What to expect with stoma surgery

What to expect with stoma surgery

Hey Pelican Readers!

So, I still feel like I’m fairly fresh to having my stoma but in reality the past two years have absolutely flown by! I hope this blog will help with my top tips and advice if you are being faced with a similar surgery in the future!

My surgery was planned, but even though this was the case – I only had 4 weeks in between my consultant appointment until the surgery date! I pretty much spent that time organising my hospital bag, talking to friends and family and trying to mentally prepare! I remember just feeling totally lost as to what my life would look like and how I’d ever lead a normal life again. Although at this point, I was so poorly with Crohn’s Disease I was ready to try anything!

In reality, when you wake up with a stoma – there’s only so much you can do to prepare yourself for that. It is life changing, and every day is different.

I remember waking up with a see through bag on and analysing all of my wounds. I wanted them to change my bag straight away to a non clear option as it wasn’t the nicest thing…But the hospital team like to monitor your output for the first few days so I had to get on with it. The pain levels were manageable; but do remember the peppermint tea bags for any trapped wind pain if you are having key hole surgery! Within the first few days I was emptying my new ileostomy bag myself and getting to grips with new routines…

Here are some of my top tips to hopefully help you if you are facing stoma surgery:

• TALK – the more I opened up and talked to family and friends the better I felt. It suddenly became real that I was the same me, having a bag didn’t change me as a person.
• MEDICAL TEAM – no question is a silly one for your stoma nurses. They have definitely heard it before, so try and be as open as you possibly can with them to make you feel at ease.
• PRODUCTS – try products and feel what is rights for you. Everyone is different and it’s very much trial and error to see what makes you feel most confident.
• REST – this surgery is not a walk in the park. To recover best, you have to let your body recover and follow medical advice.

Lots of love!

Charlotte xxx
@char.crohnsftwilson