Tips That Will Help You Live With An Ostomy Bag

An ostomy is a procedure that creates a hole in the skin. This opening can be permanent or temporary. An ostomy bag is used to collect waste. It can be difficult for you to live with an ostomy bag. The good news is that you can take the following steps in order to make it easier.

Wear Appropriate Clothing

You can wear the same clothing that you wore before you got your ostomy bag. The pouches can easily be concealed by the clothing that you wear. The ostomy bag also has a barrier that conceal the odors. The only time that you can smell the waste is when you empty the bag. There is special clothing that you can wear in order to make you more comfortable.

Activities

An ostomy should not interfere with your ability to do your normal activities. Most people who have an ostomy bag are able to go to school, work and exercise. They can even have sexual intercourse. Keep in mind that if you sweat too much, then the bag that holds your ostomy bag in place can loosen.

Bathing Your Body

It is important for you to keep the area near the ostomy bag dry and clean. Avoid using oily skin products. You should also avoid using products that have alcohol in them. You may have to shave the hair around the ostomy bag so that you can get it to stick. Ask your doctor about specific things that you need to do in order to make it easier to bathe.

Dietary Considerations

You cannot control when your ostomy bag fills up. The type of diet that you follow will determine how much waste fills the bag. You may want to avoid foods that can cause you to develop gas. This includes spicy foods, beans, onions and cabbage. You may also need to avoid food that can be hard to chew, such as popcorn and nuts. Those types of foods can cause you to become constipated or develop diarrhea.

Additionally, you need to drink plenty of water. You are more likely to get dehydrated with an ostomy bag because your stools may be more watery.

Taking Medication

It can be harder for your body to absorb medication if you use an ostomy bag. That is why it is important to talk to your physician about the types of medications that you take. Your doctor may recommend that you switch to liquid medications because they tend to absorb better.

How to Avoid Having An Accident

Your baby has to be emptied several times throughout the day. Do not allow your bag to get full. In fact, you need to empty the bag before it gets half-way full. You need to bring your ostomy supplies with you every time that you leave the house. You may have to change the way that you plan your meals.

Getting Emotional Support

Embarrassment is a common thing that people feel when they have to use an ostomy bag. They may also feel embarrassed. That is why it is a good idea to reach to others for emotional support. You can even join a support group.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease In Out

Inflammatory Bowel disease consists of two different diseases: ulcerative colitis and chron's disease. These diseases occur in the intestines. Although they are a lot alike that can have many variances in different individuals as many people has different reactions. Chron's disease and ulcerative colitis are in most cases of inflammatory bowel disease but there are still others but they are pretty rare. The other types include: Ischemic Colitis, Radiation Enteritis, Diversion Colitis and Microscopic Colitis (Lymphocytic Colitis & Collagenous Colitis). 

There are several different symptoms related to this. Diarrhea is one of the most common symptoms. This result is because it usually takes longer for food to pass properly which makes for stools that are watery. Abdominal pain and short sharp pain in the rectum are some other types of symptoms. Other symptoms that can occur are fever, weight loss,skin problems, kidney stones, eye inflammation, liver disease and kidney stones.

When diagnosed for inflammatory bowel disease the first step is checking history of illness. The next step is usually the task of looking into the rectum with a sigmoidoscope to allow a better visualization. This allows physicians to see the progress and make any further determinations for treatments. Sometimes it furthers to physicians needing an x-ray for further information but this is pretty rare. 

To manage inflammatory bowel disease there are several options that can be very beneficial. Diet is one big factor in regards to managing and treating this disease. A poor diet can lead to feeling uncomfortable as food passes through the intestines, thus making a balanced diet very important. Medication is an important treatment. Many can use medications that help diarrhea. With these medications one can slow down the stool making it more structured and one can loosen the stool making it easier to pass. 

There are several different inflammatory medications physicians recommend to help those in need. Theses medications include: 5-Aminosalicylic Acid (5-ASA, Corticosteroids, Immunosuppressive Agents and Biologics. For those that are not successful with medication treatments, surgery may be needed. 

Technically there is no cure for inflammatory bowel disease. Physicians consider patients to be in remission if symptoms have stopped occurring. If the symptoms come back and they are much worse this is considered a flare. If a flare occurs treatment should be sought as soon as possible. When a flare occurs physicians have to option to immediately prescribe medication for preparation for rectum. They usually do this as the wait for a gastroenterologist appointment can be very long. Following this they will usually increase the treatment that is already in place or use a enema or a suppository. Physicians most commonly prescribe oral treatments rather than rectal. If treatment is not sought out it will increase the chance of having more drugs prescribed with greater side effects. It is important not to wait to seek medical attention when experience a flare. 

Research is still underway for further information regarding inflammatory bowel disease. Researchers are gathering information regarding gut bacteria, nutrition roles, genetic attributes, tissue changes and many more. Further research will help physicians and patients understand causes and the cure for inflammatory bowel disease. 

Learn the Difference between J-Pouch and Ileostomy Surgical Procedures and be an Informed Patient

Ileostomy and J-Pouch surgical procedures are performed for patients with inflammatory bowel disease. They are performed when surgeons diagnose a condition where their colon or portion of their colon needs to be removed. Both procedures are different and surgeons choose the appropriate procedure after diagnosing the specific condition suffered by the patient. 

Knowing the Difference

When specialists and surgeons diagnose the condition suffered by the patients and conclude that the patient requires removal of the colon, the patient should research and understand the two types of surgical procedures- Ileostomy and J-Pouch. They will then become informed patients and understand why surgeons choose to perform a specific procedure for them. They can also give proper explanations to friends and family or other healthcare professionals about the surgical procedure performed for them. 

Ileostomy

Any ostomy surgery involves the creation of a stoma or opening in the pouch through which waste is collected in a pouch worn outside the body. The surgeon removes the whole of the colon during an ileostomy surgical procedure. The surgeon will remove part of the colon during a colostomy surgical procedure. An opening or stoma is created in the wall of the abdomen and part of the intestine is pulled to reach the opening and waste is expelled to an external bag that is placed over the stoma. Patients can empty the bag into the toilet when it gets full. The stools expelled into the bag after a colostomy surgical procedure are not as solid as that which is expelled when the colon is intact. Watery stools are expelled into the bag after an ileostomy surgical procedure has been performed. 

Benefits

Patients will need to adapt to wearing a waste elimination bag after an Ileostomy surgical procedure. Once they adapt to their new waste elimination procedure, they can lead full lives. They can exercise, carry on with their normal work routine and, eat all types of food including fast food. 

J-Pouch 

A J-pouch surgical procedure is similar to the ileostomy surgical procedure because the entire colon is removed. The difference is that during a J-Pouch surgical procedure the last portion of the small intestine is formed into a small ‘J’- shaped pouch. The pouch is left inside the body to collect waste. Waste is eliminated through the anus after this procedure and not through a stoma. 

Benefits 

Patients will never suffer from ulcerative colitis after a J-pouch surgical procedure. They can start leading a normal life soon after the procedure is completed and after they have recovered from surgery. Bowel movements may be more than when the colon was intact but patients will not have adverse symptoms like bleeding or cramping. After patients recover from the surgical procedure, they can enjoy a normal diet and enjoy all types of food without restrictions. 

Patients who undergo colon surgery after researching and understanding the procedure will find the information that helps them, their friends and, family to face the procedure with courage and enables them to look forward to enjoying a full life after the surgical procedure is completed. 

Things To Know About The Stoma

A stoma generally refers to an opening that allows bodily wastes to leave the body. Your surgeon will create a stoma on the digestive or urinary tract to bypass its diseased portion.

Why does a stoma become necessary?

There are several reasons why you may need a stoma. Some of those reasons include the following.

• Bladder cancer
• Bowel cancer
• Crohn’s disease
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Diverticulitis
• Ulcerative colitis
• Obstruction

Depending on the severity or type of the underlying reason, a stoma can be permanent or temporary.

What are the types of stoma?

Based on their location, there are three types of stoma: colostomy, ileostomy, and urostomy. No matter what the type of stoma is, you are going to have to wear a stoma bag to manage waste evacuations. A stoma doesn’t have any sphincters, meaning that waste materials would pass out of it unexpectedly. An ostomy bag worn over the stoma allows you to remain calm and relaxed until the bag is full. You will need to empty or change the bag when necessary.

Now, let’s discuss the types of the stoma.

• The first and most common type of stoma is the colostomy. This ostomy has a stoma on the colon, meaning that waste materials will pass out of the stoma without proceeding to the rest of the colon. The surgeon will give you a colostomy if a part of your colon is too diseased to function.
• The second type of stoma is ileostomy, which involves bypassing the entire colon. The surgeon creates a stoma on the small intestine after removing or resting the colon.
• A stoma created to reroute the flow of urine towards an opening in the abdomen is known as a urostomy. This stoma connects ureters to the outside of the body. This diversion uses a piece of the small intestine, also known as an ileal conduit, as a channel to transport urine from ureters to the opening in the abdomen.

Preparing for stoma surgery

Before surgery, you will have a meeting or two with a colorectal surgeon and ostomy care nurse. During this preoperative assessment appointment, the surgeon will tell you everything related to surgery and about post-surgery life. The nurse will show you samples of ostomy bags.

During this meeting, you should ask anything that confuses you. You may want to prepare a list of questions that you would ask your surgeon.

Stoma care support

You will not feel and remember anything that happened during surgery, as you will be under the influence of general anesthesia.

After surgery, you will need to stay in the hospital for 3-10 days. It is the postoperative critical recovery phase during which your doctor and surgical staff will monitor your ostomy. If the recovery process goes well, you will be allowed to go back home.

The overall recovery after surgery will take 6-8 weeks. During this period, you will need to make sure to follow every restriction related to your diet and physical movement. Generally, your doctor will ask you to take soft foods until your body recovers. You will not be able to lift heavy objects during this time. You can introduce your favorite foods back into your diet and return to your fitness training regimen once your body recovers.

Living in a New Way

Life is never quite so easy when you have to live in a different sort of way. And all things considered, that could be a slew of different reasons, such as living in a more poverty stricken area, having less income, having a disability, or   even having some sort of calamity strike your life.

So imagine your life as it is right now. Imagine what all you’ve got among your family, your friend sphere, the pets you love, the things you enjoy doing. No matter how bad off you feel your life is, someone absolutely has it worse. So it’s worth rethinking what you’re sad about or upset about in your life, because it could always be worse than it currently is.

And that’s the beauty of looking at life from a positive perspective. When you realize what all you’ve got going for yourself, it’s truly hard to be upset with the little things that seem annoying.  Or instead of asking “Why me?”, ask “What will tomorrow bring?” It’s amazing how such a small shift in thinking can truly alter the way you view things in your life.

And that’s why it is absolutely so important to keep in mind how anything “bad” can strike any day of the week. Any day of your life, things could go south. You may have to have some sort of emergency procedure, like an ostomy, where everything suddenly changes and you’ve got to rethink how you do basic human functions, like go to the bathroom or even shower. Changing out ostomy supplies is more time consuming than you would imagine (though truthfully it’s not that bad once you’ve got the hang of it).

Nonetheless, cleaning your ostomy supplies takes a little learning, so it’s important to key on your tactics and your time management to allow for a comfortable fitting pouching system and ensuring that everything is sealed skin tight.

So instead of bemoaning your life and what’s currently going awry, think about what all you’ve got. Even if what you have isn’t much, that sort of mentality is literally what brings success to so many professionals, because they’re always extremely focused on what’s next, what they can acquire next. And once you’ve learned to see the world this way, you’ll never go back to your old ways of worrying and complaining about the minutiae. A perspective shift can do your world wonders, honestly. But it’s up to you to change it.

Emergency Preparedness Guide for Ostomates

You may already be familiar with the concept of emergency preparedness. And if you live in an area which is prone to any particular type of emergency, you may already have done something for you and your family to deal with that emergency condition. The immediate aftermath of an emergency can created a situation which might include disruption in electricity, water, and shipping. It means that you might have to live without certain things you depend upon in your daily life. That is the reason that you need to have an emergency preparedness solution comprising of flashlight, water storage, and power generation solutions. But what if you have a medical condition; such as an ostomy? This condition is a whole new reason why you need to be prepared for any emergency situation.

The emergency preparedness requirements for ostomates are all about gathering all of the important supplies that can provide a backup for a minimum number of days until the emergency situation is over. You cannot really go out during an emergency situation to get your supplies. You cannot wait for your shipments to arrive because shipping services do not enter into the areas that are hit by weather and several other types of emergencies. That is why you need to have everything you require to take care of your ostomy during an emergency situation.

So the question here is; how much is the minimum amount of supplies that you need to have in your ostomy emergency kit? Well, it is certainly a good idea to have at least 3 weeks’ worth of supplies in that kit. And you need to maintain this kit especially when you need these items to be shipped to you. You need to have a preemptive approach if you are living in east or west coast because it normally takes 7 business days for your items to be shipped to you. So 3 weeks is certainly not a lot of time.

Emergency ostomy supplies

• Since you will be in the need of quicker solutions, you need to have cut-to-fit ostomy bags to meet your needs for 3 weeks.
• A stoma opening hole cutter or scissors
• Waterproof plastic bin to hold all of your supplies comfortably
• Water for cleaning
• Skin cleanser; make sure that it doesn’t include added oils or fragrance
• Ostomy pouch liners
• Ostomy disposal bags
• Adhesive remover solutions
• Skin prep wipes
• Exam gloves

Remember, your preparedness is not all about maintaining the supplies. Rather, you will need to be ready to handle the emergency. You should have written documentation of your medical condition. You can refer to this information to treat yourself because any emergency preparedness involves preparation for the scenario in which the networks are down and you do not have access to medical specialists.

Odor Reducing Solutions for Your Ostomy

It is pretty normal to be concerned about the odor when you have an ostomy to take care of; not because an ostomy odor is a real problem, but due to the fact that it has to deal with the excretion of your bodily wastes without you knowing about it. The pouching system is there to collect the wastes. And there is no reason for an odor emitting from you when that pouching system is properly attached to your body.

Remember, your ostomy is not something to be ashamed of. It is actually a life-saving procedure which is meant to help you to be healthy and active again. As far as the odor is concerned, there are very rare chances for the other people to feel a smell coming out of the area where you have kept the pouch unless you are handling the pouching system in the wrong way which might cause the leakage of stomal output and moisture. But if you are still concerned about the smell even after taking care of everything in the right manner, there are odor reducing methods that can surely help you avoid getting overly self-conscious.

There are certain odor eliminator products that you can use.

Different ways to control ostomy pouch odor

M9 Odor Eliminator Drops

You can add a few, 10 – 12, drops of m9 drops into the fresh pouch before putting it on. Using this odor eliminator is actually a preemptive action that you do in order reduce the odor before even it is generated. You can use these drops with both colostomy and ileostomy. You can use these drops whether you are wearing a one-piece ostomy bag or a two-piece ostomy pouch.

M9 Odor Eliminator Spray

This odor eliminator spray works really well anytime when you need to refresh the environment of your room. So, it is a product which you can use not only to reduce the ostomy odor but also whenever you need to deodorize the environment around you. The best thing about this product is that it doesn’t come with any scent that can mask the smell. It actually kills the odor.