What are the pros (vs. cons) of having an ostomy bag?

My next blog post is going to be all about the bag. I plan to include a list of pros and cons that I want to be honest and unbiased, but I could only think of three things for my pro list while my con list is quite long. Are there any other pros that you all can think of to having an ostomy? Here is what I have so far:

- You have the freedom of emptying when it's convenient.

- You have the freedom of eating almost anything. (Just avoid foods that could cause blockages).

- There is no urgency or cramping to deal with.


(This is NOT supposed to be about j-pouch vs. perm-ileo; it is just a post to prepare people for what to expect when getting any type of ostomy for any reason, since even people with j-pouches have to live with an ostomy for a short period.)

I think you also need to provide clarity between types of illness/disease, as different things will apply to different people. Speaking as a "UC'er", the following apply, a lot of which I was afflicted with at the bitter end, when the disease went ballistic:
Able to leave the house, and everything that entails (work, socialise, shop etc).
Able to get out of bed without every joint in my body screaming in pain.
Able to hold down food and water, necessary to actually stay alive without TPN.
As a man, able to urinate standing up, as urination would trigger bowel incontinence.
Able to pass gas, without fear of soiling clothing.
No longer any need for heavy duty steroids and immuno-suppressants like Azathioprine.
No more periodic Hospital in-patient visits.
No more invasive bowel examinations.
No more worrying how long I will stay in remission this time round.

Wow, I'm glad you posted this, I hadn't fully realised what my surgery had done for me until now! I hope it gives you something for your blog.

Edited after proof reading!

The pros of having a bag for UC are that the disease is gone, surely? Everything else follows suit BECAUSE the disease is gone. I certainly can't think of any pros to it if the disease weren't gone! Of course, Chrohns Disease is a different ball game. Some sufferers have ileostomies because their Colon is afflicted so badly, or even exclusively. But obviously for them, the disease isn't gone.
I certainly don't mean to sound antagonistic, but your clarity has left me a little confused (now there's an oxymoron for you!).

I guess the pros need all the other things that go along with it too...maybe as a sub heading type thing...the 3 things you listed certainly are the most important 3 things.

Also having so many choices available for those to "get it right" when they start with an appliance or two that isn't the best fit for them but not locked in to using something that doesn't perform to the optimum level. Granted the trial and error aspect can be a challenge for some but once you find the right set up it makes it a lot easier.

One big benefit is for those who only had the UC, they no longer need medications.

Of course having "the bag" gives most everyone their lives back. (Unfortunately for some, the complications we read about here are distressing. I wish the surgery could just be the "be all end all" for everyone.)

For my husband, there have been many pro's. Of course, a lot of them are related to no longer having the disease, but some are bag related. He was sick for 11 years and fairly young (26) when he had his surgery.

For example, we were able to take a week-long trip to a theme park this summer, which we never would have been able to do before. Having the bag allowed my husband to walk around for hours, eat what he wanted, and enjoy the park like anyone else-- something that would have been impossible while he was sick.

Also, he does not have to explain the bag, or tell anyone about it, if he does not want to. When he was sick and running to the bathroom over 10x per day, everyone we were around knew something was wrong with him, and we always had to provide at least a brief explanation.

The bag has given us freedom- taking road trips with over 8 hours of driving, walking around malls or museums or theme parks, no constant worry about where the nearest bathroom is, as you can empty at your convenience, not having to wake in the night to use the restroom if you don't want to.

The road to get here hasn't been perfect, or necessarily easy, but 16 months after surgery, it is certain that having the ostomy has improved everything about life.

-- Kirsten

I agree with Sara. Not many cons as long as everything is working the way it should--and for most people, that is the case. It's all in your outlook. For me, a j pouch was not an option, and I am ok with that. When I hear people complain about having to have a temp ileo and "feeling bad" for me because I have a permanent one I just want to scream sometimes...look at the good things this is giving you and realize its not a huge deal in the grand scheme of things.

My ileo gave me my life back and saved my life. That's enough of a pro to outweigh all cons. There is never a day that I'm not thankful for my surgery.

I'll second the no more Colonoscopy prep, almost as unpleasant as the procedure itself!

Now that I have my ileo I would never want to go back to the "old" way, and I am so very glad I never bothered myself with going the j-pouch route. Don't get me wrong, the j-pouch has it's advantages and many are very happy with theirs. It's just, for me, the ileo is just way too convenient. I hardly ever talk about my ileostomy with family and friends because it doesn't come up much. I don't even think about it 90% of the time. The other day though, after a couple of glasses of wine in each of us, my sisters started asking me questions and I answered honestly.

Even when I was healthy I used to have indigestion, and would become gassy. It is tough to deal with that situation at say, a quiet, all-day meeting. Also, even people with normal functioning colons have issues with holding it in when duty calls. A really gross example was the pile of poop that my mom and sister saw in a dept store last night because someone didn't want to get out of line for a good Black Friday deal. Or, how about the time it takes to go? For me, I am in and out of the bathroom now in five minutes. I remember holding it in a few times in high school because the bus was coming and I didn't have time to deal with pooping.

Once I gave my list of pros and cons to my sisters, with perfectly healthy colons, they both said the same thing: "Why don't we all have an ileostomy?"

If you can get used to it, and you can reason your way out of the emotional obstacles, there really is no reason why not to have one. Pooping out of one's butt is overrated!

I actually have already posted this blog. Click on the link in my signature if you want to check it out, and feel free to add comments at the bottom of it.

ostomy actually means a surgical procedure that creates an artificial opening - the prefixes denote the TYPE of ostomy, ILE - COLO, UR, JEJUN, etc.

The risk of a blockage is terrifying since I've heard they are extremely painful and can last from hours to days. (Fortunately, I have never experienced one myself.)

Fact, for you? Blockages happen withOUT an ostomy too...

allbluezoo said...
ostomy actually means a surgical procedure that creates an artificial opening - the prefixes denote the TYPE of ostomy, ILE - COLO, UR, JEJUN, etc.

Right. I didn't have room to list all of them off there, so I just included the two most common just so people reading know what I am generally talking about when I use the term in my blog... though I suppose I could update my definition to be a bit more accurate.

The first definition on the web (from Princeton) defines ostomy as , "an artificial opening for the elimination of bodily wastes"... so I guess I'll go with that one since it's a bit more clear.

Actually I did not mention the "possible blockage" as a con but now that you mention it, I feel it is definitely one. We don't spend time agonizing over it but respect the fact that it is a true concern and as such my husband does eat slower, chews food really well and he avoids things purposely that may present a problem. That doesn't mean it still can't happen but he makes a concerted effort to "TRY" to stay out of harms way.

I have 2 sheets of information I ran off from the UOAA concerning blockages....how to treat them at home & a sheet with instructions for the emergency room IN THE OFF CHANCE we go somewhere that doesn't totally know what they are doing. I keep these 2 sheets with his current supplies as well as a set with our travel documents just so we are prepared if this occurs.