoma up several inches on my abdomen, which now placed it above my belt line. I need concealment strategies. I am a teacher and need solid concealment. I will wear a stoma belt and continue to wear suspenders with my trousers. I was thinking... will patterned and striped loose s ...

Hi
I've had my ileostomy now for 2 years. I had a letter from my surgeon telling me that my bowel has now healed after so many tests and scans, and he could now do a reversal if I wanted to. I'm not 100% sure after reading so many stories of people having problems after the operation.
Rob B

I've had sleep issues for the past 5 years since I had an ileostomy first and now a colostomy. Has anyone tried the gummies to help with sleep? I'm considering trying them, but I've got some concerns. First and foremost, I'm a little worried about waking up. I'm worried about sleeping for 19 hours and waking up a day later. Exaggerating a little, but I am worried about that. Has it helped anyo ...

My wife's ileostomy continues to defy all my attempts to reduce/stop leaks. The peristomal area is badly inflamed. I've tried different rings from Hollister, Coloplast, and Convatec. Convex, flat, ceramide-infused, some decent lifespans, but each had way too much inconsistency. The same exact product might work once for a two or three-day run, then fail within a few hours the next three times. ...

I have used, from the get-go, a baggie to cover the clipped end of the appliance. Even with a really good clip, those "fluids" can be tenacious. So I slip a plain old baggie (no zip lock) over the clip end. I worked as a legal secretary/assistant for 40 years in the rarefied environment of the law firm and never experienced a leak that was not contained. Give it a try. It worked and still work ...

How do you handle going out of the house to a friend's or out for more than a couple of hours? I can't imagine having to empty the bag or, even worse, have a leak while out. It all terrifies me.

I would just like to reach out to others with a colostomy

I'm a mother of a 5 and 6-year-old, and I got my ileostomy two years ago. They are starting to wonder why mommy goes to poop in a bag. I don't know how I would tell them or if I should show them my stoma because I think they would get scared. I tell them mama needs a bag because my body doesn't work right and I have a disease, but then my 6-year-old asked how the poop comes out. All I say is, ...

The bottom of my stoma has blood coming out of it, not the hole where the urine comes out. It is getting hard to stop it. It's been bleeding almost 24 hours now, off and on. I've used pressure, ice cubes, and it stops for a bit but starts back. It fills my bag full. What can I do to stop it? My kids say they see a raised bump on it.

I have a high-output permanent ileostomy. The leaks are horrendous, and the phantom leaks torture, tease, and poke me. I have been provided with all the right medical supplies: I have big bags, small bags, adhesive rings, paste, and Demi-lunes. The stoma is right on my belly button, and I have an old scar that pleats. I block it up with paste and have the extra security of Demi-lunes. I starte ...

I changed my vitamin from One A Day for 50+ to Centrum +50. Any chance one is better than the other?

Sitting on a park bench enjoying a warm summer afternoon... I dozed off. A little later, an elderly lady happened by and sat next to me. "Wonderful day, isn't it, young man!" "Oh yes," I replied. "An excellent afternoon indeed."
She stretched her legs, adjusted her glasses, and softly hummed a catchy tune.
In the distance, children were busy at the playground. We could just make out their sho ...

I was just wondering if my stomach cramps and mucus produced by my rectum are going to be a lifelong struggle. It is 3 weeks every other month, and I'm unable to leave the house for that time.
Please, any advice is greatly appreciated!
Tiffany