FAQ: Facts about living with an ostomy

There are three main types of stomas: Colostomies, Ileostomies and urostomies. They are very different.

• Colostomies are made from the large bowel and the output is quite firm and has a limited volume. People with a colostomy typically use closed bags that cannot be drained.
• Ileostomies are made from the small bowel and the output volume is likely quite high and liquid with lumps. People with a ileostomy typically use bags that can be drained. 
• Urostomies are constructed to drain urine when there is a malfunction of the urinary tract. As the output is urine, people with a urostomy use bags with a tap used for drainage.

See our products available for each type of stoma here.

Odour, or the fear of odour from the stoma bag, is a familiar concern to the majority of people who have a stoma. The reality is though that most stoma bags are made from materials that prevent any odour from escaping, and most have a filter that removes odours from intestinal gas. However, if the bag is not changed often enough, the filter can block with faeces, which may lead to odour. 

If you use a drainable bag, and if you do not clean the outlet properly after drainage, odour can easily escape to the environment. To avoid this, make sure to clean the outlet properly.

See our SenSura® Mio range here.

You may feel that the bag is visible through your clothing, although this is usually not the case. This perception is often a result of heightened awareness of the bag and the fact that you view it from above where it may seem more prominent. Trousers with pleats in the waistband hide the stoma bag better than trousers with a flat front. The bag is less visible if it is worn inside the underpants, which should ideally be of an elastic material like Lycra. 

If wearing bathing trunks, a swimsuit, or bikini it may be advantageous to use a small bag, such as a minicap, which takes up as little space as possible. 

See our SenSura^® Mio products here in all-textile material that makes it seem less like a medical appliance and more like a clothing item or accessory. The specially chosen neutral color is designed to stay unnoticed under all clothing colors. 

Skin disorders are unfortunately common among people with a stoma but it is a misunderstanding that they should be accepted.

A scientific study* showed that as many as 45% out of 202 people with a stoma suffered from skin disorders around the stoma. 62% of these people did not even consider it a skin disorder, but accepted it as part of having a stoma. Often skin disorders are caused by output from the stoma leaking under the adhesive. By preventing such leakage, skin disorders can likely be solved and even avoided. Always make sure the hole in the adhesive is not bigger or smaller than the stoma at skin level. Other means for avoiding skin disorders is to remove the adhesive correctly and to use accessories for skin care if needed.

Try BodyCheck here - a tool to understand your body profile. This is the first step towards a better fit.

The most important thing using a stoma appliance is not to accept leakage. Preventing leakage is a matter of using the most appropriate appliance for your individual body profile, using it correctly and removing it in due time. The online tool BodyCheck can help you identify the most appropriate ostomy appliance for your individual body profile. Finally, there are accessories that can help ensuring a tight seal. Make it a habit to have a look at you skin and the backside of the adhesive each time you change the adhesive. Are there any signs of leakage?

You can likely dress as before your surgery. Most important is that the clothing does not prevent the output from the stoma from moving unobstructed into the bag.

The stoma must be sited so that it does not to get in the way of the type of clothing usually worn. In the majority of cases this will mean that it needs to be sited below the waistline where it would otherwise be exposed to friction from the waistband/belt. Tight waistbands should be avoided over the stoma since they can press against the bag and cause it to leak or may even prevent the output from leaving the stoma. 

For men, it may be more practical to wear braces instead of a belt, however some may prefer to wear braces only when wearing a suit jacket or other item of clothing on top. 

There are companies that have designed clothes and particularly underwear for people with a stoma.

The reason behind your stoma operation might influence your chances of getting pregnant, but having a stoma does not prevent you from carrying a pregnancy to term and having a normal delivery. However, in addition to regular obstetric examinations, women who have had or has a colostomy should also see a physician with ostomy expertise. 

As the belly grows, the stoma will typically grow and change shape and the bag may be increasingly difficult to change because it will be located on the underside of the belly. Many women in the later stages of pregnancy use a mirror when changing the bag.

Approximately 10% of pregnant women experience prolapse of the stoma in the third trimester, but few require surgery. When the abdominal wall is stretched the hole through which the stoma protrudes may be widened. Because of the increased pressure caused by the child’s growth, 3% of women develop a stoma hernia during pregnancy. There is a 50% chance of the hernia disappearing after the child is born. If not, surgery must be performed after delivery. 

Delivery usually proceeds normally. 

Learn more about fertility and pregnancy here.