Blog - Post Surgery Advice

A decade ago I became ill with Ulcerative Colitis (UC). It very quickly damaged my body to a point where I required my colon to be removed in emergency surgery. I remember talking to my surgeon about what my health might look like long term. He looked at me and said: “you are lucky, you have been cured from your disease! (UC) and it is…

To our delight, one of our ostomy product customers contacted us a few weeks ago get to know our company better and to see how she could contribute to the Inner Good community (to which we replied ‘yes please!). Her name is Lindsay and she hails out of Calgary, Alberta. She’s a millennial and a crohn’s warrior. We think her perspective is special because it…

From the age of 14, Julie spent over two decades living with the intense reality that comes with Crohn’s disease. Now living with a permanent ileostomy, she has found a new perspective on life that she is passing on to others through her volunteer work with organizations such as the United Ostomy Association of Vancouver, and through her personal coaching practice, Inside Wellness.   In…

There’s a darn good reason that Coloplast’s SenSura Mio Convex tops the list of top stoma appliances and accessories that you need to know about. But first, a bit more on the concept of a convex. For ostomates, the term convexity references an accessory that extends into the peristomal skin to provide an effective seal around the stoma. To be effective and prevent leaks (and…

Were you very hygiene conscious before your stoma procedure? Then you likely are more so than ever before today. Even if you weren’t the type to carry a cleanser, body spray, or scented lotion in your purse, sling bag, or backpack before you received an ostomy, chances are that your perspective has changed quite a bit. And for all of the skin care recommendations and…

One literal irritation that ostomates have to face from time to time is skin problems around the stoma. Sore and irritated skin can occur from a number of causes. There may be a change in the shape or size of your stoma (did you lose or gain weight?), which can be problematic when it comes to positioning your flange, resulting in leaks that can irritate…

As someone who has recently received a stoma, you are faced with numerous questions about the products, supplies, accessories and supplements that you need. Of course, the primary necessity is an ostomy bag. But one online search for ostomy bags delivers a pretty big selection, varying in shapes, sizes, price and functionality. In the end, it comes down to the procedure that you received. Did…

I stood at the bottom of the basement staircase, steeling my resolve to begin the climb.  What was my problem?  Heck, I’d summited plenty of mountains in my life, including an 18,200-foot Himalayan mountain right next door to Everest.  Yet here I was, lacking confidence that I physically had what it took to get up 17 steps to the main floor kitchen.  Just over 3…

Good eating habits are essential to everyone. But for someone living with an ostomy, they are even more important. Narrowing down what to do and what not to do can be a bit taxing, considering the amount of ostomy dietary information out there. Today, InnerGood is locking in some “best practices” when it comes to your food (and beverage) consumption. Before you sit down at…

Before we can address a few key nutritional needs for those living with an ileostomy, we need to clear up the difference between an ostomy, colostmy, and ileostomy. By definition, an ostomy is an artificial opening on the abdominal wall through which waste passes out of the body from the bowel or urinary tract. A colostomy is a procedure where which the opening is from…

Recently we shared an article about the importance of finding the right ET (Enterostomal) nurse.  I can’t emphasize the value of these professionals enough, especially after but even before having ostomy surgery.  In fact, if I had met my ET nurse sooner, I would still have a bellybutton!   Here’s the short version: when my ileostomy happened as an emergency surgery (read more about my…

I remember well the days of post-surgery recovery in the hospital.  While I was thankful for the relief that my ileostomy provided from the painful symptoms of ulcerative colitis, I was somewhat anxious about what my “new” life would look like.  What would I have to do differently now that I had this unfamiliar stoma protruding from my abdominal wall?  Would I be able to…