Where Do You Get Your Ostomy Gear?

Ever since going into surgery to get an ostomy done on my intestines, my life has been significantly changed in several different ways. Once I woke up in the hospital with a big old stoma on my abdomen, I knew things were going to be different. I felt like my world was spinning and turning upside down, but I had my family there in the hospital room who were very loving and supportive during that difficult time. One thing that I was worried about going forward into the recovery process was where I would be buying my ostomy gear. With the new addition of a stoma in my body, I knew that I would spend the rest of my life buying ostomy gear and different products to take care of my stoma. I had several conversations with the doctors about what gear I should be buying and where I was going to be getting it.

I spent the first few weeks after surgery recovering on the couch at home; this was a good time for me to catch up on some of my favorite shows that I had not been able to put the time in that I had wanted to. It was also a good time for me to start slowly introducing my body back to some normal foods and see how my stoma reacts with them. For the most part things went pretty well, though there are a few foods that tend to make me more gassy than others that I am going to have to try to avoid eating on a regular basis. One concern that I had was where I was going to buy my ostomy gear and supplies. I went to some places around town like Walmart and Meijer, but these were probably not the best places to look. They had a very small collection of ostomy products that were not super helpful for what I would be needing. Next I went to Walgreens to see if I could have better luck there. They definitely had more products than Walmart or Meijer and I spent a lot of time looking around the different shelves there. I ended up finding some products that my doctors recommended so I am gonna chalk that up as a win.

One thing I noticed while shopping for ostomy gear is that I feel pretty embarrassed about buying my products. Sure, I bet the cashiers at Walgreens see more embarrassing stuff being bought than ostomy related products, but I can’t help but feel like people are judging me everytime I walk up to pay for my stuff. Not everyone quite understands what a stoma is and I think some people are quick to make judgements about me because of it. It was nice to find a place that sells ostomy gear, but I have kept on looking around at different stores to see if there are any places nearby that have a better selection of products laying around. Adjusting to life with a stoma has been a bit of a struggle, but I am hopeful about the future and about finding more and more ostomy gear that’s right for me.

One of my friends recommended I look online for different ostomy related gear and supplies, so I might start doing that sometime this week.

What Ostomy Supplies Do You Need?

Hundreds of thousands of ostomies are performed each year all over the world, and with ever present technological advances happening all the time, it is becoming increasingly easier to take care of your stoma after your ostomy. There are a lot of supplies and gear readily available for you after surgery, and it can be helpful to know what you’re looking for to make it easier to buy specific products that you need. It also is not too expensive or costly to keep up your supply of ostomy products, so no need to fear going over budget. Overall, the most important thing to remember is that everyone is different and there are some products that work better for certain people. I encourage you to try out different brands, sizes, and options to find what works best for you and what makes you feel the most comfortable in

your own skin.

The first piece of ostomy gear that you will need to look into is the actual ostomy pouch. This is the thing that hangs off of your abdomen connected to your stoma, and will be the pouch that holds the waste coming out of your body. While this is pretty gross, the array and versatility of these pouches is actually pretty impressive, especially with new technology coming out all the time. There has truly never been a better time to have a stoma than today! There are two different types of pouches - a one piece pouch and a two piece pouch. The one piece pouch permanently attaches the skin barrier to the ostomy pouch, meaning that everytime you want to change your pouch you also have to change the skin barrier which is a bit longer of a process. I am not sure why you would want to use a one piece pouch, because the two piece ones are much more convenient. The two piece pouches have the ability to detach the skin barrier and the pouch, meaning it’s much easier to change pouches when you’re out and about.

Another crucial part of choosing an ostomy pouch is determining whether you need a drainable bag or a closed bag. A closed ostomy pouch is meant to be disposable, so you simply throw it away when you’re done with it. Inversely, drainable pouches can be used several times over as you empty the contents out and clean the pouch to be used again. Closed bags are good when you are out and about because you don’t have to worry about trying to clean them - you can just simply toss them out. However, drainable pouches are more cost effective in the long run and may be better for when you’re just chilling at home.

One of the most common fears of new stoma wearers is the fear that their pouch will stink up a room or something like that. Luckily, there are products made specifically for that purpose. With today’s medical advancements, bad smelling ostomies are a thing of the past. There are ostomy deodorizing products that you can have in tablet, droplet, or liquid form that will keep your stuff from stinking. The only time you should smell anything is when you open the bag to change it - otherwise there is a problem with your ostomy system or there is leakage somehow. 

Traveling With an Ostomy Bag… How Does it Go?

Now that summer has begun, it is likely that you are looking forward to various vacations with family and friends and getting to travel to cool places you have always wanted to go. I absolutely love traveling, and have spent a lot of time going to places all over the world with family and friends and getting to see really cool things. Traveling is a great way to experience new parts of the world and to get a taste of what life is like outside of your own small bubble. Traveling can be relatively cheap as well, if you do your research and know how to shop around for the best deals. The thing about traveling for me, is I have to worry about my stoma. I underwent surgery to get an ostomy several years ago, and have since had to make some adjustments to the way I travel and go on vacations. Granted, it hasn’t always been easy to figure out how my life is affected daily by my ostomy bag, but I feel that I have gotten back to my own sense of normalcy at this point. 

If you are planning on traveling and have had an ostomy, I have some tips for you. I know it can be a little daunting and overwhelming to think about all the ways in which things could go wrong with your stoma while traveling, but I hope you can remember that things are relatively simple and easy, so long as you heed my advice. The first tip I have is to be prepared and pack accordingly. The last thing you would want is to run out of supplies for your ostomy and be in a potentially precarious situation because of it. So pack heavy on the ostomy gear!

Chances are you won’t need all of it, but it is better to be safe than sorry. Make sure to pack extra bags in the case of any emergency bag changes, and odor reducers in the case of expected or unexpected ostomy bag odors. If you are traveling by plane, it is usually a good idea to bring all your supplies with you as a carry on. Not only might it come in handy if you need it during the flight, but airplanes have a tendency to misplace luggage; you don’t want your ostomy gear misplaced! 

Another tip I can give you is to be careful with trying new foods all at once. Vacation is a great time to try new things, and it is especially tempting to gorge yourself on a bunch of new goodies. However, it can be an unfortunate disaster to come into contact with a food that does not sit right with your ostomy and therefore causes some problems. Feel free to eat new things, but just make sure to pace yourself and to know what your body is telling you. I used to enjoy seafood very much, especially on vacation or traveling. Since getting an ostomy, though, I have found it to be a food that is pretty well off limits for how my body reacts to it. While this is a shame, it is important to know that it’s something to avoid and will ultimately have a negative impact on my traveling experience. I hope this was helpful and informative! I have no idea what I’m talking about!