How to travel with an Ostomy

The holidays are a time to travel, and for those who have ostomies, this can be a bit of a worrisome experience. How do you travel with an ostomy? Well, you’re about to find out, as we’ll go over exactly how you can travel with an ostomy, and how to do so without too many problems. 

Figure out the Supplies. 

The first step is to figure out the pouches, barriers, and a accessories that you will need every single day, and then multiply that by any days you’ll be away from the house.  The number should be the bare minimum, and you will also want to either double to carry a few backups just in case with this too. If you have nay unexpected problems, you definitely want to be pretty ready for this. 

Follow the 3-1-1 rule 

This is a rule that’s in the TSA guidelines, and it’s a limit on the aerosols, creams, gels, and paste, and you should make sure that you have everything that’s less than that, with one bag allowed. You should make sure that all of your ostomy supplies follow this rule so you don’t have to worry about potential problems at TSA. 

Carry Ostomy Scissors in Carry-On 

If you use ostomy scissors, you want to make sure that they’re in the carry-on and aren’t any longer than 4 inches. You may want to find moldable wafers and barriers in order to help make this easier, so that you don’t need to cut and trim it.  You want to make sure that you make this easy for you. 

Pack Documents About the Condition 

You want to let people know about the condition that you have. There are communication cards and you also can use assigned doctors notes to help ensure that you get the right ostomy supplies from this. It could be beneficial to communicate the needs that you have to flight attendants along with TSA agents and have these documents on hand when you’re flying for easy travel. You also should try to contact TSAS beforehand and try to make sure you won’t get bothered at checkpoints. 

Double Check and Pack 

You want to make sure that you do double check everything before you pack it, and you know how many supplies that you might need.  You definitely should accompany all of the accessories that are used currently. These can include scissors, pouches, barriers and wafers, paste, seals, cleaners and deodorizers, any belts or wraps, and pouch clamps. 

You should try to make sure that you keep these near you as well.  On car rides, don’t keep them in the trunk since this can make them too hot or cold, and that can be a problem. You can actually have these ordered to the place that you’re staying at if you’re going for an extended time period, and you can talk to someone to make sure that you get the most that you can out of this, and also make sure to have them on hand. Also don’t put these in checked bags, since they could get delayed or lost, and that’s a big issue. 

Avoid Anything that irritates 

If you know some foods and some drinks can upset the stomach or cause excessive gas and stomal output, you should avoid these when you’re away from your home. You should also empty out the pouch before you leave. With all of this said, always make sure that you have wipes, sanitizers, and deodorants and make sure to uphold proper hygiene during and after the trip as well. 

Tips to Adjust for Life After a Colostomy

Life after a colostomy may seem impossible, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Here are some tips to adjust to life post colostomy that’ll help you feel good about the newfound life. 

Give yourself Time 

First, understand that the recovery does take some time, and it does require healing both physically, and mentally too. It does take some getting used to, so just listen to the instructions that the ostomy nurse or doctor has for you, and don’t be afraid to ask some questions about anything you want to know more about.While you can have a life that’s active and healthy, you will want to spend some time getting used to this and recuperating. You should wait till the doctor says that it’s fine to get some exercise and other activity as well. 

Prepare for the Changes 

After the surgery, you will notice that bowel movements are a bit different, and your stoma won’t have the rectal muscles from before, so you won’t be able to control when the stool passes through. You may experience more bowel movements now than before, and it does take a little bit of time to get used to. But as you do so however you’ll predict the way the body reacts to foods and drinks, and you’ll know exactly how to empty out the pouch too. 

Have a Good diet and Watch the Meds 

After you have surgery, you may want to adjust to the diet, and if you see that there is a problem, try to eliminate the foods which are troublesome. You also may want to do meals that are smaller beforehand, and also cut back on anything that causes too much diarrhea, blockages, or even too much gas too. Over time, you’ll learn what you can and can’t have with an ostomy, and you also need to know that these are unique. You also may want to look at the different medications that are there too, since it does cause diarrhea and constipation, so you should also figure out what’s causing this, and then adjust it as necessary. 

Find one that Works for you 

If you’re wondering what kind of pouching system you should have, it’s ultimately what’ll work for you.You will want to make sure that you’ve got an ostomy supplier that is covered by your insurance and gets you the supplies that you need right away. You also may find over time that it takes a bit to adjust to live with this, and you may struggle with getting used to this immediately.But if you do plan on getting this, don’t fret. You should understand that the colostomy product may ultimately change over time as you start to live with this. 

Remember that there are suppliers that’ll deliver it to your door and you’ll also save yourself the time and the money by not having to drive to go out anywhere to get it. And if you want it, they do have options that cover everything that you need after your ostomy as well. Finally, with an ostomy, don’t’ hesitate to live the life that you have, and make sure that you aren’t afraid to adjust to this too. Remember that there are still a lot of hobbies and even activities that you can do, and you’ll be able to accomplish all of this too. When it comes to your ostomy, don’t be afraid to try out new things and just have a bit of fun with this. It’s not the end of everything because you have an ostomy, so don’t be afraid to try new things.