funny question..

I have what is apparently a "spare tire" that I first was assuming was swelling from surgery. (I'm otherwise pretty thin to average)

Well...

As I'm working on my lungs (blood clots) and started to "loose" some of the spare tire I thought was swelling, I've noticed something.

The side my ileostomy is on bulges out further than the other side. And I'm not being distracted by appliances taking up room in my clothes. Imagine not having a stoma or bag or anything on the right of the belly button.. it still sticks out further than the left side.

Am I the only one?  and will my further surgeries trying to get a JPouch help this?

Jen

I had the same problem! I went to the surgeon to ask about it and he said that I could have lipo if I wanted to fix it. He and the nurse both said I was crazy that they couldn't see it,lol. But I had worked out like a crazy person to get a flat stomach and that was driving me nuts!
He did tell me that they way they make the cut doesn't cut the muscles that form the 6 pack look, so its not the actualcutting from the surgery that makes a difference.
I was actually fixing to make a post about something similar I have recently noticed when I do exercises where I lift my leg to my chest, I don't seem to be as flexible on the stoma side. I wonder if that side is weaker for some reason? And that causes the extra fat problem.

I have that too -- my nurse checked me for a hernia, said there isn't one, that's just how it healed. I had my surgery lapro too. I don't worry about it...

Good morning from HOT sunny Mississippi!!

I, too, have this same problem. It is way bothersome to me, but apparently no one else! I feel normal only when I put on the panty girdle (which I have grown to love!) and that seems to flatten everything smoothly. I wasn't sure about wearing them at first, but they are great. They are called Sweet Nothings and I buy them at WalMart. I will sometimes put on a pair of cotton panties first because my skin does sweat if the bag stays on there long and I am going to be outside. I am normally a size 10/12 and before my surgery I was a 6. So much sickness, so much weight loss! I am back up to "normal" again, so I also have had some issues with the bag fitting as I gained back up. All seems to be good now, there was a HUGE learning curve I knew nothing about... But now I do, and wish I could be at the hospital with the WOCN when they visit. I had a lousy one and learned all this the hard way, until I found this site! I love it and ALL of you!

Have a happy Saturday!

Mollie

I was lucky to have a nurse that had had an ileostomy herself in the past. She taught me much more than the WOCN nurse. The WOCN was in my room changing my bag when the other nurse came in to do meds or something. The other nurse was very polite while she watched the WOCN nurse change the bag. When the WOCN nurse was done, the experienced nurse is the one who ran over and put her hand over the wafer area and told me to just hold my hands over it for several minutes since the warmth from your hands will help it seal to your skin and stay better. The WOCN nurse looked confused and lost.