Instructed patient Things to know about your stoma include: Your stoma is the lining of your intestine, It will be pink or red, moist, and a little shiny. Stomas are most often round or oval, A stoma is very delicate.
Instructed patient call your provider if: Your stoma is swollen and is more than a 1/2 inch (1 cm) larger than normal.Your stoma is pulling in, below the skin level. Your stoma is bleeding more than normal.
Instructed patient caregiver when you should call the doctor: continuous bleeding where the stoma meets the skin unusual change in your stoma size or color anything unusual going on with your ostomy.
Instructed patient caregiver when you should call the doctor: Injury to the stoma, bad skin irritation or deep sores (ulcers) a lot of bleeding from the stoma opening or a moderate amount in the pouch that you notice several times when emptying it. Eating beets will cause some red discoloration.
Instructed patient caregiver when you should call the doctor: Severe watery discharge lasting more than 5 or 6 hours bad odor lasting more than a week this may be a sign of infection, a cut in the stoma.
Instructed patient caregiver when you should call the doctor cramps lasting more than 2 or 3 hours continuous nausea and vomiting, no ostomy output for 4 to 6 hours with cramping and nausea.
Instructed patient caregiver Loss of appetite, drowsiness, and leg cramps may be signs of sodium loss. Fatigue, muscle weakness, and shortness of breath may be signs of potassium loss. Dehydration, low sodium, and low potassium can all be dangerous and should be treated right away. Call your doctor or 911 right away if you are dizzy, weak, or having other serious symptoms.
Instructed patient caregiver avoid dehydration, you should try to drink 8 to 10 eight-ounce glasses of fluid a day. If you have diarrhea, you may need more. Drinks such as Gatorade®, PowerAde, or Pedialyte contain potassium and sodium. But any liquid containing water (soda, milk, juice, tea, etc.) helps to meet your daily need for fluid.
Instructed patient caregiver dehydration is also a serious concern. Symptoms include increased thirst, dry mouth, decreased urine output, feeling light-headed, and feeling tired. If you get dehydrated, you’ll need to drink more fluids.
Instructed patient caregiver If you keep having pain and cramping with no output from your stoma for more than 2 hours, and you can’t reach your doctor or ostomy nurse, go to the emergency room. Take all your ostomy supplies with you.