One of the hardest parts about living with a stoma is there is no ‘how-to’ book. Every experience is totally different. Everyone wears different bags. Some people can tolerate specific foods, whereas others will be very poorly. Some people sleep through the night, others are up emptying. Some people use a support belt to exercise, some people don’t. I mean, what is ‘right’ or ‘wrong’?
I’ve always been an active person. Dance, hockey, netball, swimming, running… I have grown up doing all these things. I honestly thought that I wouldn’t be able to do them ever again because of my stoma. But mentally, it’s not a ‘want’, it’s a ‘need’! My mind is very, very busy, and exercise allows me to release this. So getting back into exercise after surgery was a MUST.
Worries about exercising with a stoma
Exercise feels easy to me now, but there was once a time when my body could barely walk up the stairs. I had a couple of complications with my surgeries, which meant my body was weaker and my recovery was longer.
It also gave me so much anxiety when it came to exercise; I was terrified I was going to hurt myself. So I really stripped things back to basics and started from the beginning. Short walks and basic core breathing exercises soon turned into short jogs and lengths in the pool.
This eventually turned into long runs, weight classes and weekly Pilates. With all of these, I stayed in tune with my body. How is it feeling? Should I challenge myself or rest? You know your body best, so trust your instinct and do what feels right for you.
Evaluating advice
I was once told by a medical professional that I should always wear a support belt when exercising to make sure I don’t get a hernia. I’ll be honest, this scared me – and five years on, here I am still wearing a support belt.
When speaking to other ostomates, I learned that some no longer wear one when exercising and some never wore one at all. It is crazy to me that everyone’s advice is different. Again, there is no clear how-to guide to live with a stoma. So sometimes I think it’s really important to evaluate the advice you’ve been given. Does it help? Do I still need it?
For me, I have started to wear my support belt less and less. I no longer wear it on long walks, bike rides, swimming or to play padel. But I still feel like I need it when running, lifting weights or doing Pilates. And that’s OK. I’ve evaluated the advice and listened to my body.
Trusting my body
One thing I have learned since having a stoma is how amazing my body is. I sometimes forget everything it’s been through and how it continues to carry on. Exercise was once a huge hurdle for my body and now has become something I look forward to.
I trust my body to challenge itself and push itself. But I also trust my stoma. I don’t worry about tight leggings anymore. Humans are too selfish and only care about themselves. There is honestly no one in the gym class noticing that your bag is filling up.
For me, I exercise for my mind. I often describe my brain as not being very kind. I sometimes get lots of negative thoughts, that I think I’ve developed about myself since having a stoma. Exercise helps quieten these thoughts.
I hope that this blog helps you feel more at ease with exercising. Unfortunately there is no rule book and you must rely on lots of trial and error. But remember you aren’t alone. Take it step by step, day by day and ask for help if you need it. Most of all, be kind to yourself. Don’t exercise for the wrong reasons. Don’t exercise because you hate your body. Exercise because you love it.
