I've had my ileostomy for 10 years now. I was sick for 10 years before that with ulcerative colitis, so I had time to investigate and prepare myself for the surgery. It took me about 2, maybe even 3 years before I was really totally comfortable. But I wasn't too bad starting about 6 months after my surgery. I probably was the most self-conscious when I was at someone else's house or at a public area and had to use the bathroom, but none of it bothers me now. I show and train dogs, so I travel (a little less now only because my husband is ill), but I run almost every day with the dogs, I teach some classes, and I go to classes other places to get the dogs used to different environments. I am at places where I have to use port-a-potties sometimes and it doesn't bother me at all now. I now have no pain, no rushing to the bathroom, or worse, worrying about an accident before I get to the bathroom. I joke with my sister that it's actually easier in some regards.
Emad