r/ostomy

I have a Colostomy and am using a Hollister 2 piece. I have an adhesive allergy. Yesterday, I noticed the skin slightly pink and on the skin around the stoma. My hole is cut a little bigger than normal right now because I was constipated, osotomy nurse recommended it. Yesterday, I used the crusting technique and a wafer change and it helped. Today it is still slightly pink, only hurts, stings, when I clean it. I noticed a very tiny red bump by the stoma. Any suggestions on what to do besides crusting or just stick with that? Maybe stoma paste? Flonase? How often can I change the wafer, trying to avoid daily due to allergy. I have been lucky and not had stingy irritation before. Not sure if I should call the ostomy nurse tomorrow or if it’s not a big deal.

Im having some digestive issues going on for years now Im 22 female. So back in 2019 I noticed that pushing my stool was hard i was recommended to go witl laxative to make it softer however now I can’t go without using laxative and I have bright blood in my stool also going on for years now one thing to mention this happens when I’m pushing so much and when im out of the restroom my anus feels like hell im so worried I finally made a brave decision and I have my colonoscopy on Sunday but how likely this would be colon cancer this is what freaks me out

I ate atleast 3 bowls of Honey Nut Cheerios without realizing there’s 3g of fiber per 1 cup and I atleast had 4 cups and I’m only 2.5 weeks post op from my total colectomy, what do I do I am freaking out

I am almost 3 weeks post op for an end ileostomy, ive got all my colon removed but still kept my rectum so I knew i would have mucus, however at first id go daily and pass a bit, then every two days and now it seems like I can go longer without passing it, is this something I should worry about?

I hope everyone on the east coast experiencing this tropical 100 heat wave is staying cool and hydrated 💕 I seem to be struggling 🥲 and am looking for tips and tricks!! See below for my current regimen.

I drink at least 1/2 gallon of water (24ish cups water) and tons of electrolytes (1,000 mg sodium, 200mg potassium, and 60mg magnesium) every day. This doesn’t include the additional 1 or 2 8oz seltzer bevy I’ll have or 12oz decaf iced tea. I could list my food intake but that would take forever so trust me when I say I’m getting plenty of nutritious food per day!

I should note that I have very thick output for someone with an ileostomy, so to keep from excessive bloating and obstructions, I also drink a single serving of MiraLAX (17g) throughout the day. This is simply to keep my stool moving. The laxative doesn’t actually turn my stool liquidy, just softer.

Pls help! I feel extra light headed and can barely leave my apartment. These symptoms only started after the heat exceeded 30 C (85ish F). If the only solution is to not leave my apartment that’s fine but I’m curious to hear if anyone else has had success and what contributed to that success.

Ive been having watery output since yesterday with bursts of non watery that are painful when they come out. Along of pressure above and in stoma during the thick output. Im not sure what going on, if i messed up with something i ate. Im trying to stay hydrated but im getting worried and scared. Im 6 weeks in. Ive had pressure and some pains with output before but this is worse than usual. I checked stoma, shes pink but not as shiny moist as it used to be, is that bad? Thanks

Hello all and I hope you’re having a good Sunday 😊

I had a mini achievement today, so I just wanted to share with people who understand.

I’m almost 7 weeks post-op from an emergency Hartmann’s procedure following perforation of a diverticulitis that I didn’t even know I had.

Today I decided to be brave and have my first bagless shower. I’ve previously been worried about output while I’m in the shower so have always chickened out and showered with a bag on.

I’m happy to say it all went smoothly and I got to have a lovely shower, wash my hair and get dried off 😊

However, just as I was putting my bag on, my stoma started to output and as such, will henceforth be known as dickhead 🙄
I had been mulling over the decision to name my stoma and it looks like I’ve now decided 😂

I have some questions about getting ready for the surgery. I changed my bag on July 5th, should I remove this bag on the night of July 6th when I have to take a shower with the preoperative chlorhexidine (Hibiclens) soap. I would not put Hibiclens soap near my stoma. My preop instructions also want me to take another shower with the Hibiclens soap the morning of my surgery. Should I put a new bag on that morning or just continue wearing the July 5 bag?

Another question: I think the surgeon said he will go through my stoma to do the reversal and not cut me in the middle of my abdomen like he did when I had my emergency surgery for the colon resection. I had a lot of difficulty getting out of bed etc after my first surgery. Do you think I will still have a similar difficult time getting out of bed, or that this surgery will be much easier and it won't hurt as much when I try to get out of bed?

Hello fellow ostomates,

I’m sorry if this sounds obvious - it wasn’t to me so am wondering how many other people have wondered about this too.

I use the Sensura Mio drainable soft convex bags for my ileostomy. Now five weeks post-op.

None of my stoma nurses talked to me about the stickers over filter info, so a bit confused.

I thought the little white circular sticker on the filter *was* to keep odour out. But then the printed sheet of filter stickers made me go “huh”. When I asked, no one really knew what the printed ones were for.

So are we supposed to be covering the circle all the time for odour control with the blue bigger stickers printed on the sheet or only for extra waterproofing? Does odour escape through the little white sticker if you don’t have blue one over the top?

Thank you!!

My ex-fiance broke up with me this week. I just beat stage 3C colorectal cancer which left me with a permanent colostomy bag. Ever since I got it my ex has avoided touching me, we were together 5 and half years and he just disintegrated the last 6 months. He’s grown so angry, and said I was too selfish and withdrawn, and sad during my year of treatment. We had just moved to our dream mountain home and were beginning to plan the rest of our lives together. The psychological pain and emotional distress are immense. I have to start over and I’m in such deep grief from these traumatic experiences heaped on top of each other.

What does it even look like to date with an ostomy?

6 months after my loop colostomy, I've started noticing something new.

Whenever I drink coffee, I get bloating, and constipation, and sometimes extra mucus coming out of the stoma.

This never used to happen, coffee used to help me empty my bowel. Now I'm not sure what changed or why this is happening.

Has anyone else experienced this?

I'm going back into the job market and I'm a bit worried. I've had my colostomy for about 2 years. Normally the bag is covered with either a stealth belt or just a bag cover. Either way there is still a noticeable bulge. How do most of you handle this during the interview process? Should I bring it up first or wait until they ask? What if they don't ask?

I've been struggling with slow, sticky output and problems with digesting my food for pretty much as long as I've had my ostomy, over 2.5 years now. I've been trying various treatments and have slowly been getting better. In the last month I've noticed that sometimes my output is actually not only not sticky, but slippery. I've been trying to figure out what is causing this, and then it occurred to me that this might be the way healthy output is? I've seen lots of posts about how people like to bring around little water bottles to wash out their bags, which implies that their output is sticky. And they sell lubricant drops and all.

But doesn't anybody else have slippery output? Do you have any idea if this is good or bad (maybe it means too much fat?).

Some notes from my observations:

* I only have slippery output when my food is well digested (smooth, very hard to identify visually what I ate, doesn't smell like what I ate, etc.)

* Slippery output can be thick or thin, it doesn't seem to matter. Even when it's pretty thick, when I open the bottom of the bag it just slides out with ease, and it's also straightforward to clean the bag opening.

* When wearing a clear bag, when I have slippery output, I can lift the clear part of the bag away from the output and it just falls away, it doesn't stick. There is usually a little residue, but this is entirely different from before.

* It also flushes with ease, no residue or even a hint of color left in the toilet bowl.

Anybody else?

Hello! I had my ileostomy reversed a few months ago. I have plenty of unused extra supplies. I'd love to get them to someone who can use them. They are free. Please take the whole bundle. Just pay shipping. Here is what I have, quantity is in parentheses.

Hollister 2-piece ostomy pouch w/ filter

Product #18193 (17)

Hollister CeraPlus skin barrier flange/wafer for pouch. Product #11203 (17)

Hollister CeraPlus Barrier Ring. Product #8805 (12)

ColoPlast Sensura Mio convex 1-piece ostomy pouch w/ filter. Product #16715 (33)

Eakin Cohesive Barrier Ring. Product #839002 (20)

No-Sting Skin prep wipes, Smith & Nephew brand. Product #59420600 (about 35)

Hollister Adapt Stoma powder. Product #7906 (3 bottles)

Hollister Adapt Ostomy Paste. Product #79300 (1 tube)

Coloplast Brava lubricating deodorant for ostomy pouch. Product #12061 (1 bottle)

Ugh I love coloplast and just placed my 1st mth order BUT is anyone having issues with the barrier? I find sides around stoma on the barrier get white, break down and roll up after 2 days and I get leaks underneath!! What can I do? My stoma protrudes out and barrier fits great day 1 snug around my stoma, but when I go to swap my close end bag it’s almost like the barrier area around my stoma no longer is sitting on my skin and 💩 leaks underneath it 🤯Is this where I should use a ring? I don’t like Hollister as I smell everything with their bags and find the ring connection system faulty I wish there was a perfect system 🙏🏼

As the title likely suggests I’m in a dilemma and really struggling

Im from the uk and had a subtotal colectomy with end Ileostomy back in 2021 because of ulcerative colitis.
My rectum was left in situ but pretty much immediately since my surgery I developed diversion proctitis. Which is basically inflammation just like my UC but caused from there being no use for my rectum any more.

I was only diagnosed with UC in 2021 and my surgeon advised my within 10 years I need to either have my rectum removed ( total proctectomy ) or opt for the jpouch surgery

I’ve read so much on both and I’m honestly so conflicted but what matters most is I’d love to hear people’s real lived experiences of either surgeries the good and the bad. Any help or advice would be very appreciated

I have a loop ileostomy. Is a hotdog something to be avoided this 4th? Can any ileostomates speak on the subject,