LIVING WITH YOUR OSTOMY
LIVING WITH YOUR OSTOMYTRANSCRIPT (page 1 of 2)As you live with your ostomy, there are steps you can take to make sure the area stayshealthy.Check your stoma and the skin around it for signs of irritation or infection every timeyou change your pouch. Skin irritation is a common problem and can be caused bybodily waste on your skin. If you can’t easily see all of the skin around your stoma, usea mirror to look at those hard to reach places.Look for: redness, or weepy or wet looking skin. These can be signs that your skin isirritated.Lightly dusting some powders on the skin around your stoma can help protect yourskin from irritation. Skin sealant, skin prep, or barrier paste can help avoid the leaksthat can lead to irritated skin. And adhesive remover can make it easier on your skinwhen changing your pouch.Talk to your healthcare provider or WOC nurse about using any of these products toprotect your skin.If you notice: redness, tenderness, pain up to a half inch around your stoma, or whitefluid draining from the area, you may have an infection. Call your healthcare providerright away.If you notice: redness, itchiness, and small dots around the stoma without any signsyou have had a leak, let your healthcare provider know. You may have a fungalinfection that can be treated with medication.Just because you have an ostomy does not mean you have to stop doing many of thethings you may have enjoyed before your surgery.“You will get back into your regular routine. It took me probably three, threeand20% gradient mesha half weeks after I got home. And then I would have, my husband and I had ourweekly outing, we went to the grocery store. And if you just go out and walk inyour neighborhood.”healthclipshealthclipsBelieve it or not, you can enjoy every part of life with an ostomy. There are manyproducts available to help you feel more comfortable while being active.healthclips(Continued on next page)healthclips4% gradient meshThis program is for informational purposes only. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness, orsuitability of this video for medical decision making. For all health related issues please contact your healthcare provider.hc_qc_10019_98_en_t00002.pdf healthclips© Milner-Fenwick, Inc.5% gradient meshLIVING WITH YOUR OSTOMYTRANSCRIPT (page 2 of 2)You can shower, take a tub bath or go for a swim. Just make sure you have a goodseal and your pouch is supported. You may choose to use a water resistant pouch anda belt or special tape to hold your pouch in place.You can return to your normal exercise routine as soon as your healthcare providertells you it’s ok. Sweat and moisture may decrease the seal so be sure to check yourostomy more often when exercising.If you enjoy contact sports, you can still play. Talk to your healthcare provider or WOCnurse about how to support your pouch when playing.Socially, most people will not even notice you have a pouch. It is covered with yourclothes. And special deodorizers can help hide possible odors.“In the back of your mind, you’re always thinking, you know, ‘does somebodysitting next to me smell it?’ But your confidence builds as you get moreacclimated with the system itself.”If you are worried about your pouch leaking while you sleep, make sure you emptyyour pouch before you go to bed. You may also be able to use a larger pouch at night.And don’t worry; you can return to intimacy as soon as your healthcare provider tellsyou.With an ostomy you should be able to return to your normal eating habits soon aftersurgery. There are no eating restrictions because you have an ostomy, however, youmay be told to start with a low fiber diet at first and slowly add in new foods to seehow your body handles the changes.Some foods like nuts, raw crunchy vegetables, popcorn and dried fruit may causeblockages if not chewed well.20% gradient meshAnd always drink plenty of water to avoid constipation.healthclipsIf you do notice: a severe change in the color of your stoma; it becomes a darkhealthclipspurplish, blue, or pale color; a large amount of bleeding from the stoma; vomitingand nausea that doesn’t go away; cramping or nothing coming out of the stoma for4 to 6 hours; or a deep cut in the stoma; call 911. These can be signs of a serioushealthclipscomplication. Get help right away.healthclips4% gradient meshThis program is for informational purposes only. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness, orsuitability of this video for medical decision making. For all health related issues please contact your healthcare provider.hc_qc_10019_98_en_t00002.pdf healthclips© Milner-Fenwick, Inc.5% gradient mesh
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