Hi Kellie here
I have had a doubke stoma now for nearly four years over the years I have had good times and bad. However you have to take the ups and diwns in your stride and thsnk your lucky stars there was this type if surgery available forvyou to carry on living all be it a lot different. My question is has anybody gone on a cruise with this condition and how do you prepare for say 15 /20 days away.
Hi Kellie and welcome to the group.
I also have 2 stomas but haven’t been on a cruise before. However I go on holiday abroad regularly, and am currently in Zante.
I prepare firstly by ensuring I take more supplies than I think I might need to use-better to be safe than sorry! This helps if you need more supplies due to things like an upset tummy etc. I take some puppy pads to put on my bed just in case of any leakages-I’ve been fine on this trip though. I spend a lot of time in our pool, so that can cause the bags to need more regular emptying in case the water affects the adhesive and I would always make sure I have new and completely empty bags before going in the water.
I’ve not had any issues at airports-I’m not sure if you have a flight required to get to your cruise. I have special assistance anyway as I’m disabled, but find all the staff very respectful and I get through security as a priority.
Make sure that you order your stoma supplies well in advance of travel-I asked for extra on my last order which wasn’t a problem. I always call my insurance company in advance to let them know of any changes to my health-for example I’ve had a stroke in the past and have a recent diagnosis of diabetes so I just make sure I have full coverage for everything.
If you’ve get any other questions, please ask and I hope you enjoy your trip! I’ve never let my stomas stop me from travelling and have found it very manageable to travel frequently over the past few years.
Sarah xx
