Traveling With Your Ostomy

January 9, 2014

Taking a trip soon? Nah, me either… but I did just get back from one! I thought a blog about traveling with an ostomy might be helpful to some! It can be very nerve-wracking to travel for the first time, especially for new ostomates. Here are some tips to ease your minds and make your trip more enjoyable.

• Less is more when packing… except when packing ostomy supplies! No time like a little vacation for a bag to stop working properly. I stick to this rule: triple plus. If you’re taking a 6 day vacation and change your bag every 3 days, I would take triple that amount. The plus is for bringing a different kind of ostomy pouch. You know that brand that didn’t really work for you that’s still in the cabinet under your bathroom sink? Bring a few of those, too! Bring them especially if you’re visiting a place with a different climate than your usual surroundings. You never know, those unwanted bags may actually work in the different temperatures! Plus, you’ll be thankful you have them if you run low on your usual pouches.

• Have any extra accessory items you don’t use all that often? Bring those too! Pastes, adhesive sprays, and barrier wipes can all be useful if you’re entering somewhere especially humid or cool. Just make sure they are allowed on an airplane if you are traveling on one! The standard limit for airplanes is 3.0 oz.

• Store all of your ostomy supplies in a bag separate from all of the other things you are bringing on your trip. If you are traveling on a plane, bring this bag as your carry-on. Some pouches need to be stored at certain temperatures. If you put them with your regular luggage, the temperatures where they are stored in the plane can be too hot/cold for them, making them less effective!

• If you use cut-to-size flanges, pre-cut all of your flanges before you leave. I always forget to bring a pair of scissors. Plus, airlines tend to be very ‘ehh’ about scissors, so it’s probably best not to bring any.

• Going someplace warm or at least a hotel with a pool? Don’t forget a bathing suit! If you’re not ready to flaunt your ostomy, here are some cute suits for the ladies that will conceal it. Find them below…

- Urban Outfitter’s Out From Under Cutout High-Waist One-Piece Swimsuit
- Macy’s Swim Solutions High-Waisted Bikini Bottom
- Urban Outfitter’s Lollo High-Waisted Floral Cutout Bikini Bottom

• Some ostomy surgeries leave scars, so if you have a scar, don’t forget the sun screen! Heading out in the sun with an exposed scar can lead to some awkward tanning. Scars tend to get much redder, faster in the sun and the tan you’ll notice later on it will last much longer.

If I can think of any more tips for you, I will add them along at the end of this list. I hope you enjoy your vacation and if you’re not going on one, go plan a trip! I’ll add some pictures of my trip just to make you a little jealous… don’t be too jealous though! I was literally a popsicle for half of it. Benefits of going to Niagara Falls.

Check out my YouTube channel, Let’s Talk IBD and my new makeup channel, Makin Up Maggie!

~ Maggie Baldwin, Let’s Talk IBD ~

Peritonitis - Quite an Experience!

June 3, 2013

Not many know what peritonitis is but I’ll tell you what - if you’ve ever experienced it, you’ll never forget it! If you know a little about medicine you can break up the word “peritonitis” you can figure out what it means! “Periton-” means dealing with the peritoneal cavity and “-itis” means inflammation, so peritonitis is inflammation of the peritoneal cavity. This can happen for many reasons, but when deals with bowel troubles, it is often associated with the bursting of intestines! When an intestine leaks, enzymes leave the intestine and create inflammation in the abdomen when it starts breaking down the cells outside the intestines! Its a very serious condition!

A few years ago, I was told I needed to have a colon and ileum resection. This surgery seemed to go ok until felt a intense burning throughout my abdomen. It felt like someone set my stomach on fire! Through many tests including a CAT scan, they discovered the connections made from the cut intestines had started to leak, giving me peritonitis. The pain I felt was unbearable and this is what ultimately led me to my ostomy surgery!

Peritonitis is an extremely serious condition (as many of you who have had it know)! Although it can be fatal, if caught early, you can recover! Watch my video about peritonitis to learn more about it!

Good luck!

-Maggie from Let’s Talk IBD on YouTube

Ostomy Skin Care!

January 20, 2013

Irritation of the skin caused by ostomies is quite common! If you can’t get the perfect seal when applying a new pouch, it sometimes leads to leaks which then leads to skin irritation! When I first had ostomy surgery, this was one of my main concerns. It looked like I had a huge lesion right next to my stoma which I learned later happened every time my pouch leaked. Over the years though, I have developed a skin care routine to help prevent this from happening! Check out this blog to find out how I take care of my skin and watch the video!

Ostomy Skin Care!

1) The first step is to clean your skin as thoroughly as possible. I first use Niltac (available through ConvaTec) to remove any adhesive left by my pouch.

2) Next, I wash my skin using a soap or skin cleanser that does not leave any residue! Good soaps to use are Dial or Safe Guard. Make sure to rinse and pat dry when you are finished.

3) Time to apply a skin barrier! Skin barriers not only help your pouch stick - they help protect your skin from any leaks! I use Silesse (available through ConvaTec). I love this one because it dries fast!

4) After applying Silesse, I use an ostomy protective powder. My favorite one is called Stomahesive Powder, but the one used in this video is from ReliaMed. Lightly dust the irritated skin. After you have a thin coating, use more skin barrier and pat the wipe over the powder without wiping it away. This will ensure that your bag will stick, even with the powder! This powder will help protect you skin further and also help heal irritated skin!

5) Let your skin dry and apply your pouch as you normally would! I notice healing within just a few days!

I hope this helps you as it has helped me over the last 3 years! Because of this routine, it has been over a year since I have had skin irritation. Good luck!

-Maggie Baldwin of Let’s Talk IBD

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Ostomy 911′s!

January 6, 2013

After only having my ostomy for three years, I have already gone through some pretty ‘this is not real life’ moments with my ostomy. Of course, some of my embarrassing moments could have been avoided, but others not. The one thing I have learned is a major step in making you feel more secure with your ostomy is BEING PREPARED. In a small pouch, purse, or draw string bag you can bring everything you could possibly need in an ostomy emergency!

Here is a list of must-need items for your ostomy survival kit!

1) A new pouch and wafer! Always bring AT LEAST 1 new pouch to put on if your current one springs a leak!

2) Skin barrier! Although you might want to skip this step when you’re on-the-go, it’s an important step in making sure your skin is protected. Not to mention, it helps your new bag stick!

3) Cleaners/Adhesive Removers! I personally like to use Niltac, an adhesive remover currently distributed by Trio Healthcare that easily cleans my skin. It dries fast and doesn’t leave an oily residue so you’ll be ready faster than ever!

4) Strip Paste! Although you might not use this normally, it’s a good thing to bring along anyway to cover filters or to stop leaks from little holes in the pouch.

5) Scissors! These are always good to bring along to make sure your pouch is cut to the right size. Remember though – if you are going anywhere where there are security checks, don’t bring scissors along! Cut the wafers beforehand to avoid any trouble.

6) Anti-Bacterial or Soap! If you ever are put in a situation where your bag leaks onto your shirt, you may want to bring one of these along. Unfortunately I have been forced to wash my shirt with anti-bacterial gel – so not a pleasant experience!

7) An Extra Shirt! If you can fit a new shirt into your emergency kit you obviously are a pro-packer! Trust me, it will most likely help you in the future!

Other items I included in my kit are trash bags, gelling sachets, and I might even include a paper towel or two, just in case!

Although you can never prepare enough, this emergency kit will help you feel more prepared and more confident when going out! I took one similar to this to New York City on New Year’s Eve (which you can imagine was a mess) and it definitely helped me!

CLICK HERE to watch my video showing these items PLUS hear my funniest/worst embarrassing moments!

Helping Take Steps!

August 25, 2012

Although not every ostomate is a Crohnie, many of us are.

Our diseases have caused us trouble and now we have ostomies because of it. Because I have Crohn’s disease, I will be doing the Eastern Shore Take Steps Walk for Crohn’s & Colitis! This walk is designed to raise money for the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America. My friend Cassie (who also has a stoma) and I have created a team to raise money. We hope that one day, other people will not have to go through the battles we have fought. This walk benefits the CCFA in many ways. It helps with educational programs and Camp Oasis, a second home for many of us with IBD. It also helps with research to find a cure for the diseases. Click the picture to watch my video about why you should help Take Steps! Enjoy!

-Maggie

Let’s Talk IBD

What can you do after ostomy surgery?

June 1, 2012

“What can you do after ostomy surgery?” One of the main questions asked before getting a pouch is this. Many are worried many of the activities they did before they will longer be able to do after. It’s true – you’ll have to be a little more careful when it comes to dealing with your stomach, but with time you’ll discover you can do just about anything! However, what one ostomate finds they can no longer do doesn’t necessarily translate onto you and vice versa. It is all about time and self-discovery when it comes to your ‘new life’.

Swimming is probably the most common activity people assume they can no longer do. Depending on who you are and your personal health issues, this may true. As for myself, it took me three summers to come out on a beach, bikini, bag, and me. Just me. The first summer I had my ostomy, I eased into swimming making sure I did not need to take any special precautions while going swimming. No one ever knew I had one, though, because I always wore loose t-shirts in the ocean. The second summer I decided to go out in a bikini but I chose mini bags and covered them in duct tape. I still do that occasionally, but I like to be free and have to prepare less when having fun! This summer was the first that I threw on a bikini and ran down to the ocean with my full length Hollister bag. The ironic thing was, the less I did to prepare for swimming, the less people noticed I was not a typical girl.

It took time to realize what I can and cannot do. Since then I have found that swimming is possible, yet cartwheels aren’t. Although an current osomate may be able to give you an idea of what it is like, it will be time and you yourself who will answer your questions. Keep in mind to have an optimistic attitude and try everything you want, while making sure you do not push yourself. Stay safe and let yourself heal while you learn how to enjoy your new life!

Good luck!

-Maggie (Let’s Talk IBD)