How To Take Care Of An Ostomy After Surgery

This article covers how to lead an active and healthy life after ostomy surgery. Indeed, you will need to be mindful of all the aspects involved in ostomy care.

The stoma after surgery

Managing your ostomy and stoma in the first few days after surgery can be challenging, but it will be nothing more than just a learning curve. During this time, you will learn about managing waste evacuations and, more importantly, the use of ostomy pouches. You will need to stay in the hospital during your initial recovery period. During this time, an ostomy care nurse will run you through the processes of emptying and changing your ostomy pouch.

The persistent appearance of a stoma includes its red or pink color and a moist look. It protrudes a little from the surface of the abdominal skin. During the first few days after surgery, it will have swelling, which will make it a bit larger. The swelling will subside over time, and it will settle down to a permanent shape. In general, a stoma is much like the inside of the mouth.

If you have an intestinal ostomy, your stoma will not function for a couple of days after surgery. After a day or two, you will start passing out stools through it. Initially, the consistency of stools will be more liquid, but it will thicken over time.

If you have a urostomy, your stoma will start functioning immediately. The color of urine you pass out will be reddish at the start, but it will settle down to its natural color in a few days.

Going back to work after ostomy surgery

You can go back to work during the recovery time, which is a six-week period. However, you may not be fully fit to work for full hours yet. You may want to talk to your employer regarding your condition and ask them to reduce your working hours. Tell them that you may need frequent bathroom breaks during working hours. You will also need to make sure that you have all the necessary supplies to help you with the ostomy care during working hours. You may want to discuss with your coworkers to help them understand your condition.

You will also need to pay attention to your clothing if you want you to conceal your ostomy pouch from others. Generally, you will want to wear high-rise pants and little loose clothes to avoid strangling your ostomy pouch.

Socializing with an ostomy

Having to wear an ostomy bag doesn’t mean that you cannot socialize. You can move into your social circle and interact with your friends and family pretty much like you have been doing before surgery. You will undoubtedly have a few concerns regarding keeping your bag and its effects as discreet as possible, but it is just a matter of time before you will figure out the way to prevent your ostomy bag from becoming an interruption. Over time, you will become confident enough to stop thinking about your ostomy bag at all.

 

What are the Stoma Complications a Patient Could Face?

Stoma and ostomy surgery are not painless. Apart from the pain, patients have to face some complications. These can right after the surgery or a few days later. Well, the relaxing part is that these are not serious or problematic. You can resolve these by following some precautions or adjusting your routine on a new pattern. Moreover, your hygiene habits and routine can solve your stoma related complications. Well, your diet can help you in fixing the stoma and peristomal skin issues.

The following are some complications a stoma patient could face:

Peristomal Issues

Having irritation, redness, or itching in the skin around the stoma is one of the most problematic things. A patient feels uneasiness and discomfort when he/she has itchy peristomal. It can create a problem for the stomal bag attachment, adhesive adjustment, leakage, and additional skin damage.

Unhealthy peristomal skin has various reasons that have given below:

Contact of Solid Waste Discharge with the Skin

Sometimes, the feces stick to the top of the ostomy pouch, it can create a problem for the skin. This can lead to the redness and itching on the peristomal. Therefore, an ostomate should clean and wash the bag when it gets half full. Moreover, the thick discharge can be a problematic thing; thus, diet can play an important role in the thickness and looseness of the solid matter. As a patient, make sure that feces do not touch your skin.

Ill-Fitted Stoma Pouch

The fitting of the ostomy pouch around the stoma is an essential point. If your bag is loose or not in the right location, then it can create complications for the skin and stoma.

Therefore, before buying the stoma appliances, you should measure the size of your stoma hole. You should buy the ostomy pouch that can fit on it. Moreover, the adhesive and gluing method is also necessary for the appropriate fitting of the tools. With time, the size of the stoma opening will change. If you gain weight, it will become bigger and vice versa. However, you should check the measurement from time to time. Thus, you have to change the fitting size of the ostomy appliances according to the new measurement.

Skin Allergies from the Stoma Products or Appliances

There would be a few specific products or tools that are allergic to your skin. Therefore, avoid such things. Sometimes, you use a medicated soap or deodorant, and that is a problem for your skin. Thus, you should give up on the specific product immediately. The same is the case with the stoma appliances. Sometimes, an adhesive or wafer causes a reaction on your peristomal skin. However, you need to identify such items and do not use them again.

Leakage of the Discharge

An ostomate has to face leakage of the discharge when the stoma pouch is not fixed/fitted. The loose appliance can leak the waste matter in the form of liquid. It could be loose motion or urine. Well, this is a primary issue of the irritated and itchy skin. Thus, the correct fitting of the ostomy bag/pouch is necessary for ostomates.

Bleeding from the Stoma

Some ostomates face stoma bleeding. It does not happen to every patient, but some of them have severe bleeding problems from the stoma. Sometimes, blood comes from the sides of the stoma, but sometimes, you feel bleeding from the opening of the hole. When you see blood coming from the ditch of the stoma, then it is a problematic thing. However, bleeding from the around of the stoma is not a big deal. An ostomate faces such issues because of the fitting of the appliances or unsuitable products. Thus, in case of severe bleeding, consult your doctor or nurse.

Accessorize Your Medical Supplies

Ostomy procedures aren’t always the easiest things to adapt back to life once you’ve gone through the process. In fact, many patients report having to “relearn” the basics of life that normally would’ve never crossed their minds. From things like what you eat, when you choose to hit up the restroom, and even how you shower, life can be shifted in an unexpected way.

Now, I’m not saying everything is altered beyond repair by any means. I’m pretty sure everyone would say that’s being dramatic about the situation. Nonetheless, there’s a period of “relearning” the basics that may sneak up on patients if they weren’t prepared ahead of time.

This situation is a valid one, especially for something that is still relatively unknown to most people. So, let’s jump into a proper answer for basic ostomy care. Whether it’s your Hollister ostomysupplies or some other big name brand, it’s important to know how to care for your stuff and begin a new routine.

First off, people sometimes wonder if they can use extra to hold onto their pouching system. Waterproof and other sorts of strips are available that are elastic and easy to use, so it’s important to exercise your options. They can even hold it all in place when swimming or running or when needed if your midsection is larger. Sounds like a flexible range of products to help fit whatever need you’re currently facing.

We’re also often asked if adhesive removers are essential. What’s important to note is that  if your pouching system can be gently removed, then you don’t need any sort of adhesive remover. You should use it if your skin is weak and tears easily or if you want to clean the sticky residue off your skin, but since it feels oily and contains alcohol, a good portion of people find it uncomfortable. And we get that.

Another thing to remember is that once you use some adhesive remover, you should be washing your stoma area very well with water and a mild or non-scented soap to remove any oily coating on your skin. You don’t want that to stick around, so you want to rinse your skin well with warm water and dry it completely.

Caring for your ostomy supplies should be simple and easy to learn so long as you pay attention to your body, what it’s telling you, and if your supplies feel at all uncomfortable. You should always feel quite comfortable with your pouching system on, so always tell your health care provider if you don’t feel comfy in your own skin and supplies.

Traveling With Your Ostomy

If you are part of the majority of people with a stoma, then you and your doctor decided on a stoma to give you a better life. Most people find their life restricted because of their disease or condition that damaged their intestines. The ostomy procedure is done in hopes of their life no longer being restricted to the comfort and familiarity of their own home. The ostomy gives the patient the freedom back that they deserve.

One such freedom that most patients felt they could not enjoy was traveling. Traveling can be stressful for someone suffering from Crohn’s disease (or any other bowel disease) because of the uncertainty of their bowels. With a stoma, people feel much more comfortable outside their own homes. So they finally get to enjoy travelling again. If you are planning a trip, you should consider these tips for traveling with an ostomy.

Firstly, you should calculate the amount of supplies you need to take, and then take extra. Ostomy supplies are great because many of their products can be sold in bulk. ostomy supplies also arrive quickly in case you are planning a last minute trip. Pack things like extra ostomy bags and skin barriers. You should take adhesive remover, especially if you are staying more days than you usually switch bags. Take deodorant sprays or wipes (whichever you prefer) in case you have a leak while you are away from the hotel or a rest stop. Just make sure to stock up on everything you may need!

If you are going to be traveling on a plane you may need to look into TSA guidelines and what type of products can be carried on with you. Of course, pack most of your ostomy supplies in your stored bag, as there are no restrictions on líquids and gels. But sometimes you may only be allowed a carry-on bag. And even with your main products in stored luggage, you probably want a smaller emergency kit on you. You can take ostomy scissors on your flight if you have medical documentation from your doctor. Remember, the scissors edge can be no longer than 4 inches, but it is something. Some people may just opt for pre-cut bags, though, to avoid taking scissors altogether.

Lastly, make sure you are keeping up with your daily routine while you are on your trip. It is so easy to fall out of routine when you aren’t at home. So make sure to keep up proper hygiene to keep your stoma happy during your trip.