All things Christmas with a stoma

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The magic of Christmas is upon us, and for ostomates, navigating the holiday season can bring unique considerations. Let’s explore how to embrace all things Christmas while ensuring your stoma care remains a top priority, allowing you to fully participate in the celebrations.

Stoma supplies

Start by ensuring you have an ample supply of your preferred ostomy products to provide you with comfort and confidence throughout the holiday season.

eakin® seals, with their adaptability to your body’s movements, provide the confidence to partake in all things Christmas. Whether it’s dancing to your favourite holiday tunes, engaging in a friendly snowball fight, or simply enjoying a cozy evening by the fireplace, these seals offer a secure fit, allowing you to focus on the festive spirit.

Food and drink

Consider the potential impact of certain foods on your stoma, and make informed choices to support your digestive health. Hydration is equally important especially if enjoying some alcoholic drinks, so keep a water bottle handy to ensure you stay well-hydrated throughout the celebrations.

Social events

Find moments to recharge, practice deep breathing, and enjoy the company of loved ones. If you experience any discomfort or concerns related to your stoma, take a moment for self-care and address them promptly. If your visiting friends and family it’s a good idea to be prepared and know where the bathroom is and keep your supplies nearby.

Travelling over Christmas

Order your supplies in good time. If you are travelling by plane don’t forget your travel certificate and packing list to ensure you have everything you need. If you are going skiing there are support belts available to help protect your stoma. eakin contourTM flange extenders will also be helpful as they bend, stretch and move with you allowing you to get on with your daily activities in complete confidence. 

Christmas is a time of joy, love, and togetherness. By being prepared with your stoma supplies and relying on supportive products, you can revel in the magic of the season, creating lasting memories without compromising your comfort. Here’s to a festive and carefree Christmas with your stoma!

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Stoma blockages from seasonal overload

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The holiday season is a time of indulgence, and while the festive feasts are a delight, ostomates need to be mindful of the potential for blockages. The abundance of rich, hearty foods can pose challenges for those with a stoma.

Festive foods, often high in fibre, can contribute to thicker output and a higher risk of blockages. While fibre is essential for overall health, it’s crucial for ostomates to strike a balance to help keep your stoma working effectively.

We have compiled a list of our top tips on how to prevent stoma blockages during the festive period:

  • Opt for cooked and peeled fruits and vegetables, since the skin typically contributes more towards stoma blockages.
  • Be mindful of the foods that typically cause you blockages and try to minimise these. Of course, everyone is different – only you truly know your stoma.
  • Chewing thoroughly is another simple yet effective practice to prevent blockages. Taking the time to savour your food can aid digestion and reduce the likelihood of causing issues in the stoma.
  • Stay well-hydrated throughout the festivities. Adequate fluid intake helps maintain the proper consistency of stoma output, reducing the risk of blockages.

If you do happen to get a stoma blockage this Christmas, here are a few suggestions on how to get rid of the blockage:

  • Drink more fluids to flush away the blockage.
  • Enjoy a warm bath to ease the discomfort.
  • Attempt to manipulate your stomach muscles to help stimulate your bowel.
  • Contact your stoma worse if the symptoms worsen or last longer than 12 hours.

If the pain becomes severe or you become dehydrated, call the doctor or ask someone to take you to the hospital. It is important that you do not take laxatives or any medication without speaking to your doctor. Unless your health care professionals have advised you to, do not insert anything into your stoma.

If you are vomiting and or you have no output, you should not drink or eat anything. Don’t wait too long to call a doctor, if you feel something isn’t right, please do seek advice.

By being mindful of your dietary choices and practicing good stoma care habits, you can navigate the festive season without compromising your digestive health.

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Ballooning over the Christmas period

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Christmas is fast approaching and with it comes a lot of fun and laughter. However, for ostomates, it may also come with a unique challenge known as “ballooning.” This is where gas accumulates in the pouch, it can be a source of discomfort, but it easily managed.

Ballooning occurs when gas builds up in the pouch, causing it to inflate. This is a common issue for ostomates, and the indulgent foods that go hand-in-hand with the holiday season can also contribute to increased gas production. The good news is that there are things you can do to minimise the impact of ballooning and enjoy the festivities with confidence.

To address ballooning, consider making dietary adjustments. Identify foods that are known to cause excess gas, such as carbonated drinks or vegetables such as cabbage or Brussels sprouts. While it’s not necessary to eliminate these entirely, moderating your intake of these over the festive period can help to control gas production.

Regularly emptying your pouch and keeping on top of your stoma care routine can also help prevent ballooning. By maintaining a stable routine, you can release excess gas and ensure your pouch remains comfortable and discreet.

With eakin dot® 2-piece you can discreetly peel down part of your pouch to be able to release the build-up of gas and just click the pouch back on. This is also handy to be able to just change your pouch rather than your baseplate over the festive season. 

This holiday season don’t let the potential for ballooning dampen your spirits. By making thoughtful dietary choices and practicing good pouch management, you can navigate the festivities with ease and enjoy the celebrations to the fullest.

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Looking after your mental health post Christmas

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The holiday season can be both joyful and demanding, and as ostomates, it’s essential to prioritise mental health, especially in the aftermath of Christmas. January can bring a mix of emotions, from post-celebration bliss to potential challenges of the new year ahead.

Reflecting on the holiday season, it’s natural to encounter a range of emotions. Whether it’s the joy of spending time with loved ones or the exhaustion of navigating social events, taking a moment to acknowledge and process these feelings is crucial.

In the post-Christmas period, ensure you allocate time for self-care activities that bring you comfort and relaxation. Whether it’s reading a book, enjoying a warm bath, or practicing mindfulness, these moments are vital for mental well-being. We have prepared a short-list of recommendation activities to help ease the January blues:

Plan new adventures

  • Explore short breaks or holidays, brining excitement and anticipation for future plans.

Outdoor exercise

  • Break the indoor monotony with short outdoor stints, as even 10-15 minutes of fresh air can uplift mood.

Realistic goal setting

  • Adjust overstated New Year’s resolutions, recognising the need for realistic goals.

Creative distractions

  • Engage in immersive creative activities for a distraction from low feelings, investing just 5 minutes initially.

Balanced diet

  • Opt for a balanced diet over sugary and carbohydrate-rich foods, reducing stimulants like alcohol and caffeine for better sleep.

Daylight utilisation

  • Maximise daylight exposure, even indoors, with screen breaks and short outdoor breathers to enhance mood.

Acceptance of “Blue Days”

  • Embrace occasional low moments, acknowledging feelings while avoiding prolonged stagnation. Sometimes, self-care involves cozy loungewear, a warm beverage, and a binge-worthy TV series.

Products

  • The post Christmas, January blues, can really get you down so why not take the worry of leaks away by using an eakin® seal!

  • eakin® seals are the number 1 seal on the market for absorbency1 and mouldability2, capturing any output that’s not made its way into your bag and allowing you shape and stretch to your body and stoma shape, providing you with a secure fit and protecting against leaks. 

Remember, prioritising mental health is a continuous process. By acknowledging and addressing your emotions, you’re taking significant steps towards a positive and fulfilling post-Christmas experience.

1. McGroggan G, Haughey S and McDowell K (2018) An absorbent, enzyme-inhibiting seal reduces peristomal skin complications. Gastrointestinal Nursing 16:1 42-4
2. T.G. Eakin Laboratory Testing Summary report, ostomy seals 2023 (Data on file) EA-005683-ST

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The importance of managing your diet with a stoma at Christmas

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Winter is a magical time filled with festive gatherings, delicious treats, and hearty meals. However, for those with a stoma, managing dietary choices is important to ensure comfort and confidence throughout the festive period.

Despite having a colostomy, ileostomy, or urostomy, you can relish most of your favourite holiday indulgences. The key is to maintain a balanced diet. While enjoying sweets, be mindful of excess sugar and fats, as they can lead to problems with your stoma.

Chewing thoroughly is also vital, especially for those with an ileostomy or short bowel, aiding nutrient absorption. Opt for smaller, frequent meals instead of one large feast to prevent gas and discomfort.

Staying hydrated is equally as important, especially during the festive chaos! Dehydration can lead to thicker output.As you enjoy the festivities, remember to drink an adequate amount of water to keep your body hydrated and your stoma functioning smoothly.

If you notice a change to your stoma output, you may wish to consider using products like eakin performTM or eakin Cohesive® seals to help thicken stoma output and create a secure fit around your stoma bag to reduce the risk of any leaks or accidents this festive period and ensure security and comfort with your stoma.

Navigating the festive season with a stoma is easily done and shouldn’t hold you back from enjoying yourself! By being mindful of your stoma and incorporating the right products into your stoma care routine, you can enjoy the Christmas period with confidence, knowing you have the support you need for a worry-free celebration.

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My stoma, my way: Managing uneven skin around your stoma

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Finding products that fit the shape of you

Just like your stoma, your body is completely unique and truthfully, not many of us have an entirely flat tummy! So it’s important you find a stoma routine that fits and shapes to your body curves or contours.

The skin around your stoma may be uneven due to creases, scars or skin folds.  Stand up and sit down and have a look how your body shape or skin around your stoma changes during activities you would be repeating many times during a day. Your pouch goes through a lot! 

You may have also found recently changes in body shape has resulted in more pronounced uneven skin or different challenges. If:

  • you have lost or gained weight
  • your body is changing if you are pregnant
  • have a hernia or bulge/swelling around your stoma
  • your stoma is placed close to scarring or your hipbone as a result of your surgery
  • your stoma is close to the skin level – not protruding far.

You may be finding if more difficult to find a secure, consistent fit with your stoma care products. 

Seals and paste are a really good solution to achieving a more even surface. While uneven skin is normal and your pouch should be able to flex while you move, it is really important to apply a pouch to as flat a surface as possible. This is to aid in initial adhesion but also ongoing stick during use which can help prevent leakages which in turn can lead to sore skin.

Choosing a mouldable seal that shapes to your body and can fill any dips or creases can help to create a smooth abdominal area for your pouch to adhere too. A mouldable seal can be placed around the stoma and gently shaped into any crease or, you can break the seal, roll a section and fill in a larger dip if required. Another option to fill in any space around your stoma is paste which can be applied and pushed into any dip. While paste can be applied with your finger, a top tip is to apply it using a cotton bud/Q-tip if you find it sticky. 

We’ve done the testing! Click here to find out more about the most mouldable seals available. 

If you have any concerns about your stoma care routine, always speak to your stoma care nurse.

My stoma, my way: Changing stoma shape or size

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Finding products that fit the shape of you

Just like your abdomen can be flat or more rounded during the day, your stoma is a part of you that can change shape and size quite regularly.

In the early days, just after surgery you will find your stoma is swollen or slightly larger – that’s completely normal. During the first 6-8 weeks of having a stoma you will find it may change shape and reduce in size as the swelling eases and your stoma settles into its more regular shape. Stomas can be anything from 15mm right up to 100mm but typically they settle around 30 – 40mm depending on your type of stoma with urostomies being smallest and colostomies or loop stomas sometime larger.

After those first few weeks though, don’t be surprised if some days your stoma feels a bit larger or more pronounced than others – just like your tummy can be bloated occasionally. A stoma changing shape and size is completely normal as output is released or you move around – stand up then sit down and see how your abdomen and stoma changes. Other things such as weight gain or loss, pregnancy, hernias or if you have a prolapsed stoma can result in a stoma obviously changing in shape or protrusion.

With this in mind, it is important that you are finding products that fit to the shape of you! If you don’t adapt your baseplate cutting or add an accessory, you could find you experience leaks. If the baseplate hole is too big then the skin around the stoma will be exposed to output and at risk of skin damage. While if the hole is too small the bag won’t adhere to the skin securely or it could be too tight around your stoma.

First thing we would suggest is to regularly measure your stoma – just to make sure the size you are cutting is as accurately as possible. You may however find it hard to achieve an accurate or consistent template if your stoma is changing often or you are just concerned it isn’t completely secure. In this case you may wish to use a seal that is flexible and moulds securely around your stoma then place the baseplate on top. Any inaccuracies in the cut of the baseplate will be covered by the seal securely placed underneath the pouch.

eakin Cohesive® seals and eakin freeseal® are both proven to be the most mouldable of all seals tested – meaning you can be confident you can fit them to the shape of you each time.

To sample or find out more information, click here!

If you have any concerns about your stoma care routine, always speak to your stoma care nurse.

My stoma, my way: Stoma close to skin level

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Finding products that fit the shape of you

If your stoma is close to skin level or even slightly below it (known as a flush stoma), you may be finding it harder to achieve a secure fit. These are called flush or retracted stomas and are becoming more common so you’re not alone.

You may have always had a stoma closer to the skin surface and that is how your stoma was fashioned during surgery, but if you have seen a difference in protrusion speak to your stoma care nurse – it may be due to changes in weight, pregnancy or a hernia developing but it is important to have your stoma checked if you notice a big change.

It is important to speak to your stoma care nurse to ensure that you have the right pouching system to help with your stoma protrusion and prevent leaks from occurring. If you’re currently using a flat pouch, you could discuss trying a convex pouch. Convex pouches are designed to provide gentle pressure to help your stoma protrude further into the pouch and create a better seal between the pouch and your skin.

Sometimes even when using a convex pouch, you may still experience leaks under the baseplate just like with any other stoma so the addition of a seal may be needed. With a flush stoma is it however important to consider the thickness of the seal and ability to mould to the edge of the stoma and allow that secure, unique fit. The convex pouch is there to help with stoma protrusion into the pouch and therefore considering a thin yet absorbent seal for added protection is important. The seal will absorb any output around the base of the stoma and help prevent leaks from occurring, protecting your skin around the stoma.

Click here to find out about eakin freeseal®, specifically designed for use with convex pouches.

If you have any concerns about your stoma care routine, always speak to your stoma care nurse.

International Nurses Day 2023 – Marjon Gerbrands

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Can you tell us a fun fact about yourself?
I’m a nurse but never worked in a hospital – I worked in a nursing home for 26 years, then after my children where born (in 1989 and 1994) I sought additional training and education within my field. Last year, at the age of 58, I did my ‘final’ training (I guess) for stoma care nurse and this should be the last one, but you never know….

How did you get into nursing?
My mother used to work in homecare, which got my interest – and after my best friend told me she studied at a nice nursing school, I was convinced to follow her. Actually, I started in elderly care and then studied further to specialise, after my children were born.

How long have you been working for eakin?
I’ve been working for eakin since the May 1st 2016. That’s 7 years already!

What does your role involve?
When I started at eakin, I was in the role of Area Manager and visited hospital nurses at the outpatient clinic. Due to Covid-19, I was unable to visit hospitals and began advising and supporting patients who requested samples at eakin. With good advice and support, we can really help people with a stoma. That’s why I started the Stoma Care Nurse education so I can help, advise and support the use of our products to ostomates and nurse professionals. As a clinical nurse, I also provide bedside teaching for our wound care products.

What is your favourite part of being a stoma nurse?
To help improve the quality of life of an ostomate with help of our products. Every ostomate is unique. Searching for an ideal solution for individual needs is my daily drive – even if it’s not with our products, since it all depends on the individual, skin condition, lifestyle etc. But I’m really happy that I’m able to help people with my advice and our products.

What does being a nurse mean to you?
Take care of other people and help them to get a better life or quality of life, as mentioned earlier.