Hiking with an Ostomy

So you love the outdoors. I am obsessed with being outdoors and the freedom it brings me mentally. It is great to be outside with nature and feel the fresh air and smell the joy it brings.  Don’t let the idea that an ostomy can get in the way slow you down!  Hiking with an ostomy is totally ok and is doable every day. If you like to hike trails or even do multi day backpacking it is possible.  Just be prepared and start slow.

If you are doing a day hike it is really important to bring an amount of extra supplies with you.  Just like you would bring extra water and extra food.  Bring an extra bag just in case. Sometimes you only have to irrigate in the morning and not have to mess with the bag for the rest of the day.  Everyone is a bit different, but you may have a pretty easy ordeal.  But don’t start doing a giant hike.  Start slow. Walk around the neighbourhood and test your gear and in my case my ostomy supplies.  There are lots of different products out there but I like that I can sample ostomy supplies for free.  This allowed me a great flexibility in choosing the gear that worked best. Remember also that if you have an ostomy you are likely more prone to hernias. So take it easy.  Don’t push things too hard too fast. Short tests, and then add a light pack after a few short hikes and build from there.

You want to take it slow because you want to make sure your gear is doing well with your stoma. You will be sweating much more than normal so make sure everything has a good seal and wont leak when you don’t want it to. Make sure to keep some extra supplies with you. If you are going to swap bags keep enough stuff with you to do it safely and carry the used bag back to the trail head.  Keeping a clean trail is just as important as keeping yourself clean. Its a cycle I believe it and think everyone should follow. If you brought it in, you bring it out! 

So if you have to dig a hole to empty the contents of your bag, bring a zip lock or two to pack out the used bag.  Also make sure to have cleaning supplies in case something goes wrong and you get a bit messy. I know its common sense, but sometimes things get forgone when you are in a rush or excited. Stay safe, and contact your healthcare giver for questions and to make sure you are healthy enough to hike.

Types of Ostomy Pouches

Everyone has a preference when it comes to what they like in clothing.  Can you blame anyone It's important to look and feel good in public. Summer is upon us and the time to feel and look good has come.  There is no reason that anyone should feel in any way left out of this fashion due to having an ostomy.  It's a stigma that some people put on themselves and for no good reason.  I want everyone to feel comfortable and look good.  So as a preference I have found that ostomy Supplies is a great supplier to pouches and products that fit all different types and individual needs.  Don’t take my word for it though and remember to always read, research, listen to your healthcare provider and test on your own. 

Part of looking good in your own skin is having the proper gear.  ConvaTec Ostomy Supplies has the esteem line of pouches that I find to be a great one piece pouch.  They are most known for their adhesives that have brought trust amount many with a stoma.  The adhesives are known to prevent leaks and keep the skin around your stoma healthy.  That is one of the most important parts of having a stoma in my opinion.  Skin care is what you should become a pro at. Keeping healthy means, not having pain or a rash that you are dealing with on a daily basis.

Another great feature of these is the softness that they bring.  It allows me to be comfortable and when its soft against my skin I am able to sinch down and bring a wider range of clothes into my life.  Not everything has to be a baggy.  Being able to wear more skin tight clothing due to the softness of the pouch brings more life to my summer and more confidence to my walk.  It really is the small things in life that can be the most important. Its also great to know that I wont be the cause of unwanted attention in other areas.  Yes, I am talking about smell.

Having a pouch that smells is embarrassing. It takes me to being the awkward turtle in the room and most people that are not really good friends have no idea that I have an ostomy.  They don’t know because I live a completely normal life style. The only difference is that I do have a bag on me at all times.  Having a smelly bag is not acceptable and I like the filter on these.  Stay safe and follow all your healthcare providers advice on your ostomy.