You can swim or be in the water while wearing your pouching system. Remember, your pouching system is water-resistant and is designed not to leak with the proper seal. Water will not harm or enter your stoma.
Yes you can! Stoma Bags are waterproof, and you do not need a special stoma bag to go swimming, but if the bag has a filter just pop a filter cover on before entering the water. Here are our top tips for ostomates about returning to the pool.
You can bathe or shower with or without wearing your pouching system. Normal exposure to air or water will not harm or enter your stoma.
Most people feel better swimming with an ostomy bag if they feel it's hidden. Shop around for snug, one-piece swimsuits for women or high-waisted swimming trunks for men that will cover the stoma and ostomy bag. Snug swimsuits also help hold ostomy pouches in place, letting you enjoy the water for longer.
Once home, avoid strenuous activities that could place a strain on your abdomen, such as lifting heavy objects. Your stoma nurse will give you advice about how soon you can go back to normal activities. At first you will pass wind through your stoma and then, usually within 2 or 3 days, you poo through it.
Some common complications of stoma include poor siting, parastomal hernia (PH), prolapse, retraction, ischemia/necrosis, peristomal dermatologic problems, mucocutaneous separation, and pyoderma gangrenosum. Each will be discussed separately in further detail.
Bending. It's near enough in possible to do gardening without having to bend down. This is fine, but you can bend down in a way that reduces the risk of injuring your stomach muscles and stoma area. For example, rather than bending over at your waist, try bending down slowly at your knees.
Most types of exercise are possible with a stoma, including swimming, as all colostomy bags are waterproof.
You can always shower without a colostomy bag, water and pH-autobalancing products do not harm your stoma. In fact, 38% of colostomy patients prefer to shower bag-less every time, and 23% shower without the bag 3-4 days per week.
On the side with your stoma, your mattress will support the bag as it fills. If you sleep on the other side, you can lay next to a pillow to support the weight of your bag. If you are worried that you will not stay on your side during the night, use a pillow/body pillow/V-shaped pillow to keep your body in place.
Cleanliness is one of the most important aspects when adjusting to life with a stoma. Once you've pushed the stool into the toilet, take some toilet paper and clean the inside and outside of the opening. Flushable wipes are very good to use in this instance, as they'll help eliminate any unsightly odor.
You can either bathe with the pouch on or take it off - there's no damage that will be caused to the stoma if you choose to shower with the pouch off. If you shower with the pouch on the pouches are waterproof, the water just sits on top of the cover and can be towel dried.
Many people enjoy leaving their skin uncovered for 15 to 30 minutes after taking their pouching system off. This is called a skin break. Taking a skin break can help with irritation or keep it from happening. You can decide if you want to take a skin break.
About Your Wet Colostomy
After your surgery, your urine (pee) and stool (poop) will leave your body through your wet colostomy stoma. Your stoma will have 2 parts (see Figure 1): A urinary diversion. Your urine will flow from your kidneys, through your ureters, and out of your body through your urinary diversion.
After ileoanal pouch surgery is complete, the temporary stoma is closed. Stool and gas will leave your body through your anus, as they did before surgery. At first, you will have more frequent bowel movements, up to 15 per day. You may have mild bowel control problems and may need to wake up from sleep to pass stool.
Change your pouch every 5 to 8 days. If you have itching or leakage, change it right away. If you have a pouch system made of 2 pieces (a pouch and a wafer) you can use 2 different pouches during the week. Wash and rinse the pouch not being used, and let it dry well.
Make sure your clothes are not too tight around the bag.
You may need to be careful that waistbands do not rest below the stoma restricting ability to drain into your pouch. Depending on stoma placement, you may feel more comfortable with high- or low-rise waistband items, like underwear, jeans, or activewear.
Many ostomates worry about odour. If the stoma bag fits well there should be no smell except when changing it. If you do notice a smell from your bag, you should check it as there may be a leak under the flange and the bag will need changing.
If you allow it to get too full, the weight of the stool may pull the pouch away from the skin. A person with an ileostomy will need to empty the pouch about five or six times in a 24-hour period. If you have a colostomy, you will need to empty the pouch two or three times in a 24-hour period.
The stoma does not have any sensitive nerves, so it shouldn't feel sore. It will feel like the tissue on inside of the mouth when you touch it – soft and moist.
Use the palm of your hand to apply gentle pressure to the stoma, very gently pushing it back into its usual position. 2. Another alternative is to apply a cold compress to the stoma with your pouch on. Then try to reduce the stoma again using the palm of your hand.
Signs of Stoma Problems
The stoma is no longer beefy red or pink but pale in appearance. The stoma is no longer moist in appearance but seems dry. Your stoma turns dark red, purple, or even black in color. Your stool from the stoma is always watery or diarrhea.
Aside from physical impact (a hard fall, etc.) your bag bursts because of excessive gas accumulation.
Try several different body positions, such as a knee-chest position, or lie on the side of your stoma with knees bent, as it might help move the blockage forward. Massage the abdominal area and the area around your stoma. Most food blockages occur just below the stoma and this may help dislodge the blockage.