Depending on the country you live in you will have different options, but in general, you can obtain your supplies via:

1. Your local pharmacist
2. From a delivery company
3. From a stoma association

Local Pharmacist
Your local pharmacist may know you and you may want to continue going there because you know you can trust them and perhaps you have used them before for medication. That can be reassuring, that they know your story and they can understand the importance of obtaining your supplies in a timely manner. However, if you are new to a town and the pharmacist doesn’t know you and you’re not achieving a good service that you would expect, there are other options.

Delivery company
The primary advantage is that it is an anonymous service. None of your neighbours will know you are getting stoma supplies delivered. It will be in a plain brown box with your name and address on it and nothing else to identify that you are getting stoma supplies.

Advantage of a Stoma association
In some countries you have the option to get your supplies from your local stoma association. They are a good idea for some people because people who are in stoma associations have stomas themselves. They understand the need to obtain your stoma supplies in a timely and orderly manner.

One thing we would advise you to do is, if you are using your chemist, your delivery service or stoma association and you are not happy with the service you are obtaining, go speak to your stoma care nurse or go online and look for different options. You don’t have to put up with poor service and there are lots of different options; they all have their benefits and it would be good for you to be able to trust that you are going to get your supplies when you want them and where you want them delivered to – and that you remain in control of this part of living with your stoma.