Links

Accessory products

If you do heavy work and are worried about whether your stoma might be vulnerable, there are several products you can look at which will provide protection and reassurance. 

OSTO-shield - a hard plastic protector which can be worn under normal clothing. One of these will make your stoma completely impervious to knocks. Available on prescription.

Stoma Protector from Comfizz - similar to the product above, but available with an optional support belt which can help prevent potential hernias. Useful if you do heavy work or heavy gym workouts. Both items are available on prescription.

Comfizz - while we are on the subject of Comfizz, they also make underwear and support wear for ostomates, mostly available on prescription in the UK. If you have a permanent ostomy and are charge exempt, this means you can effectively get free underwear! Comfizz are a UK company - be warned, their website is slooooow...

Other links

The Gutless Cyclist - I wanted to know if cycling would be possible after my ostomy, and this person cycles hard and fast and he does so despite continuing health problems due to Crohns disease. He's let his blog go while he focuses on other areas of his life though. 

Blake Bedford - This is just one link which will tell you about Blake the bodybuilder. I include it just so that if you are a guy, you can see that anything is possible! Search for Blake online and you will find lots of information - he lives his life in the public eye and is single-handedly raising the level of acceptability of having an ostomy. 

Stomawise - One of the UK's best stoma information pages. There's lots to read, and it covers everything I needed to know, except cycling!

Living with a Stoma - this is a one woman page, written by a lady called Jean whose experience is vast. Her advice is both general and specific and covers areas other people don't think of. For instance, this - put a bit of loo roll in the loo pan before emptying your bag, to avoid splash-back. This is superb advice for non-ostomates too!

Mesothelioma.net There are many reasons why people may have to have ostomies, although the most common are the three Cs: Crohns, Colitis and Cancer (my own was for radiation proctitis). One of the more rare cancers which sometimes results in an ostomy outcome is mesothelioma which is asbestos related, and being an aggressive cancer, patients diagnosed with this must face a less than optimistic prognosis. It was suggested to me that I might link some information about this here, and reading the site was useful for me personally as the husband of my late father's partner unfortunately died of this terrible disease. So with respect to him, and also to Virgil who sent the link, here it is. 

Thanks are due...

When I first saw a stoma nurse I was quite dismayed to find her less than complimentary about the many brave souls who bare all on YouTube in order to help people like me. Not only do these people lay to rest the potential shame which has been felt by ostomates for too long, but they offer plenty of advice and many clear explanations regarding processes. 

So here, with warm thanks, I am going to link some of the people who have helped me without realising. Where these links are YouTube videos, there will only be a link to the channel - each of these people have done lots of videos and you can search for these if you wish. 

YouTube Links

Laura, of Ostomystory - this talented, clever and pretty girl changed my opinion of ostomies forever. As soon as I found her I felt humbled by her strength, and her good nature is infectious. She tackles every subject with courage and openness, even though she has been to hell and back with Crohns disease for most of her life. I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that she saved my life - without her I wouldn't have opted for the operation, and I wouldn't be here to write this!

Megan, of The Front Butt YouTuber - another pretty girl who has had me laughing out loud with her humorous and witty presentation. She's had an illeostomy since being a very small child, and she has more recently had further serious surgery.

Maggie, of Let's Talk IBD - a young girl, now a woman whose early life was devastated by IBD and who is now a nurse working with stoma patients and also a part-time model. She has recorded her journey as she has matured into a busy, working person. She has a concise and almost clinical delivery and she doesn't hold anything back. She's very informative.

Outpatient - let's not forget the guys! This guy covers all manner of subjects in a laid back and relaxed style and in particular, he offers pros and cons of different systems. I admire his shelf building skills too!