Quality of life (QoL) after stoma surgery varies but can be very good, though it often involves significant physical, psychological, and social adjustments, with many people managing well through education, support, and time to adapt, while factors like depression, stoma location, and sexual function significantly impact overall well-being. Most individuals eventually integrate stoma care into daily routines and return to many activities, but challenges like body image issues, diet changes, and intimacy concerns are common initially and require support.
A stoma can be life-changing for an individual. Not only are they forced to come to terms with loss of control over their elimination of faeces or urine, but they may also experience other consequences such as changes to body image or psychosexual dysfunction, social isolation, stigma, embarrassment and decreased mood.
It usually takes around 8 weeks to recover from a colostomy and get back to your usual activities. It's important to rest and take the time you need to adjust to the change in your body. You'll usually need to eat a low fibre diet after your operation while your bowel heals.
Harris et al found the most common stoma-related complications in 345 ostomates were herniation, retraction, necrosis, infection, prolapse, stenosis, fistula, and small bowel obstruction (SBO).
Like any major surgery, ostomy surgery may lead to complications, such as bleeding and infection. Some risks depend on the type of ostomy surgery you have and the reasons you need surgery. After ostomy surgery, talk with your ostomy nurse or doctor if you notice any unusual symptoms or problems.
You may experience some pain and discomfort initially whilst recovering from your stoma surgery. This is a normal part of recovery and you may need to take regular pain relief. There is no need to suffer! Avoid tight fitting clothing during this period as your abdomen may be sore and swollen.
Foods Not to Eat with an Ileostomy or Colostomy
Hard to digest vegetables, including beans like butter beans or green/runner beans, sweetcorn, peas, mushrooms, cabbage, brussel sprouts, spinach, kale and spring greens.
If you are using a closed bag, you may be changing it 1-3 times a day, it varies from person to person. For those with a drainable bag, particularly with a urostomy or ileostomy, you may be changing it daily or even every other day.
Common early complications include leakage and skin irritations, high output resulting in fluid and electrolyte imbalances, or stoma necrosis; late complications include parastomal hernia, stoma prolapse, and stoma stenosis [7]. These can develop as a result of surgical- or patient-related factors (Table 2) [2, 10–12].
Disability is not about whether you can walk a certain distance or have fully functioning limbs. Whether or not you feel disabled or class yourself as disabled, in the eyes of the law living with a stoma does class you as having a disability.
Wait until you've recovered from the operation to drive again, usually at least 6 weeks. After that, having an ileostomy will not affect your driving.
A colostomy is major surgery and will require a hospital stay of at least several days and up to six weeks or more of recovery at home. Patients will receive instructions from the surgeon on how to prepare in the days leading up to surgery.
Water will not harm or enter your stoma, and swimming is a fantastic way to stay fit and healthy. Most people are advised to wait until six weeks after their stoma surgery before swimming again but do check with your consultant or stoma nurse before starting.
After a colostomy, the bottom part of the bowel no longer has poo passing through it, but it still produces mucus. Dead cells from the lower bowel or rectum may be mixed in with the mucus. The mucus may leak out of the anus, or you may feel the urge to go to the toilet.
After the operation, you'll have a stoma bag attached to your tummy. Your tummy may feel bloated and sore. Ask for painkillers if you need them. You'll usually stay in hospital for around 2 to 7 days.
It is fine to have a bath or shower with your stoma bag on, if you prefer.
If the bag fills unexpectedly then it could be down to a change in diet, a stomach upset or even something like nerves and stress can affect your output.
Pancaking happens when there is a vacuum in the stoma bag and the bag sticks together. This stops the output from dropping to the bottom of the bag and can block the filter. There is then a risk that the pouch will be pushed off the abdomen and cause a leak.
As you may have gathered so far, there is not a major difference between a colostomy and an ostomy. A colostomy is actually a type of ostomy that allows the body to pass stool when the colon is not working properly, or if a disease is affecting a part of the colon and it needs to be removed.
It is normal to feel exhausted in the early weeks and months following surgery. You probably didn't get much sleep in hospital as they are really busy places. You are up at night changing or emptying your ostomy pouch so your sleep has been interrupted.
What can you do to reduce ballooning?
It normally takes about 6 to 8 weeks for the bowel to settle down after surgery. After this, most people can go back to eating the foods they used to eat before their operation. Your stoma nurse will give you advice about what you can eat and drink shortly after your operation and in the long term.
Sleep on top of an incontinence sheet, puppy pad or dark towel. (Some people fold a puppy training pad and tuck it between their pants, ensuring that it covers the stoma bag – if you do have a leak, it then goes onto the pad, rather than your clothes.) Use a waterproof mattress cover.
The opening is also known as a stoma. You wear a colostomy bag that sticks onto the skin over the stoma to collect your poo. You wear a bag because you can't control when the stoma will work. It doesn't work in the same way as your back passage.