Is It A Fact or Myth?

As a Ostomate I have heard so many mind blowing myths about Stomas and life as an ostomate. Some of them can really worry or cause quite a bit of confusion and I feel its so important to raise a bit of awareness about some of them for everyone. 

??? What Ostomy Myth have you heard that has bothered you ???

Common Stoma Myths

• Myth: Only the elderly have stoma’s- Anyone at any age may need a stoma and its defiantly not only the elderly that have them. Tiny babies may need them due to birth defects or a young adult may require a stoma due to trauma or illness. 

• Myth: Stoma’s make you smell- The contents of a stoma bag may well have an unpleasant smell but that doesn’t necessarily mean you will be smelly. Stoma bags are sealed unless they are being emptied or change so that there is no smell. The only time you may smell the contents is if the bag leaks or when its being empties. 

• Myth: You only have a Stoma if you have had cancer, Crohns or Ulcerative Colitis- There are many kinds of stomas and many reasons why a person may need a stoma. Some other conditions that may lead to a stoma are, trauma, disease and birth defects. Problems with the Bowel or Bladder are the most common stomas.

• Myth: Stomas are permanent- Some stomas can be reversed however a Urostomy can not be reversed as the bladder is removed. 

Myth: Stomas restrict your wardrobe choices- You can wear what ever you like even if you have a stoma. Some people use stoma bag covers if the bag is on show slightly.

• Myth: A stoma will restrict you doing physical activities- With the right support garments and advice from your stoma nurse you can still lead an active life. Some ostomates run marathons and others lift weights.

• Myth: A stoma will affect my sex life- Having a stoma will not impact your sex life at all. Some stoma surgeries can cause dysfunction however its not massively common and should be discussed with your surgeon. 

• Myth: I cant go swimming or use a Hot Tub with a stoma- Stoma bags are very sticky and you can do both activities just as normal. As long as your bag has been applied well you won’t have a problem. 

• Myth: I cant go on a aeroplane with a stoma- Completely false, its very rare for your bag to inflate with the pressure and you will experience no weird side effects whilst up in the air.

• Myth: I wont be able to have a normal pregnancy with a stoma- Having a stoma does not reduce your chances of getting pregnant but the actual stoma surgery can come with a risk of reproductive damage. Once pregnant it is generally normal except you maybe monitored more and a caesarean maybe recommended.

Stoma Facts

• Fact: Having a Stoma can significantly improve someones quality of life.

• Fact: Having a Stoma doesn’t always mean its cured the person and that the person will have no further issues in the future.

• Fact: A stoma can cause vitamin deficiencies depending on what part of the bowel was used and how much of the bowel was used to create the stoma. 

• Fact: A Urostomy puts you at a higher risk of Urinary Tract Infections because the urinary tract is connected to a part of the bowel and the stoma is an opening that leads straight to your kidneys. 

• Fact: You have no control over the stoma output.

• Fact: The stoma has no nerves meaning you can not feel any pain from it. 

• Fact: Its common for the stoma to bleed especially during bag changes, this is due to the blood vessels being close to the surface. Bleeding is generally short lived and a small amount. 

• Fact: Hernias are common in people with a stoma but can be prevented with the correct support wear.