Adjusting to Life with Both Ileostomy and Colostomy

Hi everyone . I just joined this group today. I am from NJ. I had emergency surgery 1 year ago and woke up to both ileostomy and colostomy.

Welcome! I just joined as well.

Hi you two. Glad to have new people. Check out history, ask questions, post some pics.

Welcome both of you. You can find a lot of good information here.

I'm sorry that's how everything started for you. I had a similar circumstance with emergency surgery, and waking up with an ileostomy. I didn't even know what an ileostomy was at that point. This is a great group, with lots of wonderful information, and belly laughs. I hope you feel welcome here. <3

Getting Support in the Ostomy Community with LeeAnne Hayden | Hollister

Welcome.

In that regard, I'm lucky that I was working in the job that I was - I was a healthcare assistant on a busy hospital ward. I'd had enough patients with stomas and had to help them with them that it wasn't this completely alien red blob poking out of my tummy. But of course, I found out that helping someone else with theirs is absolutely nothing like managing your own stoma. It was a very steep learning curve, for sure, because the hospital stay when I had my colectomy was also when I was diagnosed with my UC, and before that, I was completely ignorant of IBDs.

Hi ladies, welcome to the site. There's lots of good info here and fun people.

Welcome! This is a wonderful forum with lots of helpful folks.

Welcome new friend, we are all here to help and support. Lots of amazing friends here that care and give great advice. You will learn much more than what your doctors and nurses will tell you. I hope you get comfortable soon. We can be quite the silly bunch too, so we are good for some laughs!

Welcome to the site. We all have one thing in common, which is the stoma. Ask any questions, and I'm sure you will get lots of answers and support. XX

Hello and welcome! Emergency surgery led to my ostomy too, so I can relate. I am curious though, as you say you woke up to a colostomy and an ileostomy? I had a colostomy and an ileostomy for around eight months, but that was only after my initial surgery, which gave me the colostomy, was not working for me. The surgeon gave me an ileostomy and disconnected the colostomy, so only the ileo was working. He did not go back in and remove the rest of my large bowel and close up the colostomy site until it was clear that the ileostomy was working well for me. He did this so that he could have reversed it if the ileo was not successful. I'm not clear on why you would have both stomas after just one surgery, and wonder why the surgeon did that? I'm assuming that only one is working, right?

Anyway, as others have said, there is lots of support, friendship, and fun on this site, so glad you found us!

Terry

Welcome to Our Gang ...ask and thou shalt receive...

I was very aware of what it was but never thought it would happen to me. I was taking care of a client that had the ileostomy. But I was just changing her bag, not really knowing all I know now. Now I wish someone was changing mine!

Haha, right? It's so daunting at first. Your body is changing, and there are a million choices for supplies. Once you find the right equipment, and get into a good routine, you'll start feeling more normal. Remember to laugh, and give yourself lots of grace. You are definitely not alone.

Welcome and glad you found the rest of us. Don't be afraid to reach out, say hiya, and chat away. You're not alone; we are all here for you. Smile on.