This is a pretty useless post I guess, but I really hope I can help just even one person with it, because I'd have loved to read something like this a few months ago.
if you're debating surgery, or have been told you have to have it, please listen up
If you wanna know anything about my crohns beforehand, there's a thread I put when I first joined a few weeks ago, I'm not entirely sure how to use the site, but I'm sure you can find it via my page if you try!
In February I went through a lot of stuff which resulted in "you'll have a stoma for two years" and I was so terrified, like, what a MASSIVE thing to go through, everyone would know and it'd be embarrassing and oh my god what would I do. I felt this exact way up until they knocked me out and cut me open. And then for a week or so after too, actually.
Everyone says "you'll feel so much better it's so worth it" and you're just like yeah, whatever. And all I could focus on was the hole in my side, intestine and massive bag attached. Because, well, why wouldn't that be what you focus on?!
But please listen, I know EXACTLY what you feel like, and all the thoughts that go through your head. I'm 17, trying to study, going to festivals and having fun etc, I felt like it was going to steal my whole life and personally the worst part was that I might have to wear old lady clothes to hide it!
Now when I think about it I feel so stupid because everything I thought was wrong. Everything! Firstly, I thought I wouldn't be able to do stuff. But I'm going to Leeds Festival next week, I've been out every day for four weeks, and I went to a Blink 182 concert three weeks post op, I'm even driving again now! I can happily go to work, walking there and back too, my stoma gave me my social life back. And don't worry about emptying or changing it in public bathrooms like I did! I carry a tiny air freshener in my bag
but it's not that bad anyway, I only ever use it if there's someone stood at the sink haha! And I was SO scared of it leaking in public. And it has, and I won't pretend it won't for you, it totally will at some point, but it'll be down to some silly mistake you made, so don't sweat it! Nobody has ever noticed when mine has leaked. I keep a spare bag and some swabs with me at all times, quickly nip to a toilet and it's sorted in no time
I thought people would be able to see it under my clothes and I'd have to change what I wore, which really bothered me, because I like what I wear! And I can't afford clothes anyway haha! But, I bought a few pairs of support pants, and you can get actual medical ones from 'comfzzz' but they're way more expensive. They totally hide it! Even a pair of tights hide it, though And as long as you empty it often, you can't see it normally anyway, you can wear clothes as tight or as loose as you want, and once you stop being sore from surgery, you can still wear jeans etc on it, it's all fine.
It doesn't hurt either, and you get used to changing the bags so quickly. At first I just COULDN'T look at the stoma, but now I change the bag everyday. Hell, this is a bit disgusting, but there's certain foods that don't digest, and I pulled a beansprout out of it this morning! You get used to these things, and develop a sense of humour about it all, don't worry And the amount of poo jokes you can make are priceless. I even named him (Bilbo Baggins), we have conversations all the time.
I'm rambling loads, but the point of this is please please please believe me when I say, it'll give you a life again. It'll fix your problems, and it's nothing you can't adapt to, even though you don't want to at first, you'll soon see how great it is. It really is the best thing I've ever done. I'm so happy now, I love my life again now, I have a life again now. It's worth it. So worth it. If anybody ever wants any advice or help on the situation, I'm here, because I wish somebody could have answered all my questions for me.
if you're debating surgery, or have been told you have to have it, please listen up
If you wanna know anything about my crohns beforehand, there's a thread I put when I first joined a few weeks ago, I'm not entirely sure how to use the site, but I'm sure you can find it via my page if you try!
In February I went through a lot of stuff which resulted in "you'll have a stoma for two years" and I was so terrified, like, what a MASSIVE thing to go through, everyone would know and it'd be embarrassing and oh my god what would I do. I felt this exact way up until they knocked me out and cut me open. And then for a week or so after too, actually.
Everyone says "you'll feel so much better it's so worth it" and you're just like yeah, whatever. And all I could focus on was the hole in my side, intestine and massive bag attached. Because, well, why wouldn't that be what you focus on?!
But please listen, I know EXACTLY what you feel like, and all the thoughts that go through your head. I'm 17, trying to study, going to festivals and having fun etc, I felt like it was going to steal my whole life and personally the worst part was that I might have to wear old lady clothes to hide it!
Now when I think about it I feel so stupid because everything I thought was wrong. Everything! Firstly, I thought I wouldn't be able to do stuff. But I'm going to Leeds Festival next week, I've been out every day for four weeks, and I went to a Blink 182 concert three weeks post op, I'm even driving again now! I can happily go to work, walking there and back too, my stoma gave me my social life back. And don't worry about emptying or changing it in public bathrooms like I did! I carry a tiny air freshener in my bag
but it's not that bad anyway, I only ever use it if there's someone stood at the sink haha! And I was SO scared of it leaking in public. And it has, and I won't pretend it won't for you, it totally will at some point, but it'll be down to some silly mistake you made, so don't sweat it! Nobody has ever noticed when mine has leaked. I keep a spare bag and some swabs with me at all times, quickly nip to a toilet and it's sorted in no time I thought people would be able to see it under my clothes and I'd have to change what I wore, which really bothered me, because I like what I wear! And I can't afford clothes anyway haha! But, I bought a few pairs of support pants, and you can get actual medical ones from 'comfzzz' but they're way more expensive. They totally hide it! Even a pair of tights hide it, though
And as long as you empty it often, you can't see it normally anyway, you can wear clothes as tight or as loose as you want, and once you stop being sore from surgery, you can still wear jeans etc on it, it's all fine.It doesn't hurt either, and you get used to changing the bags so quickly. At first I just COULDN'T look at the stoma, but now I change the bag everyday. Hell, this is a bit disgusting, but there's certain foods that don't digest, and I pulled a beansprout out of it this morning! You get used to these things, and develop a sense of humour about it all, don't worry
And the amount of poo jokes you can make are priceless. I even named him (Bilbo Baggins), we have conversations all the time.I'm rambling loads, but the point of this is please please please believe me when I say, it'll give you a life again. It'll fix your problems, and it's nothing you can't adapt to, even though you don't want to at first, you'll soon see how great it is. It really is the best thing I've ever done. I'm so happy now, I love my life again now, I have a life again now. It's worth it. So worth it. If anybody ever wants any advice or help on the situation, I'm here, because I wish somebody could have answered all my questions for me.
