The possibility of unpleasant odour and noise means people with a stoma may face additional unique social anxieties following their surgery, with intimate relationships and body image particularly affected (Cardoso et al, 2015).
Some common complications of stoma include poor siting, parastomal hernia (PH), prolapse, retraction, ischemia/necrosis, peristomal dermatologic problems, mucocutaneous separation, and pyoderma gangrenosum.
Living with a stoma is a challenging situation for various reasons including uncontrolled gas passage through it, odor, diarrhea, and leakage around the stoma or appliance. It would take several months for the patients to adjust to this difficult time.
Stoma surgery is an intrusive operation, with outcomes that can impact seriously on daily life, not just in the immediate postoperative and recovery period, but for the rest of the patient's life. There are changes in bodily function, altered body image, physicality and personal care needs.
Ostomy bags may, at first, bring about some feelings of insecurity or lowered self-esteem. Some patients, especially younger patients, may feel as if their ostomy bag is noticeable to others and may feel some shame surrounding it. You may worry about what others may think or that everyone looking at you knows.
Skin irritation
This is the most frequently observed complication with all stoma types [2, 7, 12].
Colostomy surgery is a major operation and will require a hospital stay of at least several days and up to six weeks or more of recovery at home. Patients will receive instructions from the surgeon on how to prepare in the days leading up to surgery.
The BBC Radio 1 presenter had a stoma bag, which she refers to as Audrey, fitted last October after being diagnosed with bowel cancer. The operation diverts one end of the colon, which is part of the bowel, through an opening in the abdomen called a stoma.
For those with an ileostomy, output tends to be thinner and more frequent, prompting about six to eight bathroom trips a day. Some people who have an ileostomy may be looking for ideas on how to firm stool up a bit and decrease output and/or trips to the bathroom.
Key things to keep in mind
Wearing them lets staff know that you have additional needs. While you will receive a more respectful and discreet experience at airport security, having a stoma won't exclude you from having security checks altogether. So you should be prepared for some sort of body search.
Bullen et al. reported depressive symptoms preoperatively and 3 months postoperatively in a population of patients undergoing surgery for colorectal cancer or inflammatory bowel disease, and found that stoma patients experienced significantly greater levels of depressive symptoms throughout the study and increased ...
Loss & Grief
Many different emotions can come up before and after ostomy surgery, including shock (unable to process), fear, sadness, denial, retreating, anger, depression, acceptance, and bitterness.
Common reasons include bowel cancer, bladder cancer, inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's Disease or Ulcerative Colitis), diverticulitis or an obstruction to the bladder or bowel. A stoma can be temporary or permanent depending on the cause.
Complications of ileostomy and colostomy may include stoma or skin complications, dehydration, problems absorbing nutrients, and intestinal obstruction.
It usually takes 6 to 8 weeks to recover from an ileostomy and get back to your usual activities. But you should avoid strenuous activities or heavy lifting for 3 months while your tummy muscles heal. It's important to rest and take the time you need to adjust to the change in your body.
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. It is normal for the smell of the bag contents to differ from what you were used to before your surgery because part of the bowel has been removed.
It is normal to feel exhausted in the early weeks and months following surgery. You probably didn't get much sleep in hospital as they are really busy places. You are up at night changing or emptying your ostomy pouch so your sleep has been interrupted.
Air from the stoma causes the bag to expand and detach from the skin (ballooning) Ballooning occurs when air from the stoma inflates the bag and cannot escape through the filter. The resulting air pressure can cause the adhesive to detach from the skin.
What can you expect after a stoma reversal? It's common to have problems with how the bowel works after a stoma reversal. This is because part of the bowel has been removed. You may have symptoms such as loose stool, incontinence, sudden bowel urges, and pain.
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.
Sleeping with a stoma can be a concern for ostomates, especially if your surgery was fairly recent and you're still adjusting to your stoma. However, there are measures you can take to help take away any anxiety and ensure you have a great night's sleep regardless of your stoma bag.
Ostomy patients' sociodemographic characteristics
People living with a stoma were mostly men (61.6%) and had a mean age of 68.1 years (SD = 14.3). Almost 80% were retired/pensioners, while 13.0% were employed and 5.1% were unemployed.