Today is the three-month anniversary of having my surgery and getting my stoma. It was a tough decision, but it was the right decision. I feel so much better now. And so far, living with an ostomy is even easier than I thought it would be.
I did have the luxury of being able to take the time I needed to make up my mind about surgery and do the research. Still, there have been a few things I had to find out on my own (or just didn't see when I was looking.) I took a minute and put a list together. Please let me know what you think. As a relative newbie, I'm not sure I should be advising others. Still, I would have appreciated someone sharing these tips with me when I had my operation.
1) Change your pouch in the tub or shower for easy cleanup.
2) When removing the barrier (especially after surgery), remove it starting on the side opposite your belly button. This is good if you're still sore around your incision as you don't have to mess with peeling in sensitive areas until the end where it comes off much more easily.
3) Apply the new barrier while standing and arching your back a bit. You want your abdomen to be as flat as it gets.
4) Shave the area where you are applying the barrier if necessary.
5) This one's all over the place but can't be stressed enough: make sure the area is dry before attaching your barrier!
6) For cut-to-fit barriers, I find it's better to cut the barrier too tight than too loose. As long as I'm not choking the stoma, there's no irritation or bleeding, and I still get output, I don't worry about the barrier coming right up against it. So far so good. (Would love to hear a WOCN/Stoma Nurse's take on this...)
7) Guys, "wifebeater" or "muscle" style t-shirts work great to keep a "low profile".
Homemade deodorizing lubricant: mix 1 part water-based lubricant (KY or similar), 1 part mouthwash, and 4 parts water in a cleaned, empty dish soap squeeze bottle and squeeze this into your pouch a few times a day when you empty it
9) Ostomy belts are great, and I wear one snugly all the time (except in the shower). But pretty much any other accessory should be considered carefully. Caveat emptor.
10) If wearing a seatbelt bothers you, you can jam a plastic card in the buckle so the tension will only be across your shoulders, and you can wear the lap belt loosely. It holds pretty well, and if you stop suddenly or (god forbid) crash, the card will pop out and allow the lap belt to function properly. (I should probably get some pictures of this next time I'm in my car to help explain.)
Hope this helps someone out there. Feel free to add or critique! Thanks!
I did have the luxury of being able to take the time I needed to make up my mind about surgery and do the research. Still, there have been a few things I had to find out on my own (or just didn't see when I was looking.) I took a minute and put a list together. Please let me know what you think. As a relative newbie, I'm not sure I should be advising others. Still, I would have appreciated someone sharing these tips with me when I had my operation.
1) Change your pouch in the tub or shower for easy cleanup.
2) When removing the barrier (especially after surgery), remove it starting on the side opposite your belly button. This is good if you're still sore around your incision as you don't have to mess with peeling in sensitive areas until the end where it comes off much more easily.
3) Apply the new barrier while standing and arching your back a bit. You want your abdomen to be as flat as it gets.
4) Shave the area where you are applying the barrier if necessary.
5) This one's all over the place but can't be stressed enough: make sure the area is dry before attaching your barrier!
6) For cut-to-fit barriers, I find it's better to cut the barrier too tight than too loose. As long as I'm not choking the stoma, there's no irritation or bleeding, and I still get output, I don't worry about the barrier coming right up against it. So far so good. (Would love to hear a WOCN/Stoma Nurse's take on this...)
7) Guys, "wifebeater" or "muscle" style t-shirts work great to keep a "low profile".
Homemade deodorizing lubricant: mix 1 part water-based lubricant (KY or similar), 1 part mouthwash, and 4 parts water in a cleaned, empty dish soap squeeze bottle and squeeze this into your pouch a few times a day when you empty it
9) Ostomy belts are great, and I wear one snugly all the time (except in the shower). But pretty much any other accessory should be considered carefully. Caveat emptor.
10) If wearing a seatbelt bothers you, you can jam a plastic card in the buckle so the tension will only be across your shoulders, and you can wear the lap belt loosely. It holds pretty well, and if you stop suddenly or (god forbid) crash, the card will pop out and allow the lap belt to function properly. (I should probably get some pictures of this next time I'm in my car to help explain.)
Hope this helps someone out there. Feel free to add or critique! Thanks!
