You have been told you need a colostomy. Or you have recently been given one. Once you heal from surgery, you can still live an active life. In fact, if you had a chronic disease, such as Crohn's disease, your quality of life may be better now than before surgery. In most cases, it's your choice how much having a colostomy limits your life.
After an ileostomy, stool is collected in a pouch. This pouch attaches to your body around the hole (stoma). Read on to learn about the different kinds of pouches.
After a colostomy, stool is most often collected in a pouch that attaches to your body around the stoma. An adhesive skin barrier holds the pouch in place and keeps stool from leaking onto the skin. Most pouches are made of lightweight, odor-proof plastic. They lie flat against the body so they don't show or make noise.
