After your operation, your stoma care nurse will focus on helping you become confident in taking care of your stoma. It will help to have a close relative or spouse with you for this training.
Your nurse will help you with:
- Learning how to care for your stoma, including what to watch out for
- Re-ordering stoma pouches and accessories
- Your rights regarding reimbursement and other economic support relating to your stoma
- Other practical aspects of living with a stoma, e.g. foods and drink, your social life, travelling and your intimate relationships
- Who to contact when you have questions
- Ostomy associations in your area
Ask questions
There will be a lot of new information to take in at once; it may even feel a bit overwhelming. Take your time and ask all the questions you need, as many times as you need to. The more you ask and try things out, the better prepared you will be once you are back at home.
Before you leave hospital, your stoma care nurse will make arrangements for a follow-up consultation to make sure you feel confident caring for your stoma.
Overcoming challenges
Once you are home, you may experience some challenges caring for your stoma. But remember that your stoma care nurse, as well as Customer Care [Link to consumer care contact] will be more than happy to help you with any issues.
Coloplast also has a support programme called Coloplast Care that you may find useful. Coloplast Care was created to help make living with a stoma easier.