highlight - For Women and Men
For Women
If you use the pill, you may need to change your birth control—particularly if you’ve had an ileostomy. Oral contraceptives are often not absorbed with a shorter small intestine. Talk to your doctor or stoma nurse about the best form of birth control for you.
After surgery, many women experience vaginal dryness. Try a lubricant, or ask your doctor about other options to treat vaginal dryness.
For Men
Some men may experience erectile dysfunction symptoms (i.e., achieving / sustaining an erection or inability to ejaculate) the first time they are intimate following surgery. Don’t worry or panic! This can often occur—it may be related to the surgery itself or to worries / concerns over being intimate post-surgery. If you experience continued problems maintaining an erection, call your healthcare provider. Most likely, there is a solution.
Maggie Tretton, @maggietretton
Maggie received her stoma at the age of 16. Originally, she had gone in for a resection of her terminal ileum and colon due to Crohn's disease. A few days after this surgery, she started having severe pain and it was discovered that her newly-connected intestines had fallen apart, leaving her with peritonitis. She was brought into emergency surgery and woke up with an ileostomy. She is now one of the biggest stoma content creators in the world as is known on YouTube as Let's Talk IBD. Through her online presence, she has engaged with tens of thousands of ostomates globally, offering advice on leading a healthy life with a stoma.
Featured Articles
10/10/2024
me plus Community
Travel
Travelling with a Stoma Bag: What to Pack
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Diet
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Living with a Stoma: Hydration
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Fashion
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Everyday life
Tips for Managing Anxiety After Stoma Surgery
One of the biggest worries for people who have recently had stoma surgery is what other people will think.
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Returning to Work with a Stoma
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Back to school with a stoma
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Activity
Exercise After Stoma Surgery: Back to Basics
No matter what level of physical activity you want to pursue, stoma surgery shouldn’t hold you back.
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Everyday life
Bathing or showering with a Stoma
Showering or bathing with a stoma should not interfere with your regular cleaning routine. Here are some tips on bath...
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Everyday life
Peristomal Skin Care
Knowing how to identify irritated skin around your stoma early and keeping it healthy could help avoid greater compli...