Don’t let your life get dull.  That was some of the advice I was given by the staff where I got my ostomy surgery.  I thought it was a bit of a funny thing to be tolled, but I am really glad my nurse to it to me.  My wife also gave me a similar piece of advice and it was more of a challenge.  I was certain that once I got a stoma and had to live with an ostomy bag that my life would slow down.  But I took those words to heart and decided to stay active and lively.  So even though I have stoma I took up the sport of backpacking.  I have always been an avid outdoorsman, but I really wanted to prove to myself and my family that my stoma would not stop me from living a full life.  So I chose the sport of backpacking and I couldn’t have been happier.

Going out and seeing new things is part of what fuels my personality.  I love being in the outdoors and seeing things that others havn’t or at least very few people have.  This got me into the idea that backpacking would be amazing.  I know that going far distances in places where people simply cannot drive would be a big boost to my own moral.  It was also going to be a big help to overcome the fear of my stoma.  So I started to learn how to backpack with a stoma. The first question that came to mind was the literaly term itself.  I wondered if I was going to be able to even use a backpacking backpack. 

Now there are so many different kinds of backpacks and also differnt placements for stomas.  Luckily mine is nice and high and that allows me to use backpacks with a hip belt.  That is important because it places the weight of the bag on your hips.  It allows you to generally go further and faster without hinering your body.  But if you have a lower stoma and know this simply will not work you are not out of luck.  The wonderful world of ultralight backpacking has created packs just for you.  It means you may need to also have an ultralight wieght of your kit, but in general that makes the trip more comfortable and fun.

This segment of backpacking created backpacks that are meant to not use a frame or a hipbelt.  They are so focused on lightweight that they want it all to be done with shoulder straps.  If you have a stoma then this is something you should consider.  The youtube chanells are filled with ultralight backpackers that can give tons of tips and gear advice on what to use and bring for long backpacking trips.  Most thru-hikers or long term backpackers are ultra light.  This is so cool because it is like the entire sport was meant for thsoe with an ostomy.  I have learned how to pack light and go long distances all while being comfortable and safe.  I highly suggest you check out this area if you are interested.

I also liked to take advice from channels with people are also have stoma’s and like to be as active as I do.  It has been a joruney and I hope I never stop learning.

Ostomy is an operation that happens to treat an infection, blockage, disease, cancer, birth defect, or injury in the digestive canals of the human body. They eliminate these problems from the bladder, rectum, colon, or ileum. So, a body can live a normal and healthy life. Well, every type of ostomy needs a specific elimination of a special canal in the digestive system. For example, to treat the infections, cancers, injuries, blockages, and defects from the colon and rectum, doctors perform a colostomy. The same is the case with the ileum or small intestine, to treat it, surgeons do ileostomy. And when there is a complication in the bladder or urinary canals in the human body, doctors remove the infected areas and perform a urostomy.

The colostomy and ileostomy are the two surgeries that treat infections and diseases in the small intestine and large intestine. Therefore, the openings or stomas constructed as a result of the colostomy and ileostomy are responsible for the discharge of stool. These holes in the abdomen of the patient release solid or liquid stool. Well, the texture of the solid waste of the person depends on the type of ostomy, such as ileostomy and colostomy.

The Texture of Stool After an Ostomy Surgery

Right after the building of the stoma, the internal organs do not release the normal stool. In the early times of the ostomy, it can release blood and mucus in the stool. Therefore, it will be hard to recognize that feces is normal or not. Moreover, in every type of ostomy, either it is colostomy or ileostomy, the opening ill ejects the thin liquid stool. It is because of the diet. An ostomate is on a liquid diet in the early operation days. Therefore, the discharge texture will be watery.

The Texture of Stool After Colostomy Surgery

Well, right after the colostomy, a patient will eject the liquid stool from the stoma. And, it is quite normal for the ostomates because of the high liquid intake. But, when the internal colon and ileum get healed, then the colostomy stoma will discharge a solid or hard texture of the feces. It will never come out in the liquid form. If a colostomy patient is releasing a liquid stool, then the ostomate is suffering from diarrhea and that is not normal. Moreover, such patients should not release a too hard texture of stool, like in the condition of constipation.

To discharge the normal stool after the colostomy surgery, the ostomate needs to avoid the foods that can cause problems in the digestive system and release the liquid feces or become a source for constipation. A person should not eat garlic, onion, oranges, dry fruits, mangoes, red beans, cucumbers, bananas, eggplants, cereals, meat, and burgers.

The Texture of Stool After Ileostomy Surgery

The ileostomy patients will discharge the liquid, a very thin and watery form of stool in the initial days of the formation of a stoma. It is also because of the liquid food a patient will eat in the hospital, but there is another reason that the ileostomy stoma will always discharge liquid stool. Surgeons will completely delete the colon from the digestive system of a person; therefore, an ileostomy person cannot eject the solid texture of the feces. It will be a thin or thick liquid.

Well, the normal texture is watery stool in the case of ileostomy, but in case it releases a hard form, then it will block the stoma and internal digestive canals. Thus, to avoid the stoma bleeding, blockage, loose motion, or too much thin and watery feces, a patient should avoid meat, dry fruits, cucumbers, juices, oranges, eggplants, broccoli, red beans, and other food items that can cause diarrhea, gas, and odor.