Indiana Pouch owners

Hi Melody,
I have an Indiana Pouch and my stoma is very small and is in my abdomen about 1.5 to 2" from the centerline and 1.5 to 2" below the waist line. I had to wear a big incontinance pad just under my waistline until I could get the leakage under control. Style wise it couldn't be a better time because of all of the tops with gathers at the yoke or neckline that fall loosely and create fullness over the waist and abdomenal area. Elastic waisted skirts and tops like the ones I mentioned above were my first summer's uniform. Pat mentioned tucking the skirt (or shirt?) in your bra. Yep, that works and if I were home or at a friends house, I'd tuck in the shirt and just pull the skirt down or take it off when I catheterized. Also, when things were tender, instead of wearing sweats, I bought black knit sleep pants that looked like regular knit pants.
Kathy

I have had an Indiana Pouch for about 13 years now. My stoma is also where my navel is located. I wear suits...both pants and skirts for work. Occasionally, it I have a dressy occasion, I wear a dress. I wear blue jeans. The only thing is that I find I want the waist a little looser than what I used to wear if it is something I have on all day. Of course, I love the sweats when I get home. If I feel like I may have a little leakage, which is rare, I just cut a Carefree panty liner in half and put it in front of the stoma. Works great.

Hi Susan...welcome to the site. You might want to post in the invasive section as it will be a new post and more will find it. Having said that i'm assuming you have an Indiana Pouch right? I'm 6 yrs out from surgery with an Indiana and even now i will have occasional leaking and its usually when there is mucus that wants to get out...the new pouch still has the colons memory...i notice if my colon is irritable so is my pouch.....but i've not had any major issues...it usually behaves. We just started a discussion in Women and Bladder Cancer on sex and I think the majority of us has had a problem with the shortened vagina..theres a good reference over on web/cafe..
blcwebcafe.org/content/view/67/76/lang,english/
Pat

hi i have just joined this site. i am from scotland. i am 45 years of age and have been cancer free for 3 years, i have had a few problems with leaking how about you. also can you have sex i have not tried it yet susan

Wendy...my surgeon and i discussed the location of the stoma in detail and he even suggested the naval which is what i had in mind as that is an area that will not want to heal over...the body doesn't identify it as a cut and want to heal over...and cosmetically for a woman it just looks like a belly button and exactly the same size. That said i know Melodies surgeon did not want to do the stoma at the naval site as he felt there was more of a possiblity for stenosis...I have not read any studies on that.....but when i did go into the stoma nurse for consult she marked my stoma for about 2" below and to the right of my naval...oops..i said thats not right....She didn't even consult her papers from Dr. Gill. So at any rate discuss with surgeon first!!! Pat