|
Having an operation can be an emotional experience, and being well prepared can help you to know what to expect. It is very natural to have questions Sometimes the information you are given before or after your operation can be overwhelming and difficult to take in all at once. In other cases, there might be issues you’d like to know more about. We’ve talked to specialist stoma nurses and people who have been through surgery just like you to find out what you really need to know before and after having a stoma.
We’ve gathered their experiences and advice in the booklets: 
The information, practical tips and advice in these booklets follows your phases of progress, so that you can find the information you need at the time you need it. The first few weeks after surgery are still early days, and there’s so much new information for you to take in. However, after the first few months, you’ll gradually begin to adapt to the physical changes in your body, and be ready to focus more on adjusting to your new life. You are getting back to the important business of enjoying life when you’ve reached the point where your stoma is no longer the focus of your life but just a part of it. Life with a stoma does involve many new challenges – and hopefully you’ll adjust to these. But everyone is different. So if you find that any particular area of your life is causing you concern, it’s important that you talk to someone about how you feel. This could be your stoma specialist nurse or carer who would be only too happy to help. You may also wish to get in touch with ostomy associations where you will probably find people who share your concerns or who have found ways of solving them.
The following topics cover some of the questions people tend to ask in connection with a ostomy. You can also use this list as a quick reference guide later on: Inevitably, there’ll be some issues that aren’t addressed – or some that you would like more information about. Similarly, the information is general and some of it may not apply to you. In addition to these pages, there are several other sections on this website that can help you through the first year after your operation:
|