Tips for Stoma Care

If you have a stoma, there are a few different tips that can help you with this. Here, we’ll go over some of the different tips for ostomates, who can use this for their benefits as well. 

Stoma Care tips 

First, you should learn to change your pouch before it leaks. That way, you’ll be able to get comfy with it, and get used to doing this. In general, twice weekly is usually what people do, but sometimes, some people can go longer depending on output. But, after seven days it must be changed since it can affect the adhesion of the skin barrier. If the wear time starts to be more unpredictable, especially after the first 8 weeks, you should talk to the nurse. 

It may also be affected by the warmer seasons o if you’re sweating more, or doing a lot more activity, do plan this ahead of time before you start to do the activity. As for traveling, always learn to plan things ahead of time. Make sure that you have extra supplies, always put them in the carry-on bag when you’re flying out, pre-cut the barriers so you don’t need to have scissors when traveling, and also get a travel ID for your condition and any supplies needed. 

For showering and bathing, you can keep the pouch in place if it’s a two piece system. Some people may want to switch to another pouch during this so that it is still dry afterwards. When you do empty out the pouch, you don’t need to rinse it out, since you can usually just get it all out of there. You can use pouch deodorant that lubricates to make this easier. 

Try to keep all oils or sprays that are lubricants away from the pouch. And finally, get rid of unused ostomy supplies, putting them in a place that’s cool and dry. 

Tips for Pouching 

If you want to use this, you need to make sure that you prepare the pouching system before removal, since it does help make the process easier. Make sure to empty it out when its about a third to a half full of gas or discharge, and don’t let the pouch fill up too much. You also should do it before you do any activities, or before bed. 

If you notice that there’s a lot of gas in the pouch, you may want something with a filter built-in. The best time to change this is usually when the stoma isn’t active, and before you eat and drink anything. Whenever you apply the skin barrier, make sure to press it for up to a minute against the skin area, to help with the pressure and contact. If you do have a two-piece system, try to place the barrier in a diamond shape, and then press it in to offer a fit that’s smoother. 

Skin Tips 

Water is usually more than enough to clean the skin, so make sure that you do wash your hands after you empty out your pouch. Try to only use a mild soap that’ll offer no residue or film and try to keep anything scented away from there. 

It’s better if you prepare the skin with wipes more than anything else, since it can help to clean. But you should let it dry. However, some people don’t like to use this since it does cause it to not adhere as well. You should also try to wash your skin as you remove the adhesive remover tape, and make sure that you always dry before putting on a new barrier. 

How long to Recover From an Ileostomy?

An ileostomy can cause marked changes in the way you go through life. You also may wonder how in the world recovery is going to go. If you’ve decided to get an ileostomy, you may wonder what life is like. Luckily though, there are doctors that ensure healthy recovery as well. It is possible to go back to normal life as quickly as you think it will be, but it does take a bit of time to get adjusted, so it may take a bit longer. 

What are Ileostomies? 

These are when you have a part of your ileum, or small intestine, pulled out via the abdominal wall, and of course, the fecal matter leaves there, usually via a pouch. These are done when the digestive tract has been badly hurt by inflammatory conditions or colon cancer, and Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. This can be painful and debilitating, but ostomies help to relieve this. 

You also may get a BCIR, which is an intestinal reservoir, where a part of your ileum is then formed into a place where the stool collects, and from there is drained in the same way as the bodily cavity does. There aren’t any tools needed for this, and it can also be a good way to restore normal bowel movement. These can be both temporary and permanent, depending on what you’re treating, and how bad the disease is. 

Usually, you’re going to be in the hospital with this for three days, or up to about a week or so. You will be on an all liquid diet for a bit, until you’re able to handle those foods which are solid. During that point, nurses usually talk about what living with the stoma will entail. 

What to Expect? 

Full recovery can take about two or so months. You may need to change a few things that are a part of your daily routine. You may wonder what you can eat. Before you go and grab the fibrous foods, eat low fiber options since it’s better to prevent gas. Whole grains, dairy, nuts, fatty foods, and anything that’s fried will cause this. You want foods that’ll thicken up the stool and offer better digestion, and also drink a lot of water since in a lot of cases, you’re not going to get as much from this as you would if you still had a normal system. 

What about exercise? Workouts including lifting and heavy movement aren’t recommended early on. The doctor will inform you of when you can do these things again, but it’s best if you do a walk daily to help with blood flow and helping to stimulate this. You also should be mindful of the stoma and wear an ostomy belt to help prevent injury once you do this again. Finally, there is pouch care. Your nurse will tell you how to do this, and they also will help you figure out how to order the supplies necessary. 

With this, you’ll learn how to take care of the stoma, and also how to monitor for changes in the stoma, especially in the skin that’s around the opening. In a lot of cases, if you notice there’s excessive inflammation, you’ll want to reach out to your doctor, since it’ll help with irritation through treatment using various products. 

As for smells which aren’t pleasant, you can buy air filters that are good to help with this.  When it comes to care, it’s pretty straightforward, but always be mindful for the complications which may happen following this surgery as well.