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I just want to say thank you to all of you for the help you have given and the people I have met and made friend of.

But I will maybe not closing my account but taking some time off. I hope all is well and keep up the good work.

Regards IGGIE

Hi. I'm new here and since having Bruce(28months) I have not dared book a holiday. Please could I have some advice/tips?
Thank you

I named mine Sylvester Stalloma, he’s now my ring man fighting through this labyrinth called life.

for the most part he’s well behaved apart from the odd battle cry he lets out at 2am some nights, startling me into action in the darkness, I think he does it just to remind me that he’s still there fighting my corner.

Hi friends. Surgery is now just 4 days away. Shit (pun intended) is getting real. You know, like all the phone calls about pre op, pharmacy, arrival time… and the dreaded bowel prep. Please pray for my family, this will be ugly. A trip to the hardware store for plastic sheets is a serious request!!

As a way to find humor and get me through my poop anxiety, I thought about music that pairs ...

Hello everyone it has been a minute since I have posted anything so I thought I would give a update since the last surgery on Halloween.

So far so good the wound has stayed closed. I started working again mid March" had to threat the doctor that I'd forge his name if he didn't sign off lol" , I believe I'm about 30% back to how I was.

I don't believe I will ever truly be comfortable in my ...

Hope you are all having a wonderful morning. I'm getting an ileostomy on May 1st, and I'm starting to get really nervous, all the what-ifs. I guess my biggest (at the moment, lol) is I have dysphasia and gastroparesis and am just worried about getting proper hydration. Anyone else have dysphasia and/or gastroparesis? And how are you doing?

Hello, I am very new to the site and have recently (very recently) had a colostomy reversal/hartmann's procedure and hernia repair. I just wondered if others have gone through this and how they feel generally? I feel incredibly tired, which I know is probably normal after major surgery, and finding diet challenging as I have been advised to now be on low fiber for a while, but I just wondered ...

I am an avid golfer who is looking for advice on what support belt I should purchase to keep the colostomy system I have in place while making full swings with my golf shots.
I have a two-piece Convatec bag system. I had the bag installed on March 6, 2025.
Thanks for any suggestions people have from personal experience and success.
Jay

My name is Jen, 53 yrs old, married and only my mother living at home! I am literally 5 bucket list days away from surgery and starting my journey with a sigmoid colostomy. Diverticulitis has my name on speed dial. In 2019 I perforated my bowel and after 3 weeks of antibiotics, I had my appendix and gallbladder removed at the same time. I thought I was good.

Here I am shitting my pants ever ...

I was reading a thread, and there was a regular ad that popped up, and I was just wondering how many ostomates actually eat a bowl of beans? I know it's healthy, but from previous threads, it seems most avoid eating a bowl of that stuff in fear of blockages/excessive output. I just thought a company that makes ostomy products might be more into what ostomates actually eat or at least in what ...

Showed up today in our driveway. We think she's looking for a spot to lay eggs.

She's lost an eye somehow but like an ostomate, she doesn't let anything hold her back.

Is anyone else experiencing leaking through the bag filter area on the Hollister Lock n Roll #8574? Leaked severely in the middle of the night; now I don't trust the product at all. I receive free bags through financial assistance, and this is one of only two products they offer, but free won't cut it if this happens. Thank you.

I have had a few problems with Airport security here in Australia when checking through security.

But I refuse to take a step back I have been challenged as to what I am hiding under my shirt LOL.

The one I truly remember was after being checked with the x-ray they wanted to see what I was hiding.

Now I am standing out in no-mans land from the x-ray, and being as I am so polite LOL. I w ...

I am sure this was brought up before, but I cannot seem to find a topic.
Anyhow, has any ostomate tried the new weight loss drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, etc.?
Do they work for ostomates?

My bathroom drainage system is just bad. Sometimes it smells like the sewer out of nowhere. You can smell someone's normal poop after they go. It gets worse with ileostomy. Siblings and parents keep complaining, and I am already wiping the toilet with wet tissue after every emptying and spraying a crap ton of room spray, and they keep complaining. I feel like this is not a me problem; it's the ...

Well, I had a leak at work today. Changed the pouch this morning and apparently nicked the tail Velcro closure and made a tiny hole. I didn't realize I had a leak until getting up from a web meeting at my desk and realized the moist feeling on my right thigh was not from sweat. I had my surgery back in April 2011, and I have to admit that I've been living in a bit of denial about having an ile ...

I'm new here, semi-new ostomy (8/2023). Found this wonderful community on BlueSky! Super excited to be here after I left Facebook (and an amazing ostomy group there). Looking forward to learning my way around the site and chatting with other ostomates!

So now waiting for my OP to remove the rest of the Ol' plumbing.

Been told about 4 months but also sooner if there are cancellations. Can't wait to draw a line under the whole UC saga and recover and move forward. Only problem is it's causing me a slight anxiety because I keep expecting the phone to ring :P

Once this is done I can concentrate on enjoying life and hopefully someone to enj ...

CHOICES CAN BE PERPLEXING. There are plenty of advice givers out there, but you may pay them more than their advice is worth as a practical matter. And who’s to know if they’re in a better position than you to make decisions about your problems and your alternatives? Even the famous thinker Søren Kierkegaard was overtly negative about it: “I see it all perfectly,” he claimed. ...

I ADMIT TO BEING AN UNDERCOVER grammar cop. Usually I manage to restrain myself, but when one of my daughters persists in using the word “like” inappropriately over and over, it’s all that I can do to keep from jumping all over her. While I recognize the natural inclination of language to change over time, there remains a proper way to put words together and precise definitions for the ...

Hello all,
I'm getting a colostomy on May 1st for rectal dysnergia (my sphincter muscle is too tight), rectocele, and enterocele. I'm worried because I don't believe my large intestine is working properly. I did have a sitz marker test, which showed 4 markers left on the 5th day, which they consider normal. I don't understand how that is normal. I'm also on Motegrity, Linzess, senna tea, and d ...

Any advice on how to navigate the decision to have your entire colon removed and dealing with an ileostomy the rest of your life? Do I want to take such drastic measures for the sake of being alive?? Being alive and living are two really different things, right?

T

I GOT THE PHOTO A FEW YEARS AGO OF A VERY RAIR THREE EAERD KANGAROO.

Regards IGGIE

Hello everyone, I'm getting sore skin around my stoma site. I expect a little redness, but it's getting worse and really quite sore. I'm meticulous with how I'm cutting the hole in my bag to minimize the issue, but it doesn't seem to be working. Any tips?
Many thanks.

I just had to have a colostomy. I'm nervous about a lot of things and would love some "make my life easier" advice!

Just reading the latest Ostomy Australia magazine and noticed a letter from Iggie - well done, mate!
A PDF copy of the mag is below for those interested:
https://australianstoma.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Ostomy-Australia-April2025.pdf
and Iggie's letter (might be too small to read, but it's on page 7 of the issue):

Hey there, I am 6 weeks post-ileostomy surgery. I tried eating a banana, and my output has not slowed down, but my ostomy bag is really gassy. The bag just keeps on bloating. I wonder if this is normal or if I should try eating a little bit less or stop the fiber and try it next week?

The Big Scare
At church today, Mrs. B suffered a terrible calamity. One that rendered her temporarily speechless. A church friend behind me reached over to wish me a happy Easter and shake my hand. I leaned over to bid him holiday wishes too. Mrs. B nudged my leg. She was pointing toward my pants zipper. Hmmmm. Did I forget to pull it up? Nooo.
Then she hissed, "Your thingy is showing." "Thin ...

I had an ileostomy 12 weeks ago, and about 2 weeks ago, I began getting pains in my lower abdomen on both the stoma and non-stoma sides. My once flat stomach is now bulging in places, and the skin sags. I am worried about hernias because I've heard it is common with an ostomy. Are there hernia prevention tips? Does wearing a support help? But I don't want to block the stoma. Any thoughts?

My son wants to start driving and return to the gym. We did buy a plastic item that slides over your seat belt that is supposed to keep the belt away from the stoma, but it is not deep enough. Also, sturdy protection to go over the stoma so it doesn't get squashed at the gym.
Does anyone know if there is anything that is about an inch in depth to allow for the stoma not to get squashed?

Hi everyone, this is my first time posting. I've had my ileostomy for 5.5 years now; it was supposed to be temporary, but COVID kicked in 6 months ago. I finally went in for a reversal, but then boom, I went into total respiratory failure, so my consultant is not for doing the reversal now. I have to say I've never gotten used to it and was so happy when I thought finally. So you can imagine m ...

So I had a colostomy failed in 2023.

I had a colostomy reversed and an ileostomy formed in 2024.

The ileostomy retracted, so I had to have it refashioned in 2024.

So I went to see my consultant yesterday as my stoma nurse referred me back because my ileostomy has retracted again 9 months after surgery. He told me I need another surgery, but this time they're going to have to move my i ...

I had surgery for an ostomy about 7 weeks ago. It has been going fine except for a very high output. I've been following my doctor's instructions by following a high-fiber diet and adding Citrucel twice a day (2 heaping tablespoons in a small amount of applesauce). I've now added two Imodium crushed up in applesauce in the morning and evening. It's been several days of using the Imodium. Today ...

I'm looking for some advice here. I've discovered that I'm low in magnesium and have gone twice now for infusions. My body is just flushing it out. I have to keep up a good liquid intake because of my ileostomy, but I guess I've been overdoing it. I take magnesium supplements too, and the Catch-22 is that the supplements cause diarrhea, which in turn flushes out the magnesium! I'm going to hav ...

She says she can fix the stoma, no problem, and will try to fix the parastomal hernia. We will see; I am hopeful. My surgery is outpatient, so I'll be home later today!

Any solutions to this? I have tried putting lubricant in the pouch, and it helps somewhat, but I still get pancaking that then lifts the pouch off the skin.
I am wondering about others' experiences—would adhesive sprays maybe help?
Or changing from my Eakin dot pouch to another one that's more “pancake resistant?”

Hi, the skin around my stoma bulges. Is this normal? Is it a hernia? It's not interfering with my appliance so far. I've had my stoma for 5 months. I think I've had this bulge from the beginning. Is the skin supposed to be flat around the stoma? I'm going to see my surgeon in a few weeks for a follow-up.

It's 35 mm at the top and 32 mm at the base, which makes it a little difficult to get my bag tight around the base. Any suggestions?

I have, over the last month, had a few strange experiences, one being that I passed a couple of stools out of my back passage. Then, now today, I also have passed gas out of the same area. I love my life in absolute fear of my bowel perforating again! Does anyone know if this is normal?

Hi all, in my search for a replacement barrier ring since Safe n Simple switched to a different manufacturer who is getting the formula a little different and caused me a leak, I've contacted several companies for free samples. I spoke with a rep from Coloplast today who said that rings actually can cause leaks, and he recommends using a convex bag with an opening that's right up against my st ...

Hi,
Just wondering how people feel less isolated living with ostomies? I don't have a lot of friends, and the ones I do have are far away, some very, very far away. I'm on a very limited income, and so I only really have my mum close by. I don't own a car, although I can drive.
There's not really any support groups close by either. I don't really feel comfortable with work colleagues; we get o ...

Does anyone feel uncomfortable pain when they fill their bag? My stoma has reduced in size from 44 mm to 26 mm in 2 years.

OVER THE YEARS, I served on a few committees, not out of choice but because I happened to be an appropriate member given the subject matter under consideration. I’m not sure that I ever served on a committee that wasn’t (a) a complete waste of time, or (b) a way to put off an actual decision and action, or (c) window dressing, or (d) all of the above. “A committee is a cul-de-sac,” w ...

Has anyone had a partial or full blockage, but their ostomy works as normal? I know it's a very odd question, and it doesn't happen this way. But it has happened to me twice now. Full working ostomy, my normal output, no cramps or anything, but yet a partial blockage. I am literally only just curious and wondering if anyone else has had this happen.

On the topic of dressy dresses, jumpsuits, etc., for us ostomates - there's a company called "lightinthebox" where I found the perfect LBD. Here's the description: Women's Classic Little Black Dress Mini Dress Contrast Lace Scalloped Neck Mesh Sleeve Casual Party Fall Winter 2024. I'll try to post a pic because I can't post it from the website here for some reason.

Hi all. I am having a problem with the barrier rings I put around my stoma melting and disintegrating soon after I apply them. I have a colostomy. I use Hollister rings and have tried several others. Any others experience this? I am wondering if I should just stop using the rings.

Hi there, there is a cap you can get here in Australia. Remove everything and put on a new seal, then add the cap like you would a pouch. The cap would be approximately 2 inches in diameter, so it's not a large pouch at all. Have your swim, then if you don't have a normal release routine, I'd change sooner rather than later to your normal setup.

Hello. i am new here. I will be getting a loop ileostomy later this month. I am honestly terrified. I don't know anyone with an ostomy, so I don't really know much about what's coming. I have several chronic health conditions, and several implanted devices. I enjoy reading, crafting, board games, and being with my partner and our new dog. I'm here looking for support, friends, and tips on liv ...

Woke up this morning to my bag bursting and pumping yellow-looking bile out. I feel so drained and exhausted. Any advice on how to stop this bile?

I really want to go swimming, but after even a shower, my bag loses all adhesiveness, and I have to change it.
I'm really concerned about going swimming because even with high-waisted ostomy swimwear, I feel it's just going to come away from the skin, and I'd be really embarrassed if Sylvester Stallone were to go into one of his fits of rage and function everywhere…
Is there a particular bag ...