Hi!

I'm still new to having a colostomy bag and trying to figure out my life. I have stage 4 colon cancer and also breast cancer. I currently am feeling fairly normal and healthy, a little tired. Pre-surgery and diagnosis, I was pretty active. I love swimming and had just got this cool paddle board. While I'm still feeling good, I'd like to keep doing the things I love. Any advice? Any good ...

Question from a new ostomate: How do you handle emptying an ileostomy when outdoors for hours or all day and no bathroom is nearby? For example, on a boat ride, hiking in a group, just sitting with friends at sunset, sunrise, or around a campfire? How about when camping, either backpacking or car camping? Are my tenting days over?
Thanks
Bruce

Hi everyone,

I'm almost four months post-ileostomy surgery, and I'm looking to start rebuilding my core strength. I haven't been able to exercise for years, so I'm starting from scratch and want to be really careful.

One of my biggest concerns is overdoing it and increasing my risk of a hernia. I know core strength is important, but I'm not sure what exercises are safe to begin with. ...

WHEN YOU SUFFER THE EXHAUSTING pain and misery that causes you to end up with an ostomy, it is not unnatural to find yourself questioning your place in the world. We’ve all been through that to one extent or another. Here’s how I dealt with it. I simply decided that I was not going to be intimidated by reality anymore. There were some small aspects of my life over which I had control. ...

Hi Guys,

New here. I've had one question on my mind that I've been unable to find any answers on. In November I was finally relieved from Ulcerative Colitis after failing a few medications and throwing in the towel. I went into surgery explicitly wanting the bag and the bag I did come out with (loop ileostomy with a constructed j pouch, step 2). My surgeon is already pushing me to finish up ...

Does anyone know of skin cleansing wipes that are good for cleaning and healing irritated skin?
My skin has broken down from poo and I want to try and heal it.

Hi all, just got my 2nd/3rd opinion today and really liked this doc a lot. She said if she were younger (like the 1st doc I saw) she too would say let's take this down tomorrow, but she is 20 years older and has been doing this awhile, so she is extremely cautious with cancer patients. She even had one that had no evidence of disease, did the reversal, and cancer showed up. Reversals are prett ...

I had written about a month or so ago asking what people eat to try to lose weight with an ileostomy/J pouch. I've had several suggestions, and I thank everyone for their input. I decided to try the Carnivore diet, but not full meat; I have included vegetables as well. I had the issue where everything was running through me because the things that help me keep it together are things that put w ...

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!

I am searching for the best way to secure my urostomy pouch when cycling. I have looked at various websites, but I am not sure what the best method is, e.g., wraps?
Any thoughts on what the best way to do this is?

So stepping out into brilliant sunshine on my break, I look up at a cloudless sky, cigarette in hand, basking in the heat…
And my phone starts ringing…
Hello…
Hi, could I speak to Thomas, please?…
Speaking…
It's … from the Northern General Hospital, we'd like to book you in for your surgery…
Ooh shit… (pun intended)
So now I have four weeks until my action man bum surgery. Shit ...