Learn with Comfizz

Last year I chose to speak only about one special woman and it was our very own Lorraine but this year I have decided to change it up a bit and talk about some women within the ostomy world who aren’t just ladies I have the privilege of calling my friends but they are the epitome of strength and resilience. They each have their own vulnerabilities of which they share with the whole world via their social media channels. So without further ado here they are: Amy – @ibdwarriorprincess  Amy is my fellow blogger here on Comfizz and is the first person to check in when my mental health isn’t that great. She has Crohns and an ileostomy; her blogs were some...

Today March 8th is International Women’s Day and this is going to be a little bit different to what we usually talk about on our Friday post’s but today I wanted to celebrate our Big Boss Lady Lorraine and why her like every other woman in our life needs to know that they are important and that we recognise that.  Lorraine as you may know has had lots of experience around Inflammatory Bowel Disease what with her Dad having Ulcerative Colitis and her youngest son having Crohns disease. She and her husband Big Boss Man Nozar started this company after Ernie had his ostomy formed and there wasn’t really any support wear available that wasn’t just as I put it...

Have you ever been caught short with your usual product and had to use something different for instance a bag you no longer use but still have some in your stoma storage? This recently has happened to me regarding my ostomy bag and it stems from a little mix up with my delivery company. So we all know human error happens and that is basically what has created a knock on effect along with my hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome being a pain in my non existent ass. The way my hEDS affects my ostomy is basically the bowel (or in my case just the small bowel) uses peristalsis to move the poop through your body to be removed by going for a poo in...

Have you ever experienced phantom rectum pain? If you haven’t or not sure what it is exactly this is how I describe it: the feeling of needing to poo or pass wind from your bum but it either has been sewn up or made defunct by a temporary stoma. A lot of ostomates have experienced this and it isn’t a particularly pleasant experience and when you think about it, it is hardly surprising as you often hear about people suffering phantom limb issues from an amputated limb.  It is very common in women around their periods and can cause more discomfort than usual and can cause twitching or cramps in the rectal area. That is certainly not to say other...

In this post, I discuss mental illness in some detail so before you read on, please do so with caution/self-care steps in place or avoid if you are mentally struggling. Remember, my inbox is always open on my Instagram and via e-mail: hashtagstomabags@gmail.com. I will also include mental health support links if you scroll down to the end of this post. Please remember that the views in this post are my own only. I am not a professional and am in no way giving concrete advice. If you are worried, it is always best to consult a medical professional/someone you trust. What is a disability? Disability means different things to different people, therefore is a term best explored with sensitivity. Disability as a...

Being intimate with an ostomy can be incredibly daunting especially if it is with someone new or not long after surgery. Today is Valentine’s Day and whether you make a big thing about it or not you can often feel like it is made into a way bigger deal than it needs to be! Here are a few of my tips and tricks that I have read about or tried and tested for ostomy intimacy! Oh er! I have like many people had my own worries when it came to my ostomy but thankfully for me I managed to work through them with 00Steve but I understand that isn’t that easy for everyone. Some of my issues around intimacy were:...

On Thursday it was “Time to Talk” day and for the last few years I have written a post on it but this time it was a bit more difficult because I want to talk about the worries I have behind the possibility about having another surgery. You would think that because I live with an ostomy and have done for the last 4 years that the idea of more surgery wouldn’t phase me but sadly it does.   I saw my colorectal surgeon last year and we discussed the fact that my stoma output keeps pancaking which causes leaks; this is happening way too frequently and is down to the slow peristalsis of my bowel due to the hypermobile...

Taking your “dating status” out of the equation, having a stoma as a fact on its own and/or mental health problems can definitely be enough for one person to take on. However, it is also something that many potential partners would more than happily support you with. I’d say with either of those matters taken into account, dating is a very personal and different experience for the individual & should never be done before you feel ready. So you’ve had stoma surgery, when will you know you’re ready for dating? As mentioned above, this is something that will differ for everyone. I wouldn’t say there is set criteria to look for that ticks all the “I’m ready” boxes, but more...

How often do you hear or read people talking about working your core? How often do you feel a pang of fear and think I’ve had abdominal surgeries or my illness/ostomy won’t let me? Trust me you certainly aren’t alone! I have felt like that since 2008 after my first surgery and I am here to tell you that you certainly can and it certainly doesn’t revolve around those ridiculous boot camp style exercises.   Whilst in the not so distant future depending on how your body copes, reacts and adapts to core exercise you maybe able to do HIIT style workouts it certainly isn’t necessary. So as you may have read in my post about running a couple of weeks...

Something I get asked a lot about is drinking alcohol with my ostomy; which makes me laugh because I don’t drink that often anymore but when I’m in the mood for it I sure do enjoy a drink. Last night was my birthday and I had a night out scheduled so I thought it was the perfect time to talk about having a boozey night when having an ostomy.  I have a few things that I like to do when it comes to preparing myself for a night out so that I don’t feel worse for wear in the morning, it isn’t a perfect prevention for hangovers but it definitely helps! drink a dioralyte or an electrolyte solution before you go out...