Considering a Colostomy Bag for Better Quality of Life

Please can someone give me some advise on an embarrassing problem. I'm a paralytic and keep having accidents concerning my bowel movements.  I feel for my husband who has to strip the bed an help clean me and feel this would essen the burden on everythingvelse he does for me. Do you think it would a good idea to talk to my GP about having a colostomy bag fitted an what would be the side effects if this ie smell whilst I'm a work (in an office) and also how long off work would I need. I only work 4-5 hours a day.

It's always a good idea to talk with your doctor, as well as your husband, about your options. Lessening the burden on others, however, should not be paramount. Your quality of life is key. My ileostomy has never diminished anything I wanted to do, and there has never been any noticeable side effects. I went back into teaching 3 weeks after surgery and I never missed a day; and I was 60 at the time. Ten years later, I am smacking the golf ball as well as I ever did. My advice: do not be afraid.     PB

There is no answer to how long you will need off work it depends on how you recover.

As the operations is very severe and there are lots of variables.



I was very sick following my operation for many months, my body just didn't cope with it.

I got even worse and lost two and half stone, I feel lucky to be alive.



If you are in an office environment no one will smell it or even notice you have one.

Obviously they only smell when you open them.



I think the spectrum of people having the operation is too great for a definitive answer.

Some people recover well, for whatever reason i didn't.

It wont stop you from doing anything you want to do, it wont smell.



Defiantly don't rush into it.

I hv a muscle weakness issue and couldn't control my bowels.  I wore Depends until it was so bad I had the colostamy.  Talk with a colon/rectal surgeon about options.