HealthcareTips And Tricks To Adapt To Life With An Ostomy Bag

After the operation, you need to adapt to a new and foreign item on your body; however, this new life can still be normal; there are ways that you can adapt to a quality life. You can still live your life to the fullest; you need to keep a positive mind, follow the doctor’s instructions, and understand what you can and can’t do now, as there will be some restrictions. However, it is vital to prioritize your medical needs by ensuring you have ample ostomy supplies as these items need to be readily available when changing or replacing is required. With that said, these tips and tricks will help you adapt to your new life with an ostomy bag.

Changing The Bag

Changing your ostomy bag should be done every 3-5 days. This will be something of a challenge at first, but it doesn’t require a lot of work. Make sure to follow the instructions and do this in a clean environment while maintaining personal hygiene to prevent any infections from forming. Your doctor will discuss your supply needs and help you change your bag the first few times while you are recovering from the surgery. However, many individuals battle with the task even after returning home from the hospital. If you are battling at all, it is best to consult your doctor as soon as possible for a bit of extra help.

Only Contact Sports Will Be A Minor Set Back

You can live everyday life with an ostomy bag, but keep in mind that your wound can open if playing rough sports such as rugby or football, so your sports choices should change; however, you can still run and exercise with the ostomy bag. Ensure that you don’t over excerpt yourself by lifting hefty weights and that if you get sweaty to clean the wound and maintain a healthy state of personal hygiene. It is a great idea to use a barrier cream to protect the opening from developing any irritation rash when enjoying any form of physical activity to stay fit and healthy.

Bathing Or Showering

This can be only a little tricky, but when you have a bath or shower, you will need to keep the wound dry as water can cause an infection, but it simple to do this and won’t really affect your showering or bathing habits. Also, be aware that you should only apply the cream on the wound that has been prescribed as this is a wound that, if it gets infected, can be severe. You can still enjoy a long bubble bath as the glue also gets stickier when it gets wet but always first find out from your doctor if you have any questions about what you can and can’t do.

Whether your surgery has left you with a colostomy bag for three months or permanently, it can be a significant change to your life. However, you can still live an exciting, adventurous everyday life, and you don’t need any unique clothing. With modern medicine, these bags are easier to change and can be hidden under most regular clothing.