I am going to an event with my husband this weekend. The dress I am wearing shows my bag so I bought a girdle to wear over it and you cannot even see the bag at all with the girdle on. My question is this: The girdle really smashes the bag flat. If I have it on for 2 hours or so will it be OK or will the poo have nowhere to go and blow the whole bag off. I should also mention that the dress is white. Am I an idiot? Should I just change outfits?

Hi.. I use high cut lycra underwear to flatten my bag. You can't tell. As far as it leaking, if you eat, it will fill up, just as it always does. You should be able to feel and see it get larger as it fills. Instead of filling at the bottom up, it does it more evenly. You may just want to go to the bathroom a few times to empty, so you feel more comfortable. If I eat or drink alcohol, it does fill up quicker. HOpe this helps!

Same here. I also buy high waisted lycra support underwear and wear my bag at an angle across my belly. I also wear close fitting stretch jeans and skirts and no-one can tell I have Wee Willie lurking under there. As Burrism mentioned it just spreads the load evenly and makes it less noticable.

I wear white all the time, especially at this time of year and don't even give my bag or Wee Willie a second thought. Just make sure you have everything secure before getting dressed and you'll be fine.

Make sure you empty it a little more frequently than usual if you are worried. It will keep everthing low profile as well as making you feel a little less insecure about it showing or leaking.

Enjoy your weekend.

Take care.

Shell

Thank you both for your help. I am still a little paranoid! But... 3 weeks until takedown! Yeah!

Melonie

Melonie,

I found some great high-waisted lycra panties at Steinmart the other day - the brand I like is called Flexees and they are right in the front of the section all the way over by the shoes. They have a bunch of different brands and I think I bought one of every pair - but the Flexees are the ones I liked the best, because they give me a lot of support, but not uncomfortable. I started wearing my bag at an angle like Shell and she is so right - it spreads out the load as it fills and is not noticeable at all. I will say - I usually wear a small or extra small in everything, but I ended up getting a large in these underwear because that was the most comfortable.

If you feel confident with the girdle, I would think it would be fine, just empty often like the others said. If it were me, I wouldn't drink much or eat a ton while you are at the actual party (just so you won't worry), but you know better how alcohol/food effects you.

I wear white all the time - and I know you don't tend to have leaks because you have a good system that works well for you - so I think you should go for it!!! Have fun at your reunion - nobody will be able to tell a thing unless you tell them.

-Let me know how it goes!
-Mikaela

Just popped in and wonder has anyone tried the underwear made specifically for ostomies?
They have a pouch, kangaroo style I suppose.
I am sure Shaz knows more and the ostomy forum probably has the answers.

Holly, I thought about buying ostomy underwear but apart from being overly expensive, there's too much faffing about every time you need to go to the loo. I prefer the simple life and the thought of having to tuck in and arrange a bag inside a pouch inside my knickers instead of just pulling them up seems a little too much like hard work for me.

Shell

And remember to wear pantyhose if you plan on drinking champagne. Who knew that bubbles in means bubbles out and out and out and..... So when the dirigible explodes the pantyhose will be your backup and hold everything or around and down. [I've never claimed I was the smarted lightbulb in the tool shed.]

kathy

I just went to my first event this weekend! I have a perm ileo and have had 9 surgeries in the past year. I have a Phoenix belt, but it bulged in just the wrong place with my dress, so I didn't wear it. But what I did do was take a mylicon (125mg) the night before, that morning and right before I left for the wedding. It slowed the output a bit, but more importantly, my stoma didn't make a peep the whole time. Just take a change of appliance in your purse, just in case, and all will understand if you excuse your self to the bathroom a few times.
You'll do great!! Good luck!!

Thanks for all of the tips. As it turned out, the event was not as dressy as my husband thought and I ended up wearing something different. He had a conference out of state associated with his job and there was a banquet Sunday night. My 20 year class reunion is in 2 weeks and I do plan on wearing a fitted dress so I will definitely be trying some of these tactics! Thanks again.