While adjusting to an ostomy bag may be difficult, they can provide great relief and make life easier once you’ve made it through the transition period. At Sarasota Medical Products, our goal is to provide the best possible products and assist in any way we can. We’ve created a guide to help make living with an ostomy bag a little easier, whether it’s a temporary or permanent change.
One of the most important things to do is get comfortable wearing your pouch. It can be daunting to go out in public for the first time or even be in your own home with friends and family present. If you’re feeling anxious, it’s perfectly okay to start small. Practice emptying your pouch at home where you’re more comfortable before taking on other places.
Next is to think about your clothing. Ostomy bags are designed to be as discreet as possible so that you can wear whatever you prefer. While you’re still getting used to it, try looser clothing until you’re ready to embrace your own style! You can even wear swimsuits with your ostomy bag, so nothing is off-limits. If you’re not quite ready for that, ostomy belts and wraps are available to help keep your pouch secure.
Third on the list is to experiment with your diet. You can eat anything you’d like but different foods will affect your body in different ways. For example, if you eat foods that used to make you gassy, they’ll still make you gassy! That gas is just released into your ostomy bag instead and it will need to be released eventually. You can still experience diarrhea and constipation as well, so test out foods in a place where you feel comfortable to learn what to expect.
The most important tip of all, keep living your life as you previously did! Your ostomy bag should offer you a sense of freedom, not make you feel like you can’t go out and have fun. You may need to make a few adjustments for some activities or keep extra products on hand, but you can still run, jump, swim, and do everything you did before your ostomy bag!
Sarasota Medical Products is conveniently located at 1451 Sarasota Center Boulevard in Sarasota, Florida. We can provide everything you need to make living with your ostomy bag as simple and convenient as possible. We have many different designs, materials, and adhesives to find the perfect combination for you. Feel free to call for questions at (941) 377-1451.