How To Improve Sleep Quality With An Ostomy

Trouble sleeping due to worries about rolling over the pouch or leakage is not an uncommon issue. Most new ostomates have this concern. The good thing is that you can consider different options to improve sleep quality with an ostomy.

Tips to improve post-ostomy sleep quality

Is it possible to have good sleep quality with an ostomy? Yes, but you might have to make some adjustments to make sure that you do not get up abruptly from sleep. The type of adjustments will depend on the procedure you have had.

A few tips that may help you have a worry-free sleep at night with an ostomy include the following.

1. To prevent rolling on your ostomy pouch, you may want to put pillows on your sides.
2. You will want your ostomy pouch to remain tightly held against your abdomen, so you may want to wear a little snug shirt.
3. If possible, sleep on your back. It will help you prevent rolling on your pouch.
4. Before going to bed, you might want to empty your pouch. It will help you prevent having to get up in the middle of the night due to the risk of leakage.

Pouching options for different types of ostomies

Using the right type of ostomy pouch is the key to prevent leakages and other issues related to ostomy care. There is a wide range of ostomy supplies available to meet the requirements of all types of ostomies. To make ostomy care even more effective and comfortable, you may want to use different accessories.

Now, we will discuss different options for different surgery types.

Urostomy surgery

If you have a urostomy, you are going to have to use an ostomy pouch, which will be different from ones used to manage intestinal ostomies. The valve at the bottom of a urostomy pouch allows you to attach a night drainage system, which collects urine from the pouch while you sleep. The most significant benefit of this drainage system is that it eliminates the need to get up during the night, even if you have a high output.

Ileostomy or colostomy surgery

With a colostomy or ileostomy, you might have to get up in any part of the night to empty your ostomy pouch. Aside from emptying your pouch before going to bed, you may have to follow some dietary precautions to avoid the pouch overfill. The dietary adjustment may involve avoiding eating at particular times to prevent the stoma from functioning during the night. You can discuss this situation with your doctor to get some additional tips regarding the dietary adjustment to improve the quality of your life. As far as ostomy care is concerned, you will want to discuss it with an ostomy care nurse. He or she will give you suggestions regarding the ostomy pouch management to improve sleep quality.

Adjusting to life with an ostomy can take time, but once you adapt to this bowel change, you will be able to live to the fullest.

 

Things You May Want To Know About Having An Ileostomy

An opening or stoma made of the small bowel onto the surface of the abdomen is known as an ileostomy.

After ileostomy surgery, your stools will pass out of the stoma instead of your anus. Because there will be no sphincter muscles in the stoma, you will have to wear an ostomy bag over it the entire time. Stools passing out of an ileostomy usually have the consistency that of water.

Why you might need an ileostomy

Your surgeon will choose to give you an ileostomy if your colon is too unfit to process digestive wastes due to an illness or injury. Sometimes, a progressive bowel disease might become life-threatening. In that case, your doctor will give you an ileostomy to save your life.

Depending on your illness, the surgeon will decide whether or not you need a permanent ileostomy. In case of a temporary ileostomy, the surgeon will fix another surgical appointment to join the small bowel to the rest of the lower intestinal tract.

You might need a permanent ileostomy if a large part of your colon is unfit to function. This ileostomy is required when there is no chance to reconnect the bowel. Your surgeon will want to avoid a permanent ileostomy.

The appearance of an ileostomy

The shape of a stoma is generally round or ova. It is red and moist, and it resembles the inside of the mouth due to the mucous membrane. Because it doesn’t have any nerve endings, it doesn’t feel anything. You will have to be careful not to injure your stoma while changing your ostomy bag or cleaning the skin around it. Right after surgery, the stoma will have swelling. It will get smaller and flatter over time, though.

The stoma care nurse

A stoma care nurse plays a significant role in your ileostomy care regimen. They will tell you how to look after your stoma and ensure your bowel health. During the hospital stay, a specialist nurse will visit your ward to check the status of your stoma. He or she will clean your peristomal skin and change the ostomy bag during the first few days to help you get accustomed to the procedure. They also tell you what ostomy bag will work best for you.

At the time of hospital discharge, you will receive the first supply of ostomy bags from the hospital’s nursing staff. You will also be given contact details of the top ostomy supplies dealers.

Looking after your stoma

It will take a bit of time for you to get accustomed to ileostomy care, but you will get there eventually. Although it may be a bit hard to cope on your own, you have to make sure not to be overwhelmed by the initial inability to do everything right when changing or emptying a bag. Just keep in touch with your ostomy care nurse or doctors for proper guidance. You can also discuss your concerns with other people with ileostomies. You will learn a lot this way.