Ostomy procedures may not be familiar to most Americans. There are many misconceptions when it comes to colostomy bags, sometimes referred to as colostomy pouches.
So, we thought we should specify what they are, and what they do, and bust the most persistent myths about them. Then, hopefully, it will alleviate some anxiety from those who are new to the procedure, and/or about to undergo it.
What Is a Colostomy Bag?
A colostomy bag offers an alternative way to exit waste byproducts after someone has had a colostomy procedure. Colostomy is one of three surgical operations, which re-route the digestive system (bowels/intestines) to exit from an artificially-created opening in the lower abdomen. This is called a “stoma.”
Once waste leaves the stoma, patients use colostomy bags to collect waste for safe and sanitary disposal. Typically, bags fill at a rate of about one to three times per day. There are several bag varieties, offering different waste disposal methods such as either drainage or full disposal.
Nowadays, you may hear us use the term “pouch” more often, in order to escape some of the unmerited stigma associated with colostomy bags. Nevertheless, these terms are pretty much synonyms.
What Conditions Lead to a Colostomy Procedure?
Many of the following conditions could lead your physician to suggest getting a colostomy procedure, which would involve wearing a colostomy bag.
- Colon Cancer
- Rectal Cancer
- Diverticulitis Complications
- Crohn’s Disease
- Ulcerative Colitis
- Other Bowel Injuries
Let’s Bust These Three Prevalent Colostomy Bag Myths
- Wearing a Colostomy Bag Will Make Life Miserable – While there will be an adjustment phase, immediately post-surgery, many patients find living with a colostomy very manageable. After the initial recovery, several patients return to work, exercising, intimacy, and most other normal activities. This is, of course, assuming you don’t have other debilitating conditions.
- My Colostomy Bag Will Be Very Noticeable – This may have been true long ago, but it’s not any longer. Colostomy bag makers carefully craft these to be as lightweight, less prohibitive, and unnoticeable as possible. You may have to experiment with different sizes/fits, but once you discover what works, nobody around you will have any ideas it’s there. Finally, we also furnish application instructions for how to use pouches easier.
- I Have No Brand Choices for Colostomy Bags – On the contrary, there are several brands of hypoallergenic colostomy bags. As more patients begin to undergo this procedure, developers continue to compete to make ever more reliable ostomy-care products. This goes for all three procedures: 1) Colostomy, 2) Ileostomy, and 3) Urostomy.
Explore Safe & Effective Colostomy Supplies with Cymed MicroSkin
Now that we’ve cleared away those myths, we’d like to further elaborate on that last part: our abundant inventory of ostomy pouches and accessories. We make them easy to use, with plenty of different sizes, and they come in either one-piece or two-piece options, giving you multiple ways to drain or dispose of waste.
Cymed MicroSkin is the top producer of durable, breathable, transparent, and comfortable colostomy bags, pouches, barriers, and other items. We hope that when you get your ostomy-care supplies through us, you’ll never feel burdened by those dreadful myths again. If you’d like to know more about our products, then contact us anytime by calling 800-582-0707.