An ostomy bag tends to carry some stigma with it, and a lot of people who have them don’t talk about it much and choose to be discreet about it. This is why there is not a lot of information that we are generally exposed to, but you will be surprised by how many resources and communities are open and available to help and support people with ostomy bags. If you have to transition to an ostomy bag, you do need to keep in mind a few ostomy bag challenges that you might have to face post-surgery.
There is a natural learning curve and adjustment period the first few months after the surgery. You might get overwhelmed and experience a variety of emotions and moods following the procedure, but that is alright. You can grieve and take your time to adjust.
You should be regular with your checkups so that your doctor can continue monitoring your condition and making sure that your stoma bag is working for you and that you are taking proper care of it. You should keep in touch with your physician or a nurse to help you learn the basics of dealing with a stoma bag which includes emptying it, replacing it, taking care of it, and how to keep the skin around the area clean.
There will be some irritation and swelling post-op, but it should go down over time and look like your normal skin. You will have to make some changes in your diet initially, but once your body recovers, you can go back to your standard diet, but levels of hydrations are really important because you can get dehydrated more easily with an ostomy bag.
You can slowly start working out, but only after consulting your doctor, and having them recommend what exercises are safe for you, and how to move up from there.