Wearing clothes suitable for a stoma!!

[sparkles]

I had surgery to get a stoma bag three years ago, and I especially found it hard to find clothes which were both comfortable, and also covered the stoma. I am a teenager, so it's also important to me to make sure that these clothes aren't 'out of fashion'.

So far I have found the following tips very useful, and I would like to share them with everyone else:

- high waisted shorts/ skirts are great- I know this option isn't reeeally available for men, but I definetly recommend it for women! The shorts must be baggy around the stoma, but tight around the top and the bottom. This is because bagginess around the middle allows it the stoma to move freely, yet the tightness on the top and bottom keeps it in place.

-Jeans are very uncomfortable - At the beginning, whenever I would wear jeans they would rub on my stoma bag and cause a leakage. It took me a while to figure out why, but as soon as I realised that, for me, jeans were a no-no, I immediately stopped wearing them, and havent worn a pair of jeans in almost 3 years!

- Vests underneath- By wearing a vest underneath your shirt, the crease caused by the stoma in your clothes is less obvious! Simple!

- Long Baggy shirts- Combined with a vest underneath, this is a comfortable and easy option

- Playsuits/ jumpsuits-These work like high waisted shorts in the way that they cover up the bag. Sometimes these may be a more comfortable option, depending on the style.

-stripes! - for swimming costumes and other tight shirts, the bag is almost invisible under a triped pattern, but plain colours show the outline a bit more!

I hope this helps; this is all I can think of for now!
Can anyone else post their ideas below too? I'd love to find out more!

 

[vickyoddsocks]

Thanks very much for that advice! I'm having a permanent ileostomy on either the 7th or the 14th of April (will find out for defo tomo hopefully). So far ive been looking through magazines thinking 'no', 'cant wear that' i did think about high waisted things, but im more paranoid about my tum looking fat! lol!
I used to live in jeans, but since this last flare havnt worn a pair! I cant stand them diggin in me! Its been tracky bottoms all the way, but i do look scruffy
I think ill have to keep trying things, not looking forward to that though - i love clothes
Thanks again

 

[ameslouise]

Thanks, Sparkles for your advice! I think when I had my temp, I was able to adapt my wardrobe at the time and not have to buy too much. I do, however, remember having to buy new jeans with a different cut so work with the bag.

My wardrobe now consists mainly of legging and cute dresses. I think I can stick with that pretty much, just may need to go up a size on my leggings so they aren't too tight around my bag. This look works in winter (with boots and a turtleneck under the dress) and summer (capri leggings and sandals), regardless of whether I am 140 pounds or 120.

- Amy

PS Vicky, good luck with the upcoming surgery!

 

[sparkles]

Aw I'm sorry about your ileostomy I hope its all okay! But trust me, once you start wearing clothes with it you figure out what works and what doesn't.
And yeah I agree that high waisted things kind of make the bag look like a fat tummy, but its not that bad if you wear a longish shirt over it!
Tracksuit bottoms are sooo comfy but I hate wearing them cos I feel like I'm 'under-dressed'. Again, I only wear high waisted draw string tracky bottoms.

I hope you find your stoma okay, it's not that bad once you get used to it

 

[sparkles]

Thanks for the advice Amy!
I have a question; when you wear the dresses with the leggings does it ever show from underneath(for example when youre sitting down or if the wind accidently blows up your skirt or something)? Or are the dresses not too flowy?

 

[vickyoddsocks]

Thank you very much guys, ill keep you posted, seems like ive been waiting forever! I'm sure for the first couple of months ill still be living in trackys, but its nice to know that ill feel like a woman again at somepoint. I think this summer ill mostly wear lots of floaty dresses! lol!
x

 

[ameslouise]

Sparkles - I am totally fine with and welcome my stoma! I am already sleeping 8 hours a night so I already consider it a win!

I haven't done the dress-and-leggings thing with my permanent stoma yet - still recovering and wearing "lazy pants". I hope to actually put on real clothes sometime later this week or over the weekend when I have visitors!

I'll let you know how the dresses work out, but generally, they are not too flowy...

- A

 

[Nyx]

I wear everything I used to wear prior to my stoma. I just wear one size bigger in pants. Not sure if that's from the stoma or from all the weight I've gained since being able to eat...lol