Your stories

Advice for obtaining and sampling new stoma products

Andy Fletcher

Samples I have requested over the years are varied – pouches, thickeners, deodorisers, covers, adhesive wipes and sprays, gels and wet wipes …. The list goes on.
- 4 Apr 2019
Ostomate at university

Anecia Duffy

We can do anything the same as everyone else at university and if not better, having a stoma shouldn’t put a hold on your dreams.
- 28 Mar 2019
Dealing with body image when you have an ostomy

Caitlin McGinnis

To everyone who is struggling with his or her body image now, I want you to know that it’s okay. I still struggle. There are days where I think I’m freaking hot and totally feeling myself. Then there are…
- 25 Mar 2019
To tell or not to tell others about your stoma

Clare Mee

There have been a few times when my husband has had to say hang on isn’t that a bit too much? Some things can be kept private, and I have come to my senses and left it out.
- 19 Mar 2019
Keeping hydrated with an ostomy

Andy Fletcher

Drinking plenty of water however does not necessarily make you hydrated. Drinking too much plain water could actually make dehydration worse.
- 1 Mar 2019
De-stressing with a stoma

Clare Mee

It is always nice to feel clean around the stoma, so bag change day feels good. Give yourself “me” time to relax and give your peristomal skin time to feel the air, there is nothing better for it.
- 20 Feb 2019
Caitlin: Too much sugar can cause me to have a lot of ostomy output

Caitlin McGinnis

For the month of February, I have decided to cut out some sugar intake. I gave up candy, ice cream, and cookies for this month. I want to see if there is an improvement in my energy and overall clarity…
- 6 Feb 2019
Intimacy with a fellow ostomist

Andy Fletcher

Having a stoma should not detract anyone from having a loving, caring and an intimate level of trust that may have existed prior to the creation of a stoma.
- 6 Feb 2019
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