AFTER OSTOMY

Some information that help you after ostomy operation.

FOR COLOSTOMY

Recovery in the hospital involves being slowly reintroduced to liquids and foods to ensure there are no digestive problems. On the first day, you’ll most likely be given only ice chips to ease your thirst. Afterward, you’ll be given clear liquids and eventually soft foods.

You’ll also be taught how to use colostomy bags correctly. A colostomy bag is where your feces will collect while you have your colostomy. Hospital staff will also instruct you on your diet, activity level, and more. It’s important to follow these instructions.

You’ll have follow-up appointments with your doctor to check on your condition and the colostomy.

FOR ILEOSTOMY

You’ll need to stay in the hospital for at least three days. It’s not uncommon to remain hospitalized for a week or even longer, especially if your ileostomy was done under emergency circumstances.

Your food and water intake will be limited for a while. On the day of your surgery, you may only get ice chips. Clear liquids will probably be allowed the second day. Slowly, you’ll be able to eat more solid foods as your bowels adjust to the new setup.

In the early days after surgery, you may have excessive intestinal gas. This will decrease as your intestines heal. Some people have found that digesting four to five small meals per day is better than three larger meals. Your doctor may suggest that you avoid certain foods for a while.

During your recovery, you’ll start to learn how to deal with the external pouch that will collect your waste. You’ll also learn to care for your stoma and the skin around it. Enzymes in the discharge from your ileostomy can irritate your skin. You’ll need to keep the stoma area clean and dry.

If you have an ileostomy, you may find you need to make big adjustments to your lifestyle. Some people seek help from an ostomy support group. Meeting other people who have adjusted their lifestyles after this surgery and have managed to return to their regular activities can ease any anxieties you have. You can also find nurses who are specially trained in ileostomy management. They will ensure that you have a manageable lifestyle with your ileostomy.

FOR UROSTOMY

Learning to live with a urostomy may seem like a big challenge, but it will get easier over time. Just as with any life change, having a positive outlook, patience, and a sense of humor are key.

There may be times after surgery when you feel discouraged. You may feel alone and isolated. Because the whole experience is so new to you, you may feel awkward, frustrated, and uncertain. Feeling discouraged is real and normal. Talking to a trusted friend, nurse, clergy, and certainly another person with a urostomy may help you work through those feelings.

Your social life can be as active as it was before surgery. You can enjoy all the things you did before, such as travel, sporting events, and eating at restaurants. The first time you go out of the house after surgery, you may feel as if everyone is staring at your pouch even though it can’t be seen under your clothes. Remember, you may feel the pouch on your body, but no one can see it.

You may also worry about your pouch filling with urine and bulging under your clothes. A quick trip to the rest room can take care of this problem. You are likely to find that you need to empty your pouch about as often as you needed to urinate before.

Severe skin problems

Large areas of skin that are red, sore, and weeping (always wet) will keep you from getting a good seal around your stoma. It’s important to treat minor irritations right away. If you have a large irritated area that doesn’t go away in a few days, or crusty skin around the stoma, contact your doctor or ostomy nurse. They may prescribe medicine to help dry out and heal your skin.

For deep pressure ulcers caused by a very tight ostomy belt, loosen or remove the belt and call your doctor or ostomy nurse right away. You will need treatment.

Remember that a well-fitted pouching system, drinking enough fluids, and good skin care, can help prevent problems.

Urinary crystals

Urinary crystals on the stoma or skin are caused by alkaline urine. The crystals look like white, gritty particles. They may lead to stoma irritation and/or bleeding. Proper cleaning, keeping your urine acidic, and careful fitting of the skin barrier will help prevent urinary crystals.

To help reduce urinary crystals, you can make a vinegar compress and apply it to the stoma for a few minutes when the pouch is changed. To do this, soak a bath cloth or small towel in a mixture of equal parts of water and white vinegar and hold the moist cloth on the stoma.

When you should call the doctor?

You should call the doctor or ostomy nurse if you have:

• A cut in the stoma
• Injury to the stoma
• A lot of bleeding from the stoma opening
• Bleeding where the stoma meets the skin
• Bad skin irritation or deep sores (ulcers)
• An unusual change in your stoma size or color
• Fever or strong urine odor (may be a sign of a kidney infection)