Social life with colostomy

jane283
jane283 Member Posts: 39
in Colorectal Cancer #1

My dad is a 11 year survivor of stage 3,he has been completely shut off from meeting friends or family.

He doesn't step out of the house paranoid with fear of not being around a loo.He needs the bathroom several times a day after irrigation as well.

 

What are some ways to change his diet(salads,rice and bread and caffeine) so he can go out for fresh air.

 

He is 70.

 

 

Comments

  • betula
    betula Member Posts: 86
    #2
    My husband has had a

    My husband has had a colostomy for since 04/2017.  It has taken him a while to get used to being out with it and there are certain situations where I think he is still uncomfortable with it.  He uses a closed end bag.  When he needs it changed he takes off the bag and puts another one on.  The used one he puts in a zip lock bag and throws it away.  Prior to using this type he would have to get down on one knee in front of the toliet to empty it and that just was not condusive to going out, etc.  He has not found a solution to gas noises but we really just socialize anymore with  close family or friends who understand!

     

    Good luck and congrats to your dad for those 11 years!!

  • lp1964
    lp1964 Member Posts: 1,239 Member
    #3
    Dear Friend,

    I was 49 when I got my colostomy. Was married at the time, but that fell apart and I found myself single again which is not my favorite status.

    Managing to live with colostomy is not easy and has to be addressed at multiple levels.

    Find a good pouch. My favorite is Coloplast open ended with filter. I use one a day, put it on sideways with the opening to the side held by my tucked in shirt. This way if I have to let out gas I just pull out my shirt there and take care of it. 

    Diet: I personally cannot have any raw veggies, fruits and spicy food anymore. I basically eat soups, chicken, fish, cold cuts, cheese, rise pasta. Try to it as little fiber as possible to reduce the amount of output even dough fiber is suppose to be good for us. 

    To refuse gas and acidity I take 8-10 charcoal capsules a day which I find very beneficial. This absorbs all the gases and odors and happy to report that if I have a little leak in the pouch, my poop doesn’t stink that much at all lol.

    All the best. 

  • SoCal42
    SoCal42 Member Posts: 78
    #4
    I've had a colostomy for

    I've had a colostomy for about two and a half years now. I changed to a closed end pouch becuase it's easier/faster for me to change if I'm out, like at a restaurant. Trying to empty a drainable pouch was not fun in a public bathroom. When I was still working (busy clinical practice), I did irrigation every night and it worked really well for me, usually had no output during the work day. However, irrigation doesn't always work for everyone. Some people will adust the time of day and amount they eat in order to make output more predictable. Low fiber foods can slow down the gut if his output is too frequent. (https://www.healthline.com/health/low-fiber-diet) I also wear a lycra ostomy wrap which helps flatten and support the pouch, so it's not noticeable under clothes. I think sometimes you just have to start practicing going out, maybe really short outings at first, to get more comfortable with it.

Discussion Boards