Hi Jeanne,

Welcome to the group, I'm Dee and I've only had my colostomy since
Jan 05 so just alittle 5 months now. Believe me I know what kind of
emotional rollercoaster you are on right now. But not to worry I
think I had made it in my mind awhole lot worse than the actuality of
it. I had mind done for another reason but still boils down to the
fact I couldn't get far away from a bathroom, like you my quality of
life was about 0. This was my 39th surgery in 9 years and I sure
wish I had done it alot sooner. You are wise to educate yourself on
this because you can learn things and avoid the what ifs. I'm 38 and
I have to kids and boy did i have questions that were never ending it
seemed. Don't ever be embarrased to ask questions, ask anything from
ostomy to emotional matters too. I was so worried what this would do
to my sexual relationship with my husband and all for nothing. Its a
mind over matter thing. It was all in my mind and it didn't matter
to him one bit, he was just glad that my colostomy helped me. As for
swimming, I have a pool and I swim all the time. You might have to
change the type of bathing suit, but I have a one piece and a
bikini. Just try to find something with a busy pattern or a skirt if
you use a bikini although I didn't my bottom to my bikini is just
really busy so you can't see the pouch. You can do pretty much the
same things you have always done and if your like me I wasn't doing
to much because of being locked up in the house so I definetly have
alot more freedom.
As for you supplies this depends on your insurance. If you have
medicare or medicaid they cover them. If you have a private
insurance you can call and ask but I would suggest you look in your
benefits booklet and make sure ostomy supplies are covered. I was
told by my insurance company they covered them...but when it came
down to it the benefits book excluded them and they would not pay for
them. I can give you more information on where to order them cheaper
if you do not have coverage.
I only change my pouch about once every 5-8 days, depends really on
the wear time. At first I was so obsessed with the ostomy I would
change it every time I thought I had any output. But you will learn
and get used to it and see that isn't the way you have to live your
life. Your ostomy doesn't have to define you and it doesn't. You
are still the same person its just your anatomy has changed alittle.
I have to empty mine several times in the morning sometimes other
times i don't so its just a matter of your regularity. But plan on
more than once or twice a day, at least till your body gets used to
it. Also there are great websites out there for information. You
can go to http://www.ostomysupport.info/index.html and to the right
you should see a Lifestyle Guide and it goes by chapters and answers
all types of question from before surgery till after. I hope this
helps and feel free to email me anytime with questions at
outrajusridr@ yahoo. com. I don't know if that will show up but just
incase its outrajusridr and then @ and yahoo.com
Also feel free to come to a chatroom that is on www.stewartonline.
com, where we all meet on tuesday nites at 8 pm central time. You
can ask any ? you have and there are alot of really nice people that
will help in anyway they can. Its nice to talk to people that are
facing or have faced the same situations that you are in.
Good Luck and God Bless,
Dee


--- In colostomy@yahoogroups.com, "Jeanne" <patchkid74@a...> wrote:
> Hi I just wanted to introduce myself since I just joined. My name
is
> Jeanne, I'm 30, gonna be 31 on Sept. 22 of this year. I joined this
> group because I wanted to find out more about how life is with a
> Colostomy because the more I talk to my doctor the more it seems
that
> I will have to have one sometime this year and lets face it I'm
> scared s***less ( i wish. lol ). The reason for the doctor saying
> that I will have to get one of them is three fold....
>
> 1. I have ulcerative colitis and have had it since 1989 at least
and
> I have had an active flare of it since January 2004 and the doctor
> has not been able to get it under control even with Asacol,
> Mercaptopurine and Prednesone. At this point the doctor thinks that
> something is prohibiting my ability to use the medications perhaps
an
> immunity of some sort to it.
>
> 2. On a scale of 1 - 10 my quality of life is about a 1 or at the
> most a 3 now since I'm almost afraid to go out of my house due to
> attacks of my colitis and my fear that I will get somewhere and not
> be able to goto the bathroom. Also I have been off work for a
couple
> of months now due to the inability to control the Colitis. Plus I
am
> sick and tired of taking almost 25 pills a day when they don't seem
> to be helping at all.
>
> 3. My grandmother and both her siblings had Colon Cancer. She
> survived but her brother and sister did not. Ulcerative Colitis
> increases the risk of this.
>
> I was wondering if any of you can answer some questions I have
about
> a colostomy.
>
> 1. What common problems could I face when I get a colostomy done?
>
> 2. What activities can you do and what can you not do? I'm most
> worried that I won't be able to go swimming which is my favorite
> activity. If this is possible is there some places, like the
> ocean...some lakes, that I am not going to be able to swim in?
>
> 3. How much do supplies cost and what usually do you need for basic
> upkeep? Where can I get supplies?
>
> 4. How often do you have to empty the pouch for your colostomy? Is
it
> averaging once / twice a day? More? Less?
>
> 5. Is there any work you can or cannot do with a colostomy?
>
> Thank you for your time and patience.
>
> Jeanne