Handling New Information

Learning ostomy care is an adjustment for anyone. Once you get the hang of it, though, it really is not that much of a task. A few daily things will change, but your overall life will improve so much you won’t even notice the little changes. Let’s learn some facts about ostomy care, supplies, and some serious complications to look out for.

First you will need to learn about your ostomy bag. This is the appliance that your stoma will drain into. The waste will either be urine or stool, depending on the type of ostomy you have. There are specific products to be used depending on what type of ostomyprocedure you have. Some bags will need to be changed about every four days. Some patients have to use a daily bag. Cleaning the stoma and the skin around it is very important when changing bags. It is also important to let the skin dry completely before applying the barrier or bag. Always be checking for signs of irritation around the stoma or skin. Notice that the stoma will change in color, size, and maybe even shape while it is healing. But if it does not look like what your doctors or nurses said it should, then you should contact your doctor.

You will notice you will excrete stool much more than normal. That’s a good thing! It means your intestines and stoma are functioning properly. Depending on the type of bag you have, you will need to empty or change your bag accordingly. Make sure you are emptying it before it gets too full. That can cause leakage. Always, you might notice it start to inflate because of gas. Just open a little to release the gas.

Another new adjustment might be the type of food you eat. You may be able to eat way more than you did pre-surgery. Many people suffer from food intolerances that are fixed through an ostomy. Just  be sure to introduce foods slowly back into your diet. It is also smart to introduce a new food one at a time so if a flare up happens, you can pinpoint which food item it was. You can also monitor how your body is breaking down that food item by checking your daily stool. Make sure to also check for dehydration as more liquid will be exiting your body than normal. Be sure to be drinking at least 6 glasses of water per day to prevent dehydration with an ostomy.