Swimming

Hi Patty, I have no experience at all of swimming with a stoma but I am possibly about to have a LAR with temp/,permanent Stoma. My hobby, passion and love is wild swimming. I spoke to the surgeon today who said you can swim, scuba dive, do anything you want with one. I am considering alternatives to surgery and so he was trying to convince me that I have nothing to worry about. He said they have carbon filters, so dont smell, they dont make a noise and hardly fill up during the day and you can pretty much choose when you wish to empty them? Sounds very different to what I have read. Can you tell me your personal experience please. Hoping someone who swims will come along with some good advice.

Kind regards kerry 

Hi Patti 

I have 2 stomas-urostomy and colostomy and swim with them without issues. I have never had either bag leak and feel perfectly confident with them. I make sure I have new bags on and that both are empty before I go in the water. I’d encourage you to go for it!

Sarah xx

Hi Gosh 

I’ve  lived with my 2 stomas for 3.5 years, and both are permanent-urostomy because I’ve had my bladder removed, and an end colostomy because I’ve had my rectum removed. I would say I’m pretty experienced in living with them.

I would agree with your surgeon that a completely normal life is possible with stomas, and I can’t think of any activity I would not be able to do because of them. 

To clarify, it’s not the stoma which has a carbon filter, it’s the stoma bag itself. I would disagree on a couple of points he has made however. A stoma still produces wind, which obviously is then contained in the bag, but this makes the same noise as normal passing of wind makes! This can smell temporarily but disappears and wearing a stoma bag itself does not give off any smell, unless it leaks. 

You have absolutely no control with a colostomy or ileostomy over when it produces “output” (poo). A colostomy has thicker output than a urostomy, and typically the bag will need emptying much less than an ileostomy bag which has a much more liquid output. Usually you would drain/empty an ileostomy bag several times throughout the day/night rather than remove the bag each time it fills or starts to fill. I use a closed bag with my colostomy which I change every time for a new bag once it has something in it. 

My experience would not be that the bags hardly fill up during the day-that’s true some days, but depending on what I have eaten, the bag can fill multiple times. You don’t really have a choice about emptying the bag, as it can leak or push off your body if it over fills. Then there will be a smell!  Plus it’s uncomfortable and heavy hanging off your skin if it gets full. I would not let my bag get more than half full before changing it.

I am generally perfectly happy living with stomas as I didn’t have a choice and they saved my life. If that were the recommended treatment for me again-surgery and stomas-that’s the route I would take again to get rid of my cancer rather than trying an alternative, but I appreciate that everyone has a very personal view on that. 

The important thing is that life is completely normal with stomas-no-one would know you had one if you didn’t tell them. It’s simply a different way for your body to get rid of waste. Once you get into the swing of it, changing bags etc is quick and simple. I wear tankinis to swim, and choose patterned bottoms so my bags are hidden and not noticeable.  Hope this helps a little!

Sarah xx

Dear Sarah, thank you so much for your reply. It is good to hear your experiences. I still do not know exactly what treatment plan they will offer but in all honesty I am the type of person that needs to know every detail in order to feel like I have some sort of control. I have experienced this overwhelming feeling of falling into the abyss over the last few weeks which is incredibly scary. Far from being adverse or against having a stoma temp or permanent what I want is to live and I know that I will make it work. Sea swimming with my 50 something ladies is my passion and so it's good to hear that I can still do that. Take care, kerry x 

Hi Gosh 

Yes, I can understand that feeling of falling into the abyss and it’s hugely scary. You have to make a decision that is right for you, and that you are happy with. I wasn’t in a position of having a choice so it was a little different for me, and I just had to go with my only real option in order to survive.

Sea swimming sounds wonderful, and if you have surgery and a stoma you will absolutely be able to do that once you recover. I live very far inland, so it’s not an option for me but I did swim and snorkel in the sea last year on holiday in the Maldives. It was absolute bliss.  Typically I am in a swimming pool though! 

I find wearing a tankini gives me very good support for my bags, which is why I switched from a swimsuit. I’m not aware of my bags when I’m in the water and I do sometimes stay in for a long time. I was nervous the first time I did it, but was determined not to let stomas rule my life. I accepted them, and just wanted to get on with my life and being able to swim on holiday was a big part of that. 

Your life should be completely normal with the only difference being a bag on your tummy which you can quickly adapt to. I’m happy to try to answer any other questions you might have about having a stoma based on my experiences. They are just one little part of my life after all this time! 

Sarah x 

Thank you so much for this it makes me feel better about the idea 

I have swam regularly. I always change the bag before and use a mini bag for the swim. I have never had a problem. 

I see that Gill Castle swam the English Channel in September. She is the first person with a stoma to do so.

Dulac.Did you listen to her podcast

It was really good.so glad she did the swim

Kath

No, I saw the video clip on ITV as she emerged from the sea. A remarkable achievement and an inspiration to others. I still worry about taking a shower!!

Dulac