HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Swimming

Support Forums
>
Ostomies
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 7/6/2012 6:31 PM (GMT 0)
Just thought I would tell you guys about some recent accomplishments. Ever since I got my ostomy I figured that going swimming was over with for me. I got in contact with a friend of my moms about making something to cover my bag so I can swim in public. She's awesome at sewing so I basically described what I wanted and she made a few of them. If anyone has seen the stealthbelt, it's kinda like that. She made some out of swimming suit material and some stretchy material.
So anyway the first time I tried it was in a friend of mines pool. I was a little nervous at first but everything was good. With this thing you have to wear the bag sideways which is kind of weird for me, but it kept the bag somewhat dry, I had no leaks and I had fun.
I also went on my friends boat yesterday for about 12 hours and I ended up even trying wakeboarding. I got up once, but face planted quite a few times and drank a bunch of really nasty water. I took a bunch of immodium so that I would not have to go to the bathroom and lasted most of the day but then it filled with gas so we had to stop.
Anyways, I just thought I would tell people that understand. I hope everyone had a great week.
Posted 7/6/2012 6:45 PM (GMT 0)
well done Brian! and wakeboarding too.. fantastic. I get it.. I was so excited to go waterskiing on holiday at Easter.. it just made me feel so normal.
Posted 7/6/2012 7:36 PM (GMT 0)
Excellent, Brian! Sounds fun, and so glad you've reached this point. Been such a long road for you. How are you feeling?

Also, how is your wound doing? I've been swimming 3 times a week. Mine is still a tiny bit open -- surgeon said to avoid lakes and ponds because they have a lot more bacteria in them (pools are OK, not awesome; he said the ocean was good for it). Not sure if Lake Michigan counts, if that's where you were, as it's so big.

I make sure to wash the wound w/hibiclens right after I swim, just to be extra careful ... have not had any problems.

I'm wearing kind of a homemade tankini.... the bottoms are women's running shorts w/underwear built in -- a lot like men's swim trunks. I found that they hold the bag fine, w/out an extra belt (wore one when I started). Cool that you have a custom designed belt though....

Have fun!
Posted 7/6/2012 8:49 PM (GMT 0)
That's awesome, Brian! So happy for you! :-)
Posted 7/7/2012 11:45 PM (GMT 0)
Is swimming really alowed? My surgeons say no. It's the only exercise I like. I just got this thing, will post a hello, but wanted to hear about this subject.
Posted 7/8/2012 12:49 AM (GMT 0)
Ironmom- I love it! It's great to actually continue doing things I used to do before my surgery. I am the type of person that likes to be adventurous, take risks etc... One of these days I need to try skydiving. lol

Blueglass- I am doing pretty good.
I am low on Iron and my wound is opening up a little. It was getting there until I was done with my infusions. I have been trying to get ahold of my nurse, but it's not easy.
When I went swimming, it was packed. Then when I got home I flushed it with the Microcyn and then dressed it with the ulta silvergel. Both are supposed to be good at killing bacteria.
The place I went boating/wakeboarding is the Fox Chain O lakes. I'm still sore lol. Although I am supposed to take the dog to a dog beach at Lake Michigan.
This thing that my moms friend made is awesome. It keeps the bag really close to my body. I wasn't worried about anything happening cause it has a lot of support. I even had my shirt off most of the time on the boat with 8 other people and they didn't say anything. I sure got a lot of sunburn though because it was 100 degrees and sunny.

Here is a pic of the belt. It has a cool zipper at the bottom for emptying and it also keeps the bag mostly dry, which is cool.
http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss184/ThirdgenTa/100_9866-2.jpg

Flchurchlady. Thanks!

Alcie-. How far are you out from surgery? I think once you are all healed up you should be able to swim like normal.
Posted 7/8/2012 6:52 PM (GMT 0)
Brian, wow that belt is impressive! I just took a beginning sewing class, so I think I appreciate even more how skilled the sewer is.

Sounds like you're striking a good balance between caution and risk. It's just so nice to hear that you're going out and having fun and able to push your body a bit. You've been through so much, so nice if things could ease a bit.
Posted 7/8/2012 6:56 PM (GMT 0)
Brian -
Thanks for asking. I'm a month out of the surgery for the colostomy but only 3 weeks from the much larger second surgery with 7" incision for repair of small bowel and blockage. The staples are out of that one now but it's still not completely healed. I was told no swimming, never, ever by ostomy nurse. I'm not even supposed to shower facing the shower head, so I've been using a piece of Press and Seal to keep it dry.

Is there a difference in surgeries? I really can't imagine what to do with all the junk attached to my belly - how I would keep it from coming loose. The darn things come loose every couple of days at best. My ostomy is in a groove, sort of a fold in my belly skin.
Posted 7/9/2012 5:53 PM (GMT 0)
Alcie- I'm not sure why your ostomy nurse would tell you that. Once our wounds are healed we can swim.
I'm not sure what the press and seal is, but a number of us use Sure Seals. Ever since I started using these I could take better showers. I can let the water go all over me instead of sticking one limb in at a time trying to keep the whole appliance dry.
My stoma is somewhat close to my belly button so what I do is I cut about a half inch off the wafer so it misses my belly button I also do that with the sure seals and it makes sure that water doesn't go underneith. I can usually go about 4-5 days before I need a change and that's even with getting everything wet.
Posted 7/9/2012 7:03 PM (GMT 0)
This sounds great!  Lately I have been loosly wrapping a bandage around my abdomen and that is working really well with my tankini.  I wondered how men did it, seeing as their whole upper body is exposed and definitely more difficult to cover the bag that way.  Glad you figured it all out and are having fun!!!
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply