What are 5 common ostomy challenges?

Whether you're new to ostomy life or whether you've had an ostomy for a few years, several years or more, it's normal to come across things that you may find a little more difficult to navigate. It's also normal to also find some things a challenge. Not everyone experiences the same challenges but at the same time, no ostomy is the same from person to person. Everyone experiences ostomy life differently.

The good thing is that there are thankfully a lot of things to try and solutions when faced with these challenges.

We asked Ant to take you through some of these challenges and to explain ways in which you may overcome them:

How Comfizz can help you

As Ant mentions in his video, we have a wide range of stoma supportwear that can help you with problems such as body image , confidence and feeling secure with your ostomy.

Finding the right product in ostomy life usually comes with a bit of experimentation and trial and error, but don't fear, you are not alone in this and we are here to help!

We have lots of useful and educational information available in our website's "Learn" section including our Blog, Measurement Guide, FAQs and Useful Links page. 

Exercising after ostomy surgery

As Ant mentions in his video, there doesn't seem to be a great wealth of literature out there for exercise post-surgery.

We recently wrote a blog post on how to exercise after ostomy surgery.

According to Colostomy UK, up to 70% of ostomates can develop a hernia, generally the longer after surgery time goes on. 

However, clinical trials done by Comfizz collaborating with a specialist stoma nurse at Queen's Hospital London ran over a period of 12 months confirmed that by wearing Comfizz support wear, incidences of hernias decreased significantly. You can read Lorraine's article here about this and this trial was also peer reviewed and published in the British Journal of Nursing (BJN) in 2014.

Our products are designed with stoma functionality in mind, so do not stop your stoma from doing its thing whether you are exercising or otherwise.

From level 1 being the lightest level of support to level 3 being our most firm, here is a breakdown of what those levels mean:

• Level 1 - light support range wear that provides soft and gentle support and can be worn all day.

• Level 2 - medium support designed for supporting hernias or to give extra support when exercising.

• Level 3 - premium, firm support ideal for holding hernias, protecting hernia repairs & during strenuous activity.

Comfizz garments to try for working out:

• Level 1 Bamboo Boxers - How about wearing these with our Level 1 Bamboo leggings to equate to a Level 2 support?

• Level 1 or Level 2 High-Waisted Leggings - These are perfect for both support and providing extra warmth in Winter, whether worn on their own or under gym shorts. These are also great to use as a loungewear set with our Level 2 Organic Cotton Bra Top. You can even wear a baggy jumper over the bra top along with an oversized t-shirt in between to really layer up and get cosy!

• Level 2 10" Double Layer Waistband - Either worn on its own or combined with a Level 1 brief, leggings or boxer for a combined Level 3 support, this is another great option.

Support - in the emotional sense

Thankfully, support can be quite easy to access these days in the sense of the online community in particular. Whether that be on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and so on, including ourselves here at Comfizz, you never have to be alone.

Support groups are also run in person by different people and groups. 

Details of the Ileostomy Association (IA) meets can be found here and for Colostomy UK, here. Other stoma support services can also be found here.

Disclaimer: As always, this post is from our vlogger, Ant's experiences and our Social Media & Marketing Specialist, Amy's experiences with ostomy life & living with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Nothing in our blog posts should be taken as medical advice. It's always best to consult a medical professional if you have queries or concerns.

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We are always looking for new topics to write about! If you have any ostomy life questions you'd like answering or any subjects you'd like us to address, please comment below or email us at info@comfizz.com.

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