I’ve mentioned it often, but just a few months ago I really wasn’t the expert I am on ostomy supplies like I am now. In fact, I probably knew just about as much as the average person, which I found out is next to nothing. It turns out that the majority of people have heard the word ostomy before, but not even half could explain in general terms what it is or where it’s located. That opened my eyes to just how many people in America don’t know much about certain medical procedures in general, to the point where I think our education system and health care system is much to blame for such a lack of knowledge.

But that’s neither here nor there, especially now that I’ve learned enough to spread the word about basic care for your stoma and associated supplies.

One of the first things important to note is that there should be zero embarrassment about the fact you got a life-saving procedure and now things work a little differently. In fact, you’re one of the lucky few that doesn’t have to worry about leaving a concert to go to the bathroom, right?! That’s how you’ve got to look at stuff when things don’t go according to plan, and it’s a mere matter of perspective shifting.

So, the number one thing you can always fall back on when it comes to your ostomy supplies is “Does it make me uncomfortable?” Whether that means it hurts, it’s leaking, it’s itchy, it’s uncomfortable, it doesn’t matter. Your pouching system should never sacrifice comfort, nor should it do any of the above mentioned things if you want it to function properly and keep your skin clear of infection. The first thing we want to consider when going through the motions of ostomy things is safety and comfort, and that’s the first thing we look to when asking people what they think of their current set up.

So, we’ve established that your safety and health comes first. But it’s also worth noting that avoiding leakage means avoiding paying for more supplies or having to switch them out more often. The main goal of your stoma and pouching system is to avoid any more daily interruption than you need to, so having to clean your system more often because of leakages or other things can mean you’re going out of your way more than you should.