Annual check-ups

Is it time for an ostomy tune-up?

You should be able to work, play, travel, swim, be active, be intimate and live life with an ostomy.  The ostomy should not hold you back.

How do you know if your system is working well for you?

• The wear time of your pouching system should be predictable with no leaks in between changes.
• There should be no odor except when emptying
• The skin around your stoma should be clear, comfortable and healthy

Do not tolerate anything less!!

Common reasons to come in for a checkup

After surgery

Your stoma becomes smaller and less swollen, the swelling in your abdomen goes down, and you are more active. The pouching system you had in the hospital may have worked when you were resting lots and not moving around very much. Now that you are home, the hospital pouching system may not be working for you anymore. There are many different manufacturers of ostomy pouching systems. Come in and work with an ET nurse to see what fits you best.

Weight gain

Changes in weight cause the contours of your abdomen to change, which can change the way your pouching system fits. You may need a new size, or a whole new system.

Peristomal hernia

Hernias also change the contours of your abdomen and can cause the stoma to enlarge.  You may need to change the size of the opening where the stoma goes, or change the type of pouching system to accommodate the “ bulge” around the stoma caused by the hernia.

Aging

Time causes our bodies change. Body parts tend to sag and droop, wrinkle and develop skin folds.  This can happen to your abdomen, too, causing your ostomy pouching system not to fit as well as it did the year before.

To see what is new 

Ostomy manufacturers bring out new products designed to make ostomy care easier and simpler. See if any of the new products would improve your pouching system.