Summer is a season of warm sunshine, outdoor fun, overseas adventures, and entire pop albums’ worth of romance. Yet, if you have an ostomy, the season might create consternation.
Fortunately, managing your colostomy doesn’t have to get in the way of summertime fun.
How To Enjoy Summer With an Ostomy
There’s no one right way to have a fun summer while taking care of your ostomy system.
1. Don’t Let Sweat Slow You Down
Summer is a great season to get up and active. But, working up a sweat can make people nervous their ostomy bag might detach.
The concern is valid. So is the solution. To keep your ostomy system secure while you run, bike, or dance, use a strong, sweatproof adhesive. Water-resistant sprays like Mastisol Liquid Medical Adhesive Spray will hold your stoma plate on tight while you sweat—so you’ll never have to miss a beat.
2. Use Summertime “Life Hacks” To Reduce Bowel Sweat In Ostomy Bag
Bowel sweat is the fluid (mucous) our intestines naturally produce to stay lubricated and pass stools easily. Excess bowel sweat can cause some annoyance.
While it’s most often dealt with through irrigation, the summer season prompts creative solutions. Like…make a few s’mores!
Eating marshmallows—whether they’re campfire s’mores or hot cocoa toppers—is a reliable way to modestly reduce stoma output. They’re thickeners, and they can reduce diarrhea as well.
Other popular, thickening camping and road trip foods include peanut butter, bananas, and cranberries.
3. Choose The Best Ostomy Swimwear For Your Style
Colostomy swimwear is a series of garments designed with interior pockets. The pocket holds and cushions an ostomy bag discreetly, while the midriff fabric of the swim shorts or tankini top covers everything comfortably.
Discrete, cushioning belts, like the Nu-Comfort Belt, can also prevent the ostomy pouch from “pancaking” under clothes or swimwear. Note: these belts are not intended to replace adhesive.
Others don’t want to conceal their ostomies while swimming. In those cases, a stylish, waterproof pouch cover can keep the system safe while your abs get some sun. The protective Ostique Sk.ns Ostomy Pouch Cover comes in different colors to match your suit.
4. Going To The Beach With a Stoma? Bring Barrier Extenders
A day at the beach calls for extra stoma pouch security. Bring some CeraPlus Barrier Extenders, waterproof plate extensions for long, extra-active days. They empower your ostomy bag to adhere to a greater surface area of your body, making it easier to move comfortably without worrying about it slipping loose.
Moreover, its hydrocolloid adhesive creates a tight seal. Thus, it protects both the stoma and the peristomal skin from water and irritating grains of sand alike.
5. Don’t Forget Sunscreen & Aftersun Lotions
It’s wise to bring plenty of water in portable bottles, sunscreen, and aftersun care ointments to the beach. Or anytime you’re outside in the summer sun.
Aftersun solutions with aloe vera, like Regenecare HA Wound Care Gel with 2% Lidocaine, are particularly helpful if you experience any sunburn.
On that note, make sure that if you’re using moisturizers, they’re compatible with sunscreen!
6. Ostomy Tips & Tricks On Summer Vacation
Keep a few tips in mind if you’re heading out on vacation.
Ostomy supplies can set off TSA alerts. Be sure to bring a medical certificate to present to airport security if you’re flying anywhere.
If you’re sharing a hotel room or van on your trip, take precautions against odors. Consider using anti-odor products, like the m9 Unscented Odor Eliminator Spray.
Keep a water bottle or thermos on yourself at all times, so you can easily drink when you’re thirsty.
Stoma Care FAQs: Summer Edition
Discover the ins and outs of thriving with your ostomy in the summer.
When Is The Best Time to Shower With an Ostomy Pouch Off?
If you want to shower with your ostomy pouch off, track your ostomy bag’s fluid levels throughout the day. Recognize patterns, and shower when your stoma is less active. Showering first thing in the morning is common.
However, sometimes changes (like adapting to a summer schedule) can change your stoma’s output patterns. In those cases, consider showering with a waterproof stoma bag or cap.
People with ostomies have praised Colorplast’s waterproof pouches, like the SenSura Mio One-Piece MIDI Drainable Pouch. It’s so effectively waterproof, it doesn’t need to be dried after exiting the shower.
Is Colostomy Swimwear Safe?
Yes, swimwear designed to accommodate an ostomy pouch is typically safe.
That said, it isn’t always waterproof. Make sure your stoma is covered by something watertight.
Which Foods Are Vacation-Friendly And Stoma-Smart?
The right diet can make digestion easier to handle. Fortunately, the United Ostomy Associations of America published a helpful food reference chart to help people with ostomies plan their meals.
Small, frequent meals and probiotics are wise choices no matter where you are.
While on vacation, try the local versions of the odor-control foods on the chart. Consider trying non-dairy ice cream, smoothies with fresh tropical fruit, flaky fresh-caught fish, or fork-tender barbecue meats.
If you’ll be in transit for a while and need some small meals, try snacking on prunes, raisins, whole grains, or “dippable” fruits and vegetables.
How Much Water Should An Ostomate Drink In Hot Weather?
Ostomies don’t create a need for extra water. But, staying hydrated is good for everyone.
Most adults stay healthy drinking 64 oz – 80 oz of water per day, in normal weather. However, hot days cause people to sweat. A person outside can lose ~3 more liters of water through sweat than they do on an average day.
That said, you don’t have to (and shouldn’t) try to compensate by replenishing it completely. Instead, pay attention to your body’s thirst. Drinking every time you’re thirsty is the most effective way to stay hydrated.
Ostomy Supplies For a Safe, Fun Summer
Shop Medical Monks’ curated selection of excellent ostomy care supplies online today. Questions? Please reach out through our contact page.
The MEDICAL MONKS STAFF brings to the table decades of combined knowledge and experience in the medical products industry.
Edited for content by JORDAN GAYSO.
