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.