Frequently Asked Questions

Obviously there are people you have to tell, for example, family, friends, and probably some people at work. Also, some people will require more detail than others, but don’t feel you have to tell everybody!

It also depends where you are in the ‘life cycle’. For example, if you are in the latter stage of life you will need to tell the people who care for you. If you are young, single and dating, it is a different situation. You may not need to tell someone you are just ‘dating’, but, if the relationship progresses further you should tell them in advance of any intimate encounter!   In the middle of the life-cycle there are probably more people who you need to tell. For example; if you have children you should tell them honestly what is happening so they do not worry unnecessarily. You may also need to tell more people at work, particularly if wearing a “bag” affects your work situation.

Sexual relationships and intimacy are very important and fulfilling aspects of your life that should continue after bowel surgery. Obviously, age and gender are important factors in this, but you should be able to function as you did prior to surgery following a period of adjustment.

Men can sometimes have potency issues following surgery, but this is usually temporary.

Women’s sexual function is usually not affected by the surgery. The ability to conceive does not change and pregnancy and delivery should be normal after bowel surgery. However, if you are thinking about becoming pregnant, you should first check with your doctor about any other health problems.

The most important factor with regard to sex and intimacy is attitude. Bowel surgery is a body-image altering event so it can be a major issue. It is important to discuss this deeply with your spouse/partner, who may also have fears in this regard.

If you wish to take a shower or bath with your bag off, you can do so. Normal exposure to air or contact with soap and water will not harm the stoma; however, avoid heavily scented soaps and shampoos. Also, water will not enter the stoma opening. You should choose a time for bathing when the bowel is less active. Obviously, you can also leave your bag on while bathing.

There may be some modifications to your diet according to the type of surgery you have had. People who have had colostomy or ileostomy surgery should return to their normal diet after a period of adjustment. Foods should be introduced back into your diet a little at a time and you should observe the effect of each food on the stoma function. Food should be chewed well and you should drink plenty of fluids.

There are no eating restrictions as a result of urostomy surgery, and urostomates should drink plenty of liquids.

Some foods can affect the performance of the stoma, for example, excessive wind can be caused by eating food too fast, talking while eating, drinking while eating, and particularly fizzy drinks. Odour issues can be caused by eating foods like baked beans, onions, eggs, cabbage, and fish, as can alcohol. Less digestible or high roughage foods can create the potential for blockage problems, for example, corn, coconut, mushrooms, nuts, raw fruits and vegetables.

 If you are experiencing any of these problems please consult your Doctor or Stoma/Specialist Nurse.

You will be able to wear most of your normal clothes, but there may be issues with clothes that have a waistband; i.e. trousers and skirts. Unfortunately, most stomas are located in the area where a waistband or belt sits. A lot of people drift towards wearing elasticised trousers, baggy trousers, or trousers with a ‘high’ waistband.

For females, there are several companies that offer specialist underwear to help keep the bag in place. Some of these even have a separate pouch to hold the bag. This allows them to wear most of their normal clothes. There are ‘waistbands’ available for men, made from stretch fabric, that will help keep the bag in place.

Swimwear can be an issue, but in the case of females, if they wear a ‘floral’ pattern swimsuit, it is less noticeable. Men can wear loose fitting ‘trunk’ style swimsuits that fit high enough to conceal the bag.

Personal note: The primary reason I created the STOMAPROTECTOR device was to allow me to wear my normal clothes. I was not prepared to stop wearing smart cut suits, jeans, slim fitting shirts, etc.

Having a stoma should not restrict you travelling; since my surgery I have been on long-haul flights, cruises and a 2-day train journey.

Obviously, a bit of planning is involved, for example, you need to ensure you have an ample supply of bags and accessories with you at all times. In fact, you should take double the amount of supplies you would normally use. You should also bring any medication you may need, for instance, in case of diarrhoea, etc.

If you are travelling by car, ensure your bags are stored in a cool place; do not keep them in the boot or on the back window if the weather is warm. When travelling by plane, make sure you have a separate supply of bags in your hand luggage and in your checked-in luggage, in case you’re checked-in luggage gets lost.

You should also carry some documentation from your doctor/medical centre saying you need to carry your stoma supplies through customs.

Personal note: Safety belts on cars and planes can be an issue for a person with a stoma. The STOMAPROTECTOR device eliminates this issue!

Absorption of some medications can be an issue for some people. Depending on the type of stoma you have, i.e. Ileostomy, Colostomy or Urostomy, some issues can arise. Seek information from your Doctor or Stoma/Specialist nurse, and your pharmacist, about all of the medications and vitamins you are taking.

If you have an Ileostomy, time-released and enteric coated medication may pass through your system too quick to be effective.

Consult with your Doctor or Stoma/Specialist Nurse about all medications you take!

When you wake up after surgery you will have a bag supplied by the hospital attached to you!

This may be a ‘clear’ bag, so the medical team can assess your healing progress.

When you leave hospital you can choose any bag from the many manufacturers that produce them. It is a matter of trial and error; one type of bag may suit you during your recovery stage and may not be suitable when you are fully well and active again. All of the bag suppliers will give you free samples to try, and also consult your Stoma/Specialist Nurse for advice.

During the healing process the circumference of your stoma may change. This will require a change in the size of the bag opening and is a normal occurrence.

Again, consult with your Doctor or Stoma/Specialist Nurse.

(For information about the different bag systems available see the 'Colostomy & Ileostomy Bags' page on this site.)

The most important tip, from personal experience, is, always have toilet tissue ready BEFORE you open the bag to empty it!

You should check the bag regularly to ensure it is not too full; the recommendation is to empty it when it is between 1/2 and 1/3 full. Always empty the bag before leaving the house or work place if there is not a convenient toilet available at your destination.

You can sit on the toilet to empty it or you can crouch over it from a standing position, whichever is convenient at the time.

Personal note: At the beginning it is not a pleasant task emptying the bag, but you do get used to it.

The adhesiveness of stoma bags to the abdomen can vary considerably. It can be affected by the wearers shape, size and temperature. It can also be affected by the clothes that are worn and the life-style and activities of the wearer.

The bags are designed to be worn for between three to seven days, under normal circumstances. Changing the bag too frequently can cause skin irritation problems as can leaving the bag on for too long. The result of the latter is, the faecal matter seeps out under the adhesive flange and damages the skin. If you experience itching or burning sensations it is probably time to change the bag!

Personal note: When I first came up with the concept for STOMAPROTECTOR the prime motivation was simply to create a device to allow me to wear most of my normal clothes when I returned to work. However, the lengthy design process threw up several unexpected advantages. There were many of these, but the best of them was; after wearing the earlier prototype devices for a period of

I noticed the bag was really stuck to my skin. The constant pressure on the adhesive flange had created a much better seal onto my abdomen. Prior to wearing STOMAPROTECTOR, because of the constant fear of leaks, I was changing my bag nearly every day to ensure it had a good seal. I now change my bag only every 5/6 days. The confidence it has given me is fantastic, while commuting to work, socialising with friends, playing golf or any other leisure activity, I don’t worry about leaks any more. I have not had a single leak since I started wearing it regularly.

• Have severe cramps lasting more than two/three hours.
• Have excessive bleeding from the stoma.
• Have blood in the stoma bag at every emptying.
• Have continuous bleeding where the stoma is attached to the skin.
• Have severe skin irritation that affects the adhesion of the bag.
• Have changes in size, colour and appearance of stoma.
• Have severe watery discharge lasting more than five/six hours.
• Have nausea and vomiting.
• Have no output for a period of five/six hours and accompanied by cramps and nausea.

There are two separate sides to this question; firstly there is the physical recovery side, and then there is the mental recovery side.

Firstly, the physical side: When your strength returns following the surgery you will gradually get back to most of the activities you participated in before. Physical activities should be introduced slowly as your body has been through traumatic surgery. Heavy lifting, in particular, should be avoided for some time. If your work involves heavy lifting of any sort, please refer to your Doctor or Stoma/Specialist Nurse for advice. The danger of lifting heavy objects too soon after surgery is, it may result in a Parastomal Hernia. Most sporting activities, for example; running, swimming, golf, tennis, etc., can be accommodated, provided common sense is used.   Hard contact sports, like football, rugby, etc., could be a problem; but if proper devices are used to protect the stoma then it may be ok. Again, use common sense, and consult with your doctor or Stoma/Specialist Nurse if in any doubt.

The mental side: Experts say that there four stages to recovery following bowel surgery that involves serious changes to one’s body image. The four stages are:

1. Shock: This happens immediately after the surgery. The first feeling is, you feel lucky to be alive, but, you may also feel very emotional and maybe unable to process exactly what is going on. You will, for the first time, see your “bag”. You will feel anxious that you will be able to deal with it and recover fully. You may also feel tearful when you see your family and friends. This phase may last for days, or even weeks.
2. Denial: This is when you try to minimise the fact that you have been through a major trauma. You pretend you are ok, that you are brave, you can handle it; but the reality is, you are avoiding the reality of the situation and not participating in your own recovery. This phase can last weeks, or even months, and can seriously delay the recovery process.
3. Acknowledgement: This is a vital phase; unless you can see the reality of your situation you cannot do anything positive about it. This can be a very difficult phase, particularly if you had a lengthy period of denial. You start to accept that you will have to live with a bag (of shit) hanging off your abdomen, and that a part of your life has changed forever. You think about how other people will ‘see’ you, you wonder will you always feel you are living in this ‘bubble’. In some cases you can experience bouts of anger, apathy, bitterness, and can even experience the symptoms of mourning.
4. Adaption: During this phase the emotions begin to decrease and acceptance of the reality of your situation begins to sink in. You start to cope with your ‘new found’ situation, you start to be constructive and deal with the new structures in your life. You learn to live with your “bag” and deal with the daily management of it. This will also be a lengthy phase; it may last a year, or even two!

My own experience included all of the above emotions, although in a different order.

The physical side was ok because I wasn’t ill when I had my surgery, which meant I was able to recover better than someone who has been ill for a long period of time. However, because of the fact that I wasn’t ill, I felt I was going into hospital a ‘well’ person and was going to come out an ‘unwell’ person. Also, I had a six-month lead in time to my surgery which gave me a lot of time to think! During this six-month period I spoke to a lot people who had been through surgery and the best piece of advice I got was to ‘accept’ my situation! This was enormously helpful; I took control of my own situation and I was changing my own bag the day after my surgery! I was determined not to be a ‘victim’!

Obviously, living with a “bag” will bring some changes to your life, but, with some effort, there is no reason why you cannot live a normal life following bowel surgery.