Ostomy Topics

It's my first time posting. I've just had a colostomy a month ago. I'm wondering which is better for quality of life: to keep the stoma or to return to a normal anus. As far as I have looked up, there are so many problems after getting it back. But at the same time, having a stoma also presents many difficulties in life. Please give me any opinions or advice.
P.S. Forgive my poor English since ...

Hi Folks, I recently attended a health and wellness event, where they were offering a 'body composition assessment', which is basically a high tech machine that you stand on and hold a couple of paddles with your hands. It uses 'bioelectrical impedance analysis'. It measures several things, muscle to fat ratio, total body dry lean mass, body fat mass, obesity analysis, segmental lean analy ...

A quick dash across the desert, and Vegas rises like a welcoming mirage on a hot, shimmering day. Have Ostomy, will travel.

At the Venetian now, after watching the craziest inning in baseball ever. Yankees give up 5 runs on errors rarely witnessed in the World Series.

Tonight, it's Foreigner in concert. Mrs B is a huge fan. I'm along for the ride. We saw founding member and lead vo ...

Looking for friends in Somersworth, NH, who have a colostomy. I'm new, just one month with it, and having a difficult time accepting!

Hello everyone,
I was diagnosed with UC at a very young age. Since losing the battle of saving my large colon, I have had an ileostomy since 2016.
Since 2021, I've developed a parastomal hernia and I have been debating whether to have the operation to get the mesh put in and get the hernia repaired. I really can't decide and I am struggling to make this decision.
Over the period, the hernia ha ...

Hello, I am in need of suggestions for leaks. My stomach is small and lies on its side. Therefore, my output goes under the appliance, not into the bag, and leaks. I use a 2-piece system and also an Ostoform flange. I currently change it 2 to 3 times a day.
Thank you.

I've had a colostomy since March. I used to have an ileostomy. I never had a pancaking issue with the ileostomy, but I do with the colostomy. I've tried different things to get everything to fall to the bottom of the bag, but nothing really works. Does anyone have a suggestion on what works for them? Help...

It seems like no matter what I eat the contents of my bag smell like onion to me. Unless they are really stinky. Usually though I have liquid output that doesn't get stinky. But it smells like onion to me. I was wondering if anyone else had noticed a distinct odor to their output.

I'm a 62 year old single gay guy and had a total proctocolectomy in July 2024. I'm having issues dealing with this as being gay is who I am and I feel a loss of a big part of my identity. I'm struggling as I've felt very much alone and trying to find support from other gay guys in similar situations and how they have handled the same thing I am currently. How and where to meet new people for ...

I am brand new to this; I literally just made my account, so please be patient with me! Lol
So I have a beautiful, goofy, smart, incredible daughter who just turned 8 years old. She was born with an extremely rare birth defect (2 in 1 million babies are born with it on average); the cause is unknown. I won't bore you with all of the details, but a quick, very basic idea of how she was born is ...

I've had an ileostomy for a year and a half. I miss wearing jeans as I cannot find ones that are not too tight in the waist and/or baggy in the legs. I'm not looking for skin-tight legs but not super loose either. Does anyone have any recommendations?

I have an ileostomy and am very familiar with the struggles we ileo's deal with, but out of curiosity, I'm interested to know what struggles urosomates go through. How do you care for and empty it, etc.? Is it a challenge getting the bag on? I mean, will it start going like it does for us at changing times? Do you shower with or without the bag, etc.?

I am about 3 months post temporary ileostomy placement. When my stoma size leveled out, it was on the smaller side, just barely above skin level, so I was instructed to use convex appliances. Over the past 2 or 3 weeks, I have noticed my stoma has increased in size by quite a bit. It also sticks out more than usual. I emailed my surgeon who said as long as it doesn't change color, or cause pa ...

Happy to be with this group. I have a question: I have a very small lump directly on my stoma that almost looks like an ulcer and hurts so bad when poop gets on it. Has anyone ever experienced this?
Thanks, Lisa

My wife's favourite pizza is ham and pineapple. I will refrain from judgement I gather that uncooked pineapple can cause a blockage but if it is cooked on pizza, does that minimize the risk?