This topic is about understanding when it's necessary to reach out to your gastroenterologist if you're experiencing pain around your stoma. A stoma itself shouldn't be painful because it doesn't have nerve endings, so if you're feeling discomfort, it's important to figure out what's going on. Here are some helpful tips and advice:

1. First, check for any issues with the skin around your stoma. Pain is often due to problems with the peristomal skin, such as irritation, inflammation, breakdown, or infection.

2. Take a close look at the skin around your stoma. Gently feel for any redness, breakdown, discharge, cellulitis, or pus.

3. If the skin looks healthy but you're still in pain, it's important to contact your doctor right away. Pain in the stoma itself needs immediate medical attention.

4. If the surgeon who performed your stoma surgery is also your gastroenterologist, it's a good idea to reach out to them sooner rather than later.

5. Keep an eye on your stoma output. A decrease, slowdown, or blockage, especially after eating foods that might cause obstruction, could indicate a problem that requires medical care.

6. If there's an untreated infection around the stoma, like cellulitis, it can get worse quickly. Antibiotics are necessary to treat it. Seek medical help immediately if you notice pus, increasing pain with output, or any signs of infection.