Hi!
I'm still new to having a colostomy bag and trying to figure out my life. I have stage 4 colon cancer and also breast cancer. I currently am feeling fairly normal and healthy, a little tired. Pre-surgery and diagnosis, I was pretty active. I love swimming and had just got this cool paddle board. While I'm still feeling good, I'd like to keep doing the things I love. Any advice? Any good products out there that I can use to help protect my bag and my stoma? Or is it just a strict no-no?
My 2 pieces of advice… 1) Don't let your ostomy run your life; you run your life. Adjust however it is you need to and enjoy life. 2) Get a good belt or wrap that'll support your bag and hold it close to your body. Enjoy your paddling…🏄♀️ (closest emoji I have) 🤷♂️
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Assuming you are concerned about the water or activity in water or above it, don't be.
It's not an issue if you have a good product and bag support. Heed Alex's reply. Others will offer advice and suggestions.
Welcome to the club! Good to have you.
Don't let having a pouch define you. Enjoy your life. Make every day count. You've got this.
I love swimming - but when I first got my bag, I soon found out that just taking a shower every day will make my bag come off; which is why my husband made me a shower guard. When I go swimming, I wear a pair of waterproof swim pants underneath my swimsuit, which has a skirt attached to it.
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This way, should my bag come off while I am swimming, my output does not end up in the pool!! (Although it has never happened, I still worry about it...) After swimming, I take them off, rinse the chlorine out of my togs, and leave them to dry.
There is basically no reason why you should not be able to swim, although be careful when it comes to high-intensity sports, as we ostomates can herniate very easily. So talking to your doctor about what you can and cannot do is very important.
Always remember to take care of yourself!
Gracie
Hi, I have also wanted to ask a similar question about water sports for others' ideas and info as I surf a fair bit (I'm very, very amateur).
This is just my opinion: as long as your doctor's given the all clear and you are well enough, if you are just on your paddle board, I don't think I'd be too stressed about anything. Just wear a support belt, as you should be pretty dry on the board, assuming you spend more time on the board than in the water. 😊
When I surf or swim, I use sports strapping tape around the backing of the pouch. It's a one-piece Dansac drainable pouch for ileostomy and tape to skin. I go out with two strips of tape and wear high-waist boxers from Omnigon, basically a support belt on boxers. See pics below. A lot of the time, after a couple of hours in the water, the pouch can come away from the skin to varying degrees, and the tape contains any mess for easy clean-up if needed and protects the inside of the wetsuit. It's the only way I've known and would love some better ideas.
I also use the same method when I do motocross/trail riding with almost no leaks or issues.
Hi Shannon, Welcome to the site. You don't say just how new an ostomate you are, but you do need to be aware of the hernia risk, and I'm thinking that paddle boarding would use a lot of upper body muscles, including abs. A hernia belt 'may' reduce the risk, but you still need to be careful. If you Google 'abdominal exercises for ostomy' you will find some really good gentle exercises to strengthen those muscles, and start slowly, and work your way up to more strenuous things, like paddle boarding. As for swimming, I swim all the time and take no precautions. I don't wear a belt and find that my suit is enough to keep my pouch in place. The chlorine from the pool and even the really hot temperatures from the sauna don't affect the seal or reduce my wear time at all. Go for it, and enjoy!
Terry
Hi Terry,
What brand bag are you using? Thanks for the info!
Laura
Thank you, Terry! That's really helpful!
I had my surgery on 12/5/24. I have a pool at my gym and have been wanting to use it so badly but was worried. My suit is also pretty tight, but I may end up getting a wrap, too.
I use a wrap for swimming. I got it on Amazon. It cost me $80, but it has been worth it as I use it every time I go swimming. It works, and I never worry about my bag when I am in the water.
Can you send the info on it? So I will get the right one.
That's great! Thanks, and it would be good to get the brand name.
I swim, I bathe, I shower, I hot tub it, I paddle board it, etc.! I don't do anything with my colostomy but enjoy! If you've put it on properly, you shouldn't have a problem! I clean the skin well with plain water, wipe it dry, and put on another bag. I've had mine for 26 years, had colorectal cancer, had chemo and radiation, and it was that that almost killed me. I'm doing great now. Just have fun. I wear a Hollister one piece.
Hi Shannon,
I also live in Arizona - Gilbert!
I've had my colostomy since March 22.
I travel the world and lead groups on cruises, land trips, and wellness retreats and am quite adventurous - everything from paragliding, jumping off waterfalls, ziplining, snorkeling, paddleboarding, to name a few.
The only thing I don't do with my ostomy is lay face down for my chiropractic adjustment!
It took me a bit to find the bagging system that works best for me, but once I did, I haven't had any issues.
You could wear a belt for more support -
I typically don't. I wear a 2-piece swimsuit - sometimes a bikini, and I made myself some lightweight bag covers to match.
I wear yoga pants or shorts, of course, when working out as they give some support.
I also found some great underwear at Soma that are high enough to cover my bag when I wear pants that are lower rise - they even have things that are high rise and very pretty with support.
Reach out if you'd like to meet up!
Sure Seal Rings go on over the flange and under the pouch. They almost completely cover the flange and extend past the flange edges to adhere to the skin around the flange, making an almost completely waterproof flange that doesn't come off when swimming, showering, etc. You might get a little dampness on the flange directly closest to the ring connecting the pouch to the flange, but I've never had any issues because it's so far from the edges, where it's most likely to roll away from the skin if the flange is unprotected. Give it a try and let us know how you like it!
Great success story! Keep your fingers crossed for me that I'll be able to thrive, too. 😊 I don't have any troubles in the shower. I use skin barrier, powder, and paste. My stoma rests against my belly skin, so I have to prep that area for protection against my output resting on my skin. But no issues with sticking. I'm ordering a wrap from Etsy to help keep it in place.
Thanks for the input, and I'll be doing activities as my energy allows. As you know, the treatments can take it out of you. And I'm still working.
Look at you, Mimi!! How awesome to have adventures! I love it! I'm in treatment right now and hoping for the best. But it takes a lot from my energy pool. I'm going back to the gym and working that part into my schedule. My routines keep getting interrupted by doctor appointments, but I'm working on how to keep my body strong through this process.
You're an inspiration for anyone who feels overwhelmed by their new normal. Thank you!
I'm a kayak coach - wearing a dry suit in winter, a wetsuit in summer. Having my ileostomy made it safe for me to go scuba diving - I had my first try in the pool about 6 weeks after my op. (I had to have further surgeries a few years later because of adhesions and actually got a hernia coughing with an asthma attack 10 days after that surgery).
If anything, kayaking / paddleboarding are great sports for both physical and mental well-being. I have never had a pouch loosen in the water even after extended time practicing rescues, although if it's a planned training session, I usually add a support belt. My buddies now try to make sure I'm not doing any heavy lifting, but rescuing others can be pretty physical.
I wear the Salts Confidence Be pouches in black as I feel it's less obvious with a wetsuit.
My only mistake once was a swimsuit with the bottoms cut a bit 'skimpy'.... as I was swimming in the local pool, I realized my bag was kind of floating above my briefs as I swam, and it refused to be tucked back in. I also now wear high-waisted shorts with a tankini top for swimming (cheapy ones from Shein or Primark are fine).
Go and enjoy..... all the above tips are great, but just do it!!! XX
Hi Mimi, I notice you say the one thing you don't do is lie face down at the chiropractor. Just a heads up, something I recently found out. Some chiropractors (like mine) have a thing called a 'pregnancy pillow', and it's specifically for pregnant women, as you might have guessed. The thing is, it works great for us ostomates too. It's just a pillow with a hollowed-out center, which I lie down on, with my ostomy in the 'hole'. It works perfectly, and I can have normal adjustments this way now.
Terry
Hi Shannon. I use Sensura Mio Barrier -2 piece click. To that, I also use elastic barrier strips—one on each side covers the edge completely. One of the ostomates in my local ostomy group calls these angel wings, and for me, they certainly are. I use them not only for swimming, hiking, biking, and traveling, but for anytime I want to avoid leaking/blowout, i.e., 24/7. If you call Coloplast, they will send you samples. I wear a one-piece bathing suit with ruching on it. It is the same suit I used prior to having an ileostomy. I find that a pattern rather than solid seems to hide the bag better. Best of luck to you.
Shannon
I swim in Ireland; water temp @ 8 to 10 degrees....cold...I swim when on holidays in Europe also. I just use a decent rash vest; the bag will get wet, but all is going to be good. Keep doing what you were doing. I had a colonostomy and now have an ileostomy...
Hi - I have an ileostomy and use the stealth belt for paddle boarding. It's neoprene fabric and dries fairly fast!
I am very active with winter hiking, skiing, mountain biking, and the belt keeps everything nice and tight. Keep on getting out and exploring life! Scot
Hi - where do you get the elastic barriers?
Also, can you suggest what kind of cover you wear that keeps the bag snug against your body?
Hi - I am still completely fazed by the bag - I am still on chemo, so my stomach is always off.. but I really do want to get back to normal life - my surgery was in December, and apart from the stoma, I had a complete restructuring of my butt, etc.!
Anyway - sorry for rambling. I really want to swim - but I am very nervous about the bag leaking, the bag disengaging from my stomach, and also the bag showing.
Any suggestions on how to deal with the above? And any suggestions on what kind of swimwear I should invest in..
I also had surgery in December. It was rough that first month, and they left my butt alone, so I can only imagine your adjustment. I ordered a nice wrap from Etsy and tried it out yesterday. It worked well. But that was for under my clothes and not swimming. I also got a swim belt made from neoprene but haven't tried it yet. My energy got really low, and I wasn't up to going anywhere but my couch. The vendor is really great, in Australia, and messaged me to make sure I got the sizing right. She's a gem! I ordered more from her too.
There's a lot of great suggestions up in this thread and some great people with success stories.
Glad you found your way to this site. It's been so great for me in making this transition.
