Indiana Pouch owners

Hi Melodie....my stoma is exactly where my navel was and actually it has no sensory nerves at all....I guess it depends on where your navel is in regard to clothing...I wear my pants and jeans a little below my navel so no problem...its easy to get to..just unbutton the pants and voila you're there. As for dresses which i don't wear often but when i do or have on a long top I just pull it up and tuck it in my bra...sounds wierd but it works. Thats also an area where the skin will not want to heal over as it sometimes thinks it needs to do when its placed elsewhere...it thinks its a wound. Once in a while it gets irritated and will produce a little superficial blood but thats normal.
After the cystectomy you will be a little lumpy but that goes away also. Once you get all the tubes out of you you can throw away the sweat pants if you like. I personally like my cute little belly button stoma.......Pat

Since I am considering becoming a pouch owner myself, am wondering how it will change my wardrobe. I'm thinking the stoma, if it is at the navel, or somewhere closely located, that it would be sensitive and thinking that waist bands on jeans and various types of pants would cause discomfort.

The idea of loose fitting dresses sounds comfy but then we would have to gather up the skirt and it would be in the way of trying to use the catheter. I used to wear lots of suits and more business like appearel but due to my job change have worn mostly jeans and casual clothes in the last few years. I hope this doesn't mean I will have to live in sweats the remainder of my days cause I'm already tired of them. Thanks much. Melodie