Confirmed Stoma and Bag to be fitted.

Hi Chromplated

You must be relieved. Be booking those trips soon

i like to answer your questions I’m an Ileostomy there’s a difference with a colostomy. 
So which one are you going to be.?

As Artsie says some things depend on whether you have a colostomy or an iliostomy.But whichever you have you certainly dont need another tap .

Kath

Hi Chromeplated and I’m sure the bag will make life a lot easier for you. As Artsiesays, there is a little difference between a colostomy and an Ileostomy but the principal is the same. I’ll leave Ann to cover the finer points when you confirm which you’re having but 

1. Yes you wear the bag 24/7 except when changing it

2. No you can lie on it but need to be careful that it doesn’t get too full or squashed and then you can get a leak. I slept on my back or sides but tummy is probably best avoided

3. The bags stick to your tummy. If you look at Artsies avatar then you would cut a hole in the face for your stoma to go through (sorry Ann!) and then the back of the face is sticky with a protective film which you peel off before applying - this bit is called the wafer

4. You don’t clean out the bag per se. Ileostomy are emptied at regular intervals throughout the day as their output tends to be greater and looser than a colostomy. The bags have an opening at the bottom that rolls up and secures so you unfasten the bottom, empty the contents into the toilet, roll it back up, fasten and that’s it. The bags are usually changed every couple of days. Colostomies have a thicker output and the bags don’t need emptying but are changed every day I think but I’m sure someone with a colostomy will be able to advise. 
Changing the bag let’s you clean the stoma and surrounding area to stop it getting sore - this can be done at the bathroom basin or with a bowl of water handy but the nurses will show you how to do it.

Hope this helps and you’ll soon get into a routine with it all

Take care

Karen x

Hi Chromeplated

A bag should make a tremendous difference to your quality of life, but there are differences between an Ileostomy and colostomy as the ladies have said.

I live with a permanent colostomy (and urostomy) so my answers are based on having a colostomy. 

1. Yes, you have to wear the bag 24/7. You have no control of a stoma, so cannot do anything/go anywhere without having a bag on. 

2. You can lie on the bag, but I make sure it is completely empty before going to bed. If it has output in it and you lie on it, you are likely to have it leak. I sleep mainly on my side, so often end up lying on the bag. With a colostomy, the bag fills less frequently than with an ileostomy, so it’s possibly easier to for me to be able lie however I want. 

3. The bags attach to your skin, not the stoma.

4. I have a drainable bag, so I could drain over the loo if I wished, but a colostomy output is thicker than an ileostomy, so I simply change the bag each day, or if it fills during the day. I don’t clean it out-each  bag is disposed of after use, There is no requirement for any special equipment to clean-you simply clean around the area of the stoma with plain warm water, dry and attach a new bag. 

Once you have the answer on which type of stoma you will be having people will be able to offer specific advice, as they are different in some respects. 

Karen and Sarah you’ve done a splendid job

Sarah am I right in thinking that if you’ve a colostomy you don’t have to wear a pouch. I’m sure my Stoma nurse said that Cliff Richards doesn’t he uses irrigation?

Hi Ann

You still need to have a pouch or a small cap thing over the stoma even if you do irrigation. My colo rectal surgeon said I could try irrigation, after I’d had the stoma for a few months and was managing well, but I’ve never done the necessary nurse training. It takes quite a while to do the irrigation, with the benefit of having no output for 24-48 hours, but since I find it so quick to change my bags, I haven’t bothered. 

I know someone who does irrigation but they still use a bag. xx

Well I have checked out the difference between an Ileostomy  and a colostomy and think I will be having the first a Ileostomy.
My surgeon said the following, I will use keyhole surgery and you will have 2 small holes.
One for the camera and the other for the medical equipments entry.
She continued by saying, I will bring the ( I have forgotten  the name for the part of the rear passage ) towards your stomach wall and make a small hole in both and create a stoma.
My rectum will remain and she said, you may have small leakages from it but nothing really.
So Artsie that’s  all I can tell you.

Chromplated. 

With an iliostomy you empty the bag into the toilet 6 or 7 times a day,depending on your outout.then you change the bag on average every other day.both are quick and easy to do once you get into the rythmn.the nurses in the hospital will show you how.

If they give you some practise bags to try before the op I recommend trying them to give you some confidence and to see the best place for the stoma to be situated.

I have an iliostomy and can easily sleep on my side or half side half front.I do make sure the bag is empty last thing

All the best.do ask anything

Kath

Hi Chromplated 

Im not a medic and I’m not sure from the description of your procedure but an Ileostomy’s on the right the colostomy is on the left 

To be honest when I got my diagnosis I had to look up Ileostomy I didn’t have a clue  like my name suggests I’m arty not smarty 

You must be feeling relieved that you can get this sorted and get back to Pembrokeshire. 
There’s amazing advice here and it sounds as if your operation is not invasive which will hopefully mean you’ll be up and about in no time. 
My stoma is really easy to manage. I keep my bag on when I shower and change it after. The second day I wash and keep it on. I’ve tried all different ways but this suits me. 
Each of us has found the best for us and this group is full of lots of support. 
I empty every time I have a wee and as I need to drink plenty it’s about two or three hourly. I know can get six hours sleep at night. This took a while it’s food management. 
Your Stoma nurses will get you started and it really doesn’t take long to get into the swing of it. You may find early days you will change styles of bags etc it takes about six weeks for the stoma to form properly. 
Keep us updated. 
Any questions fire away. 

Karen I love the reference to Whoopi and no offence at all. She’s not actually a well fitting dress. The mouth is definitely not in the middle. I used artistic license.