Living with an ileostomy

Managing an ileostomy

In the case of an ileostomy, the stools are fluid and/or semi-formed with digestive enzymes which are more aggressive on the skin.
In most cases, after your surgery, you will be given a transparent drainable pouch in order to help you to learn how to use your pouch correctly. As you learn how to manage the stoma you will be shown opaque or split cover pouches which most people choose to use at home for more discretion. To manage your ileostomy you will use a drainable pouch, for this type of pouch, the bottom of the bag is open, which allows the bag to be emptied regularly.

For more information on how to manage your ileostomy, refer to how to choose your appliance.