Spending time outdoors this Summer

As the cold, Winter months begin to subside, it’s almost time to look forward to some sun, shorts and spending more time outside. Get ready for chilled out walks, long afternoons in the garden with family and friends and plenty of ice cream! If you’ve got a colostomy, you’ll know that outdoor activities require a little more preparation than others. However, as long as you keep a few precautions in mind then there is no reason why you can’t have some fun outside too!

As everybody knows, when it’s sunny then it’s usually quite hot, too. Don’t worry if you find that you are having to change your appliances slightly more often than usual. For a lot of ostomates, this is the norm in warmer conditions. If your wear times have been reduced by a significant amount, however, we would recommend that you speak to a stoma nurse about alternative options for skin barriers. It’s good to know that a good-fitting bag will also help by reducing any irritation caused by sweat being trapped between your skin and the stoma bag. If something just doesn’t feel right, don’t hesitate to get in touch with a GoldCare nurse for help and professional advice.

Whilst the Summer sun is enough to put a smile on anybody’s face, some people enjoy being outside all year round taking part in a variety of activities. If you are already an active person but are unhappy with the way that your pouch currently feels during physical activities, we would recommend trying out the Primo range from Oakmed. Their pouches feature a high tack and should provide you with some extra confidence and security when you’re out enjoying yourself.

Above all, make sure that you drink plenty of water. As an ostomate, it is easier to become dehydrated, especially if you’re outside in the heat or taking part in some form of exercise. Aim to drink at least eight 8 ounce glasses of water every day and stay away from too many caffeinated drinks such as coffee. If it helps, try to carry a drinks bottle with you at all times and keep filling it up. This will allow you to track your intake much more accurately.

Now all that’s left to do is for you to get out there and enjoy spending more time outdoors. If you’ve taken some time to prepare and have extra supplies as a backup then you’ll be absolutely fine!

As always, if you do have any questions regarding your stoma then there are plenty of people that you can speak to. All of our Goldcare nurses will be delighted to provide any advice and you can reach them by calling 0800 592 786.