Your stories

Getting through stoma surgery with a little help from your friends

Clare Mee

I am happy that I managed to get out there and help others. I am glad that I joined the Ileostomy association, I am glad I joined lots of forums, I am glad I write my blog letting the world know about…
- 21 Jan 2019
What exactly is normal?

Lauraine Clarke

Even though we cope with these serious body conditions and the aftermath of sometimes mutilating surgery (because we have NO choice but to cope), I still have a desire to dress up, show up because I will…
- 15 Jan 2019
Caitlin: My New Year Resolution

Caitlin McGinnis

Life is different for everyone with an ostomy and it’s all about finding what works for each of us.
- 4 Jan 2019
My ostomy travel kit

Andy Fletcher

Every month, I replace the collars and pouches in the kits with fresh ones – the ones removed are then used at home. I do this because I have noticed that the collars sometimes “stick” to each other.
- 2 Jan 2019
Sex & relationships with a stoma

Clare Mee

I am lucky that my husband has been amazing and really doesn’t care about my stoma, but I heard about others not so lucky, and we are talking about husbands and wives who have been with their partners…
- 7 Dec 2018
Story behind the name of my stoma

Andrew Browne

The name of my stoma is Mairead. Yes I know it’s a girl’s name but here is the story behind the name of my stoma!
- 29 Nov 2018
Coping with a stomal fistula

Clare Mee

Waking at 5am with a bad leak two days after surgery isn’t much fun, you can’t leap out of bed as quickly. Oh well, onwards and upwards.
- 26 Nov 2018
Accessing mental health support following ostomy surgery

Lauraine Clarke

I am however fortunate to have some support from family and friends who carried me through the black days, it must be truly awful for those who don’t have that support because my experience of accessing…
- 13 Nov 2018
Finding clothing that works with you and your ostomy

Caitlin McGinnis

At first, I would only wear baggy clothes, which is very different from what I would wear pre-surgery. I was very concerned that people would be able to see my ostomy through my clothes (but they cannot…
- 8 Nov 2018
How A Bigger Life Community can help you

Clare Mee

I always find that talking about what is on your mind is so much better than keeping it bottled up, and doctors don’t always know everything about living with a stoma so sometimes you need to ask those…
- 29 Oct 2018
Caitlin: My stoma friendly smoothie recipe

Caitlin McGinnis

My diet has probably been the hardest thing to adjust to since my ostomy surgery. I was recommended to eat about 1900 calories a day with 70-80 grams of protein daily. Eating that much is a lot for me…
- 24 Oct 2018
My stoma kit at home and on the go

Clare Mee

I bought a small cheapish chest of drawers. This enables me to keep the bags in one drawer, the sprays and wipes in another and also one for all my medications.
- 22 Oct 2018
Have you named your stoma?

Andy Fletcher

As for me …. I call mine “The Spitter” – because it always plays up when I have the bag off …
- 18 Oct 2018
What does having a stoma mean to me?

Clare Mee

Yes there are always difficult days but that is true for most people, yes the stoma might cause issues, but if you know others to share your concerns, the problems become smaller and you feel that you…
- 9 Oct 2018
Health insurance and cost of ostomy supplies

Caitlin McGinnis

It’s not realistic to have these ridiculously high out of pocket expenses. It’s just not manageable and extremely stressful. Please always be an advocate for yourself and fight for what you need.
- 30 Aug 2018
Experience of working with a stoma

Anecia Duffy

Aneica Duffy After a few weeks I had no problem telling the staff at endo about my condition and that I had surgery and Ulcerative Colitis (which has now been upgraded).
- 16 Aug 2018
When life gives you lemons

Lauraine Clarke

I’ve had about 30 operations and procedures since 1985 when I first became ill. I’ve always bounced back. I remember when I had my ileostomy in the late 80s, within a few weeks I was being dragged up some…
- 14 Aug 2018
Adapting to life with a problematic stoma

Talya Goding

I have come to realise a new respect for others who have difficult stomas and the troubles that it brings, I am no longer in the mindset that everyone has the same stoma journey and that not all stomas…
- 10 Aug 2018
My experience of a one piece and two piece ostomy bag

Andy Fletcher

I’ve used both one and two piece, and although I like them both, I now just stick to one piece, mainly for confidence more than anything else.
- 8 Aug 2018
My experience with dehydration

Clare Mee

One things for sure, as an ostomate who thought I was an old hand at this stoma stuff, I have come back down to earth with a bump…we need to listen to our bodies more and not ignore signs that something…
- 19 Jul 2018
My journey from new ostomate to reversal

Jonelle

My life is so different because of everything I went through and it showed me who I really am and what I’m capable of. I stayed positive through all of this, and I came out of it feeling like a warrior…
- 19 Jul 2018
Dating and having an ostomy – What to do and how to think in this new age of ‘swiping right’

Saleem Juma

These are just a few ways that I’ve dealt with the changing times in the dating world. The most important lesson is still… HAVE FUN!!! Dating is supposed to be fun! Getting to know new people, falling…
- 16 Jul 2018
Lauraine Clarke: My journy of living with an ileostomy and fistula

Lauraine Clarke

Life has changed for us but I too am changing and trying to embrace my ‘new normal‘. My second grandchild is due shortly, I will not let this win. Life is just too precious.
- 4 Jul 2018
What’s on the menu?

Caitlin McGinnis

Everyone is different even if we all have the same organ gone. Experimenting with different foods will help you find what you like and what you can tolerate.
- 2 Jul 2018