Hi loves animals, A prolapsed stoma can become swollen if it has been like for a while. Do keep measuring to get a good fit, maybe a barrier ring would save the stoma from rubbing, laying on your back a relaxing can help with a prolapse. Be careful to support the stoma when coughing or sneezing 

Hi @loveanimals , I hope that you're able to connect with your stoma nurse soon. 

Does your stoma look like the same color it usually is? Which should be a bright red.

Swelling could have many causes, but since you mentioned that you already have issues with prolapses and a hernia, it may be related to both or either of those. 

Hi @loveanimals, I can tell you a bit about prolapse, I had 2 of them, first was 5 months after they created my friend (the Stoma), and again a year later. As john68 said above laying down will make it crawl right back in, but if you try to look at it all the time, and lift your head while in laying position, it will cause your abdominal muscles to push it back out. Some articles talk about pouring sugar around it, sugar will suck the water out, but my Doctor told me not to try that as it is possible the sugar will get the stoma stuck in prolapse position, and then it is dangerous.

I am not a doctor, so what I write here is my experience only. After the second prolapse surgery, I was told by my surgeon I am not allowed to lift anything over 20 LB, for me this is for life, being I can not have a reversal.

I don't know much about hernia, if you actually have a hernia behind your stoma, it's one thing, but if it is only herniated stoma (where the muscles holding the stoma are weak, and give in) that is an easy fix, where the surgeon will undo the stitches holding the stoma in, cut a bit to shorten the stoma, and put it all back together again, a half an hour surgery, and you go home same day, I did not have any pain even.

When waking up in the morning, roll out of bed, do not pull to sit up, it will extend if you do that, just roll easy out of bed.

Like Eric said above, pay attention to the color of the stoma, pink or bright red are good, anything else may mean circulation problem, and time to call the doctor or go the ER.

Last thing when coughing or sneezing support you abdomen with your hand, like john68 said above.

Hope this helps, and wish you all the best.

Stay safe

Dan (an animal lover too)

BTW: The stoma will change length while in prolapse, depending of how much pressure your muscles exert on it. It would go in when you are relaxing, and pull out even when you stand up from sitting position.

Thank you all for the helpful advice! I did try the sugar on my stoma after a little research and it helped a little I don’t advocate doing it though without checking with your ostomy nurse.  My nurse did concur that it might help with edema and she uses that trick.  She also said the stoma can become edematous with constipation and take a variable amount of time to return to normal.  My stoma became wider and shorter due to edema and I incorrectly thought it was related to my prolapse. I’m learning as I go but rely on this website so thank you again for all your help I hope I can pass it on to others as needed to others.