The Spoonie Mummy

This blog post is written from my experience of living with an ostomy | I am not a medical professional | Please seek advice from your stoma nurse or doctor if you are concerned about your stoma/health

A common worry among ostomates is when they notice their ostomy has changed shape or size. What does it mean? Do they need to go hospital? Will it go back to normal? Well, there are a few reasons that it can happen and this post is here to explain them!

1 | Post Surgery

When you see your stoma for the first time, it can be a big thing. And while I mean emotionally, I mean the stoma tends to also be a big thing!

Following surgery your stoma will be swollen and it will take a couple of months for it to completely settle down. During this time your stoma nurse should be in regular contact, helping you manage your bag changes and new life with an ostomy. It is important they regularly measure your stoma at this stage, as the size changes a lot, and you need to ensure you are cutting your bags correctly. Get them to teach you how to measure your stoma too, so you know how to do it should any of the other things in this list crop up!

2 | Pregnancy

Ladies! If you are pregnant with an ostomy, as the bump grows, so will your stoma!

It is a good idea to keep in regular contact with your stoma nurse during pregnancy, as different things can crop up. Along with the stoma changing shape and size, you may also need to change the products you use.

Read more about pregnancy with a stoma – Pregnancy With an Ostomy by Guest Blogger Stephie from Colitis To Ostomy

3 | Normal movements

Have you noticed that when you clean your stoma, it will shrink? Throughout a normal day, your stoma may grow and shrink and this is totally normal movement of the bowel.

While you can see this happen at bag changes for example, the size of your stoma (and therefore the hole you cut into your bags) should not be affected by this. For most it is just a bit cool or weird to see!

4 | Blockages

Now I have had my stoma for 7 and a half years, the only time I tend to see a size change is when I have or have just had a blockage.

I will talk more about signs of blockages in another post but my stoma tends to swell and can also sometimes retract, meaning it becomes more flush to the skin when I have had a blockage and for a day or two after it has cleared. I know some people have their bags cut for them y their delivery company, but i cut my own, meaning if something like this happens I can measure and cut my bag accordingly.

5 | Parastomal Hernia

If you have a parastomal hernia (a hernia behind your stoma) you may also experience a change in the shape and size of your stoma.

If you suspect a hernia, you should already be in contact with your team. Like in pregnancy, you may need to change the products you use depending on the size of the hernia.

6 | Prolapse

If you experience a stoma prolapse, you should speak to your stoma nurse. Some people experience these regularly – you can read Chris’s story about living with regular stoma prolapses here.

Depending on how severe the prolapse is, you may see a change in the size of your stoma and need to cut your bags larger to accommodate this.

It is important to make sure you are measuring your stoma, or ask your stoma nurse to, so you can cut your bags correctly should any of these things happen. Cut them too small and you risk the bag cutting into your stoma and potential leaks. Cut it too big and the skin around your stoma is exposed to output and can become sore.

Have you experienced a change in the size and shape of your stoma? Was it one of these things that caused it? Let me know int he comments below.

Take care,

Natalie

The Spoonie Mummy