The early days following your ostomy surgery can be challenging. There are many new things to learn and adjust to. It's important to remember that it takes time to adapt, but it should get easier with time.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions
After your surgery, your ostomy care nurse will focus on helping you become confident in taking care of your ostomy, ordering ostomy pouches and other practical aspects of living with an ostomy.
Becoming confident with support from your nurse
There will be a lot of new information to take in at once and it may even feel a bit overwhelming.
Take your time and ask all the questions you need, to help you understand more about your ostomy. This should help you be better prepared to take care of yourself once you are back at home. It may also help to have a close family member with you for this training. In the U.S., you may want to ask whether you qualify for either home care visits or an outpatient clinic visit to be sure you are adjusting well. Typically, a yearly check-up with a clinic will also be required to update your prescription. These are all great times to ask questions of specialists.
Information from Coloplast Care is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to substitute for professional medical advice and should not be interpreted to contain treatment recommendations.
You should rely on the healthcare professional who knows your individual history for personal medical advice and diagnosis.
