Opt for high-waisted jeans: High-waisted jeans provide extra coverage and support for your
What to wear? Tight clothing around your waistline and pouch area can cause pancaking as it may prevent output from sliding down into the pouch. Try sizing up for a looser fit or if you like wearing jeans give jeggings a go as these will have an elasticated waist band and leggings are looser and more comfortable.
High-waisted trousers that are narrow at the waist and flared wide not only have a slimming effect, but also hide the ostomy pouch well. Choose trousers that sit just very high or very low, so that the edge sits just above or below the stoma.
If your stoma is near your waist, avoid tight pants, skirts or belts that sit directly over the stoma. You may feel more comfortable wearing pants or skirts with a higher or looser waistband, or with an elastic waistband.
There is no reason why you can't wear a variety of different clothing that is comfortable and fashionable. The most important rule with clothing, is to ensure that belts or waistbands are not worn over your stoma or restrict the bag too much.
4. High waisted garments. As well as Comfizz offering high waisted garments such as waistbands and underwear, high waisted swimwear can be good to try as an ostomate if you're wanting to keep your ostomy bag more discreet and supported. Garments such as high waisted jeans and shorts can also be good to try.
Wear low-cut pants with a belly band if your bag is high up on your waist. High-waisted pants may snag on stomas with higher placement and cause discomfort. Low-cut pants fit underneath your bag and stoma, eliminating any snagging and tugging.
Darker colors also tend to “hide” pouches better than lighter colors. Men may find that wearing pants with a higher/longer rise in the crotch will help to keep the pouch concealed below the belt line. Men may also find that suspenders, rather than tight belts, will help to make the pouch less noticeable.
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.
Depending on your personal style preferences, you may want to try trousers with waistband pleats, which can give you more room across the stoma pouch area. These types of trousers are available in most stores. A belt can sometimes cause a problem if it goes across the stoma. Braces may work better.
It's always a good idea to empty or change your stoma bag before you go to bed as it will help to prevent your bag from filling up too much overnight and disturbing your sleep. A full stoma bag is always at risk of leaking and that's not something you want to experience during the night.
Top tip – high waisted black gym or yoga leggings are insanely comfortable, flattering and supportive. Pair them with a nice cosy top half that you can wear tucked in or baggy (for those comfier times or to disguise a filling bag).
Whether or not you feel disabled or class yourself as disabled, in the eyes of the law living with a stoma does class you as having a disability. You are therefore covered under the disability provisions of the Equality Act 2010.
Losing weight can be difficult when you have a stoma. Many people gain unwanted weight following stoma surgery due to changes made to their diet in an effort to control their output.
A colostomy is an operation to create an opening (stoma) of the large bowel (colon) onto the surface of the tummy (abdomen). Your poo no longer passes out of your body through your back passage. Instead, it passes out through the stoma. You wear a bag that sticks onto the skin over the stoma to collect your poo.
It is important to note that you cannot use your wife's anus or stoma for sexual activity. If there is an unexpected leak of the pouch during intercourse, bathing or showering together may lesson the embarrassment, and allow you to both continue with your sexual play.
Your nurse will teach you how to care for your ostomy pouch and how to change it. You will need to empty it when it is about 1/3 full, and change it about every 2 to 4 days, or as often as your nurse tells you. After some practice, changing your pouch will get easier.
The best position to sleep in when you have a stoma is on your back, or on your side. If you prefer to sleep on your stomach, this will be fine at the beginning of the night but increases the chances of leaks as the night progresses and your bag fills.
Sleeping Position
Sleeping on the opposite side from your stoma is fine too, you can just hold a pillow up against your abdomen or set your pouch on a pillow next to you so the weight as it fills does not wake you up. If you are a stomach sleeper, you can modify by bending the leg on the side with your stoma.
Exposure to air and water won't harm the stoma, so unless your doctor or ostomy nurse has told you otherwise, you're fine to shower without your ostomy pouch. Some ostomates enjoy this, as it gives your skin a break from the pouching system, while others prefer to keep their system on.
A skin barrier is usually changed every three or four days (or about twice a week). Every person has their own routine, however, so find what works best for you. Plan your pouch change for a time that works well for you. Don't wait until your pouch begins to leak or pull away from your skin.
Sleeping positions with a stoma
Laying on your stomach may increase the chance of leaks if the stoma becomes active and the bag begins to fill up. There's not really a way around this. Ostomates usually know when the stoma is generally going to be active if they eat and drink at the same times every day.