Every so often, a person might have a problem with their digestive or urinary tract that requires a procedure to correct. When that happens, there’s a chance you’ll need an ostomy surgery to reroute your natural waste. Due to the rarity of this kind of procedure, not many people know what it’s like to live with an ostomy. If you recently found out that you’re going to need one, we’ve listed some things we think you should know.
They’re Rarely Permanent
The biggest thing that worries people when told they need an ostomy surgery is that it will become a permanent part of their lives. Often, this won’t be the case. A large majority of ostomies aren’t permanent. They must only be there long enough for your intestinal or urinary tract to heal. That can be as short as two months.
Ostomies only become permanent when part of your tract gets removed, which is usually the result of a disease such as cancer. Either way, your doctor can give you more detailed information about how long your ostomy will need to remain on you.
People Can’t Tell You Have One
Once people know about the time length of an ostomy, the next question is usually whether others will notice it. Since ostomies typically don’t stick around for very long, many choose not to tell others about them. However, some might think the stoma and bag attached to it might be a bit obvious and hard to hide.
Unless you only own tight-fitting clothes, no one will know that you have an ostomy. Pouches are very discrete. Contrary to popular belief, stomas don’t emit a foul odor, so no one will be able to sniff out your ostomy.
There Will Be a Recovery Period
One thing not many people know about living with an ostomy is that it’ll take you a few weeks to recover from the surgery fully. Of course, there is a lot to know about ostomy surgery recovery, but understanding that you can’t go straight back to your regular routine is vitally important.
Fortunately, you won’t be bedridden the entire time. After spending a few days in the hospital, you’ll be able to walk around again freely, and after about a month or so, you should be entirely back to normal.
Physical Activities Will Still Be Possible
Even after you’ve fully recovered, many people worry about not being able to engage in physical activities. While caution is always advised, you shouldn’t have to hold back after you’ve fully recovered. That means you can return to the gym and continue following your healthy lifestyle. An ostomy won’t hold you back from living your best life.
Even activities like physical intimacy will still be possible. Although the stoma might make you feel insecure, a supportive partner will fully understand. Just be sure to talk out your worries but rest easy knowing that the ostomy won’t physically affect this aspect of your life.
