My Advice for Life After Stoma Surgery

Good morning, all. I found this delightful website while I was looking for ostomy support groups. This seems like such a nice community; I can’t help but share my story!

Last year I was taken into surgery to give me an ileostomy. I’ve suffered from Crohn’s Disease most of my life, but I didn’t know it for decades. I just thought I had a bit of IBS. However, I couldn’t have been more wrong.

I decided it was time for some help when my pain levels were increasing, and my toilet trips started becoming less pleasant (to say the least!). I was taken for a colonoscopy and that’s when the doctors found a pretty serious fistula. At that point, I was given no choice but to have surgery to remove the entirety of my large bowel and get an ileostomy instead.

While the thought of surgery scared me, I knew it was the right thing to do. I know a few others with stoma bags due to similar issues or cancer, so I knew my life was far from over.

My first bit of advice is to get eating again as soon as you can. You probably won’t feel like it, but it’ll benefit you in the long run! And, let yourself indulge in treats and snacks – you most certainly deserve it!

Next, I recommend finding a good TV show or book to get into. My granddaughter lent me her iPad so I could watch Line of Duty while I was in hospital, and it helped pass the time and keep me occupied! I would also recommend anything by Val McDermid if you enjoy Scottish crime mysteries!

Next, I would suggest getting moving as much as possible. It will be difficult – especially if your stitches are up the abdomen like mine are. I felt incredibly weak during the first few weeks of my recovery, and I was tempted just to lay about instead. However, I’m glad my family gave me the encouragement I needed. I went for a short walk every day to help build my strength back up. I also tried physiotherapy which I found to be a great help!

Lastly, my advice is to take everything in your strike. Yes, this is easier said than done, but there’s no use in moping around. Instead, listen to your doctors and be active in your recovery. The more you learn about your stoma the better!