Hi Robin, I’m 72, my stoma Ruby will be 5 this weekend, and I echo Linda LK and Chelly on those stretchy pants/leggings/jeggings (going one size up works wonders - the waistbands of everything hits me right in the center of my two-piece Hollister plate). My stomach sticks out on the left (stoma) side and the pouch is bulky; I am self-conscious but do what I can to camouflage it and generally feel ok about it. Welcome to the group. The clothing ideas for women on this VO website are fun to look at and very helpful. LL

What is sticking out like a sore thumb to you, might not even be noticeable to others. I can imagine that looking down on your ostomy bag, you could think that it's very obvious for others to see. 

You know what? Often, other people are too busy with themselves or their phones to notice anything different with people around them. If you have some friends or family members, you could ask them if they ever notice your appliance sticking out. They'll probably surprise you with their answer.

Sorry to ask this, but for those gorgeous women wearing fitted dresses, what do you wdo when the bag fills, surely it shows through

Katy - Ive had an ileostomy for 6 years now.  Ive seen on forums that ladies claim to be able to wear skin tight clothes with their stoma's, well I beg to differ.

In order to wear something so tight then I would need to starve myself for a few hours before wearing the garment and not be able to eat or drink until I take the garment off.  Even if I just have a drink, then my bag will fill and I have a bulge in my dress.  

im afraid for me I wear elasticated waist jeggings with loose fitting tops to disguise my bulge or in the Summer I sometimes wear baggy dresses, but no way can I wear lovely slim-fitting garments again.

Elaine x

@et1 I knew someone who told me that to be a bridesmaid, wearing a tight dress, she had to empty frequently and not eat for awhile before the ceremony. I have a colostomy, so I can irrigate and not have output for 1 to 2 days, but I’m not sure if that could work for very long for someone with an ileostomy. Maybe a combination of irrigation, Imodium and not eating for a few hours? It might be possible, but you wouldn’t want to do that very often, I think.

Laurie

@tigerlily "Strategic starvation" (or "tactical fasting") plus something like Imodium, are one of the few ways for ileostomates to have low/no output. And no, it really can't be sustained.

Not only that, but some people might find that not eating just means more liquid output, which may be worse since it increases the risk of having a leak.

Irrigation sounds like such an ace up the sleeve! I'm glad you have that option 😊 

“Strategical starvation and tactical fasting “ says a lot with few words.😕. Yes, I am very grateful that I can irrigate. It made the 7 hour flight here much less complicated, as an example. Although I don’t really think of my ostomy as a disability, technically it is. When I consider the amount of planning that I and any ostomate has to do every day, just to function “normally “, I understand why it is considered a disability. And I would vociferously argue with anyone who thinks we shouldn’t get a tax credit.

Laurie