Your Personal 
             Wellness Guide
                                                                                              Table of ConTenTs
                                                                                InTroduCTIon
                                                                                Understanding your digestive system  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
                                                                                What is an ileostomy?  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
                                                                                Why do I need an ileostomy?  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
                                                                                Types of ileostomies .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  5
                                                                                Who will teach me to care for my ileostomy?  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
                                                                                CarIng for Your IleosTomY
                                                                                Wearing an ostomy appliance .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  
                                                                                ouch options .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 
                                                                                in arrier options  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
                                                                                ­raining your pouch  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .€‚
                                                                                ƒeleasing gas from your pouch  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .€„
                                                                                ƒoutine sin care  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . €3
                                                                                …hanging your ostomy appliance .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . €4
                                                                                daIlY ConsIderaTIons & TroubleshooTIng
                                                                                †eaage and sin irritation .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  €
                                                                                ­iet after ileostomy surgery .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  €
                                                                                ­ehydration  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .„‚
                                                                                ‡anaging gas and odor  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . „€
                                                                                ˆowel ostruction and food locages  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .„„
                                                                                ‡edication  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .„3
                                                                                ‰rdering supplies .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . „3
                                                                                Understanding and using ostomy accessory products .  .  .  .  .  .„4
                                                                                When to call my ­octor or W‰… Šurse  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .„6
                                                                                lIvIng wITh an IleosTomY
                                                                                Tips for daily living  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .„
                                                                                ‹Œercise .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . „
                                                                                Travel  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .„ 
                                                                                Intimacy .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .3‚
                                                                                …lothing .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  3€
                                                                                Taling aout your ostomy .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 3„
                                                                                resourCes  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
                                                                                glossarY .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 34
                                                                                noTes .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 36
                                                                                                                               1
                                                                           IntroductIon
             2
                                                              Understanding Your Digestive Tract
                                                              The human digestive tract is a series of organs designed  
                                                              to rea down foodŽ asor nutrients and remove waste .  
                                                              It consists of the mouthŽ esophagusŽ stomachŽ small intestineŽ 
                                                              large intestineŽ rectumŽ and anus . When we swallow our foodŽ 
                                                              it passes into the esophagus which connects the mouth and 
                                                              the stomach . ‰nce food enters the stomachŽ it is roen down 
                                                              into li‘uid form efore moving on to the small intestine . 
                                                              ˆy the time food enters into the small intestineŽ it is mostly 
                                                              li‘uid . The small intestine is a series of hollow loops measuring 
                                                              approŒimately „„ feet long . The small intestine’s “o is to 
                                                              asor nutrients that will fuel our odies . ”fter leaving the 
                                                              small intestineŽ what remains enters the large intestine which 
                                                              is also nown as the colon . In the colonŽ most of the li‘uid is 
                                                              asoredŽ leaving human waste •also called stool– ehind .  
                                                              The stool then moves into the rectum and is passed through 
                                                              the anus . 
                                                              Mouth & Tongue               Pharynx
                                                                                      Larynx
                                                              Trachea
                                                             Esophagus
                                                            Liver
                                                                                            Stomach
                                                             Gallbladder                   Spleen
                                                                 Pancreas
                                                                Small Intestine
                                                            Large Intestine
                                                                     Rectum
                                                                                      nus
                                                                                                 3