The biggest change that I found with chemo, and I know that a lot of other people found this too, is constipation and diarrhoea just becomes much more extreme.

So, for I had my chemo on a Wednesday and I was super constipated until the Sunday.

So, I was always constipated from the Wednesday until the Sunday, and then from the Sunday it was explosive diarrhoea for the next few days. So that’s a pattern, I think it’s the chemo drugs themselves, but also steroids and all of the anti-sickness tablets, all those drugs that go into your system, it then bungs you up literally for a few days and it can be pretty uncomfortable too.

So, it can be pretty sore because you feel bloated and you just feel like you, you just feel like you need a release.

But the biggest thing that I found was when it then all came out, I think it’s called purging, but when it all came out it was it was really explosive.

It was even fizzy. I found you know some points it even seemed like it was quite fizzy. So, it was really extreme.

What I found and one of the things I will mention later is that it filled more than a bag when the diarrhoea came so you can get higher output bags and I wish I’d realised that at the time because that would have made it easier. So, I was always I always stuck close to a toilet from Saturday evening, all day Sunday.

I always stuck somewhere close to a toilet and hung around in the house, which was my kind of way of getting around it

And another change that I made at that time was I switched to the convex bags. I hadn’t used the convex bags and I had had leaks, so as soon as I switched to convex bags, the soft convex bags I didn’t have any more leaks and they really helped during chemotherapy.

Sometimes you need to rush to the toilet when you do need to go and when you start to have diarrhoea, you really need to get to a toilet quickly. So, I prepped some little bags.

I had some little kind of bags ready there to go so that I could just grab them and run into the toilet rather than having to mess about and look for where my bags? Where are my wipes? So, you know, have those handy.

So, another top tip that I got, the stoma nurses suggested to me to use drainable bags. I’d been using closed bags until then, but that’s when I switched to using drainable bags and it really was a lifesaver. It’s a lifesaver to use drainable bags during chemo, and I still use them because I personally I think they’re just much better, but they’re definitely really helpful during chemo treatment.

So, I just find that having the bag itself is fine for me, but the I did learn very quickly to use the barrier wipes. Barrier wipes are brilliant.

I mean, my routine is very simple. I just have the bag and the barrier wipes and that’s it.

So, you know I’m pretty lucky, but I think finding the right bag is particularly important for that. I know that people said that to me at the start.

I used quite a few different bags until I found the one that was right for me and then I would stick with that and touch wood, touch everything, that that’s you know that works really well for me.

Practical tips when chemotherapy impacts your output

• Consider increasing your pouch size. Check how much your pouch holds with your stoma care nurse and see if a bigger option is needed.
• Think drainable. If you are experiencing higher levels of output, a drainable pouch you can empty as needed might be a better solution. This will help protect your skin from multiple changes.
• Why not create stoma kits in your bathroom. Include your pouch and any accessory you need plus disposable bags, wipes etc in an easy to reach place when you’re in a rush.
• Make sure your routine is secure against leakage. Chat to your stoma care nurses about convex pouches or an absorbent seal to help create a snug fit around your stoma.