Understanding Urostomy And Overcoming Its Challenges

A urostomy is an internal diversion to reroute the passage of urine away from the bladder. The urine passes out of the stoma into a urostomy pouch. Another term used for a urostomy is an ileal conduit.

A urostomy may be required for many reasons, including bladder cancer or other conditions affecting the functionality of the bladder. Your doctor may or may not remove the bladder for these reasons, but you will get a stoma that connects ureters to the outside of the body. You may see some strands of mucus in the urine passing out of the stoma, but that’s not a cause of concern due to the way a stoma is formed. Drinking plenty of water can reduce the amount of mucus passing out with urine.

While it may seem a bit daunting to get used to a stoma after surgery, it should not be a significant cause of concern. Like everything else, you have to learn to care for your urostomy. While it will take some time, it will become your second nature eventually.

In this article, we will discuss some challenges that you may face during your urostomy care regimen. We will also discuss some easy-to-use solutions for these challenges.

How your urostomy appliance looks

you may have a lot of questions during the first few days after surgery, and it is pretty normal. One of such questions is about how a urostomy bag looks. You may also be concerned whether others will notice this bag.

While there is no need to be embarrassed about having to wear an ostomy bag, the good news is that a urostomy bag is fairly discreet. Your clothing should hide your ostomy bag pretty easily. This way, nobody will be able to tell if you are wearing an ostomy bag unless you choose to tell them yourself.

Your stoma care nurse will educate you about different types of urostomy appliances. Some of those appliances have an outlet, while some have a bung. You can choose from these types depending on your ease to drain your pouch into the toilet.

If you are concerned about your ostomy pouch getting filled while you sleep, you can attach a larger drainable bag with it. It’s a matter of personal choice, though.

The impact of a urostomy bag on your hobbies

Whether you are a fitness enthusiast or love to go hiking, your urostomy doesn’t have to be the reason to discontinue these activities. You may, however, have to be cautious about your activity level while recovering from the impact of surgery. Once you are fully recovered, you can get back to doing what you love. You may plan a gradual return to your activity regimen as you recover. Nonetheless, you may need to consult with your physician if you plan to resume strenuous physical activities.

Overall, you have to make sure to stay in contact with your doctor and ostomy care nurse to keep your mind free of any negative thoughts related to your stoma and body image. You can also join ostomy support groups to share your concerns with others and listen to theirs.