Having stoma surgery is life-changing, and for many, including myself, life-saving.
I’ll briefly set the scene and give you the background info. My stoma, ‘Stacey’, was formed in 2011, when I was 19 years old. I needed her due to severe Crohn’s disease (a form of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)) and due to a large, benign tumour on my colon, the size of a watermelon. Surgeons didn’t find this until they operated. If surgeons had left things even a few hours, I was told I wouldn’t be here, so she literally saved my life.
This Stress Awareness month, I’m going to address how stress can impact your stoma and share some thoughts and tips into managing stress, and trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle and do things that help your mental state.
Please note that this is with regards to my experiences living with an ileostomy and using a one-piece, drainable ostomy bag. Let’s get started.
Hello, gut-brain connection!
Did you know that your gut and brain talk to one another? This two-way connection, Guts UK charity explains, is known as the gut-brain connection. The vagus nerve is how the gut and brain are physically connected, and chemically, the gut and brain are connected through neurotransmitters. Feelings such as hunger and anxiety relate to the gut-brain connection and this connection explains how stress and anxiety can both impact digestive symptoms.
These symptoms and having a condition such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) can really impact daily life. When your brain isn’t happy, it’s likely that your gut won’t be either.
What happens to your stoma when you’re stressed?
Stress can affect your stoma output, which can become more runny and more frequent, leading to more stoma bag empties and the likelihood of leaks increasing. This can feel hard to manage if you’re not close to a toilet, and many people find they need to take Loperamide to help slow their output down, and/or eat foods which will thicken their stoma output up. However, unless the underlying stress is addressed and managed, it’s likely that these things can become more long-term. Note that there as so many things that can affect your stoma output. Keeping a diary might help you to spot anything that causes output changes etc.
It’s important to speak to a medical professional such as a stoma nurse if you notice changes in your output that become troublesome or more long-term, as they may be able to offer you some advice to help.
Talking to someone
It’s safe to say that having stoma surgery can cause mental trauma, as well as physical, with a lot of people feeling overwhelmed upon waking up with a stoma, whether planned or unplanned.
I have had counselling for many things: my ostomy being one of them. It’s perfectly okay to reach out for help and even though it can feel so tough at the time, counselling can really help you and how you come to terms with having a stoma.
Talking to others in general also can help, especially those who have had stoma surgery. I’ve made so many friends online who I can talk to, and I’ve felt far less alone in my worries ever since. I’ve had the blessing of meeting some of these amazing people in my life and the feeling of being in a room full of people who just “get it” is so therapeutic and wholesome.
Taking each hour as it comes
On the hard days, try to take things hour by hour, even minute by minute if you need to. Go gentle on yourself and speak to yourself how you would a friend. The hard days are thankfully temporary for so many, and they ebb and flow, like life itself.
I find focusing on the simple things that bring me joy such as watching funny videos, a feel-good film, reading a book, getting cosy and doing a jigsaw can sometimes make all the difference and help to get me ‘out of my head’ a little on those bad days.
Be prepared when you’re out and about
I always carry a spare stoma kit with me, that contains a few stoma bags, wipes, barrier wipes, adhesive wipes, disposable bags and ostomy deodorant. This helps me to feel more confident away from home, especially knowing that if I have a bag leak or aren’t able to get home for whatever reason, I have planned for that eventuality. I also carry Loperamide with me and have a RADAR key.
Exercise when you can
Regular exercise has been a game changer in my mental health and stress. I aim to get to the gym twice a week, run once a week and also go to a yoga class at the start of the weekend. I wear supportwear to help prevent a hernia and injury, and it’s always best to speak to a stoma nurse to see what sort of stoma supportwear would be best for you.
Break tasks down
Having to-do lists and breaking tasks down into manageable chunks can really help my stress levels. I journal daily, and always feel much better mentally and clearer when I make to-do lists, so I know I can get things out my mind and onto paper. Plus, that means less things to pressure myself to remember!
Respond’s useful advice and support
Respond have a blog full of posts from other ostomates on their website. Some blog posts in their lifestyle section are:
- Navigating stress and living with a stoma – by Summer
- Exercising with a stoma – by Poppy
It’s so important to speak to your stoma nurse or a healthcare professional if you’re struggling with stress and thinking about making any lifestyle changes that may impact your stoma.
For so many, including myself, having an ostomy wasn’t the end. It was just the beginning.
You can message me and follow me on my stoma journey on Instagram: @ibdwarriorprincess
