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ENERGY ALERT
Via: Rambling Rosebud
For quick energy, eat sugar, right? "Wrong", says Sarah Short, PH.D., a
nutritionist at Syracuse University in New York. Simple sugars, found in candy bars and
cookies, actually drain your energy. These sugars are so quickly absorbed into the blood
stream that the pancreas, in an effort to return the blood sugar level to normal, sends
too much insulin into the bloodstream. As a result, blood glucose, the main energy source,
dips lower than normal and energy lags. Dr. Short recommends eating complex carbo-hydrates
(such as raw fruits and vegetables, whole grains) for energy and pep. They release their
sugars into the bloodstream much more slowly.
A LITTLE OSTOMY TEST
Via: Hemet –San Jacinto & Cleveland Ostomy Association
1. Your appliance has been on for 2 days and you experience a burning,
uncomfortable sensation around your stoma. You:
a. Ignore it. It seems to come and go anyway.
b. Wait until the designated day to change your
appliance.
c. Take a cool bath.
d. Change your appliance immediately.
The answer is d. Ideally, your appliance may stay on for five to seven days.
However, if you experience burning or itchiness around the stoma, discomfort or
pain around the stoma or discoloration of the adhesive, change your appliance
regardless of the day. These signs usually indicate leakage. Stool or urine on
the skin is very irritating. In addition, itching or irritation under the pouch
can be due to dehydration. If you are pretty sure the appliance is not leaking
and there is nothing externally wrong with it, try drinking a few glasses of
water instead of removing the appliance. Don’t be a hero. When it bothers you,
change.
2. When you remove your appliance, you notice the skin around the stoma is
reddened. To treat it, you:
a. Apply cool compresses for a short period of time
before reapplying your appliance.
b. Apply a protective powder such as Stomahesive or
Karaya to reddened skin areas, remove any excess, and
continue with reapplying your appliance.
c. Apply a soothing cream or ointment to the reddened
skin areas.
d. Use an alcohol wipe on your peristomal skin.
The answer is b. It is important to observe the skin around the stoma. Use a
mirror to help observe the skin and stoma. If the skin appears reddened,
irritated or weepy, you may require a protective powder. You may need to change
your appliance every two or three days until the skin heals. While creams and
ointments may be a reasonable solution for skin irritation in other areas of
your body, they may not be useful around your stoma because your appliance will
not adhere to moist or oily skin. Cool compresses may be soothing but cannot
heal the skin. Alcohol will dry the skin which may cause it to itch.
3. Your neighbors invite you to a pool party. You:
a. Decline the invitation since you cannot swim
with an ostomy.
b. Limit your fluid and food intake for 12 hours prior
to the party so your stoma is not active.
c. Accept the invitation.
The answer is c. If you enjoyed swimming before the operation, continue to swim
after. For extra security while swimming, you may want to picture-frame the
adhesive part of your appliance with paper or waterproof tape or apply a skin
sealant, for example—Sween prep, directly over the adhesive. Printed rather than
solid colored bathing suits help to camouflage the outline of the appliance.
Some women prefer bathing suits with skirts and some men prefer boxer-style
trunks, but snug fitting suits may be worn to hold the appliance firmly in
place. If you have an ileostomy, limiting food and drink will not stop your
ostomy from functioning. When the stomach is empty, the discharge is liquid,
highly acidic and gassy. Skipping meals or limiting fluid intake leads to
dehydration and/or electrolyte imbalance.
SKIN CARE—PUSH DON’T PULL
Via: South Brevard, FL
Damaging the skin around the stoma (or anywhere else) is asking for
infection. Don’t peel your pouch away from your body. Take hold of an edge of
the adhesive sections of tape and push the skin away from the tape. In older
people and babies with thin skin, you can peel their skin off by pulling on the
tape. Take a good look at what is happening when you pull on the tape. The tape
is being pulled upwards, dragging the skin with it until it is pulled hard
enough to break loose. It even looks painful! When you push the skin away from
the tape, it does not hurt and the outer layer of skin is not torn off which
sometimes happens with pulling. And those who think pulling it off quickly is
best, ought to take a good look at the skin afterwards.
NAMING YOUR STOMA
By Debbie Florio Via: Hemet San-Jacinto
Have you ever seen the movie Castaways, with Tom Hanks? He found a
package, containing a volleyball, on the island upon which he was marooned. He
named the ball “Wilson”. He talked through all his problems, plans, and
experiences with Wilson. Wilson really saved his sanity. Being able to talk to
something, even if it doesn’t talk back, can really be a release. Lots of people
name their cars, and beg it to start on a cold day, or thank it for getting them
home safely during a storm. I knew I was going to need a way to release my new
feelings after my ostomy surgery. I spent my week before surgery trying to come
up with a name for my future stoma. I thought a name would help me get more
familiar with it. I knew I wanted a female name. I could not imagine my stoma
being male. My surgery was May 17, 2001. I kept myself busy coming up with the
perfect name. It had to be no more than two syllables and had to flow with the
word stoma. I was so caught up in my search that I forgot to worry about the
surgery. Sally and I had a rough start but we make a good team. It helps me
during unpleasant times to talk to Sally. I scold her when she makes a mess and
I praise her when she holds a seal tight. Being able to speak to her during
changes makes things easier. I thought sharing this with individuals with
ostomies of all ages might help. If you can release your feelings, nothing stays
pent up inside you. I even take it one-step further. At those embarrassing
moments when your stoma needs to release gas, rather than getting flustered, I
tell her to quiet down. The moment passes and it makes the people around me a
little more comfortable. Just remember, you can always officially Register
your stoma's name at the following location:
Stoma name Registry.
WASH THOSE HANDS
Via: M.A.O.G. Memphis, TN. & Hamilton/Fairfield, OH Chapter
We were taught that infectious agents (bacteria, etc.) were primarily carried
through the air. We know that direct contact with infected materials,
particularly from our hands, is the number one transmitter. The hand that covers
a sneeze, removes a soaked bandage or scrubs a bathroom, carries microorganisms
on its surface and in skin crevices, including the fingernails. If this same
hand, unwashed, goes on to handle food, dress a baby or bandage a cut, or change
an ostomate’s pouch, it can spread “bugs” most effectively. Frequently hand
washing is the most important activity we can perform to prevent infections to
others and ourselves. But thorough washing requires effort beyond a mere quick
rinse: at least 20 seconds of vigorous friction with soap is the minimum. As
this relates to ostomy care, it means washing before and after emptying.
TRUE OR FALSE!
Via: The Ostomatic News, Dallas Area Chapter
Researchers have only recently begun to understand the many,
often complex, diseases that affect the digestive system. Accordingly, people
are gradually replacing folklore, old wives' tales, and rumors about the causes
and treatments of digestive diseases with accurate, up-to-date information. But
misunderstanding still exists, and while some folklore is harmless, some can be
dangerous if it keeps a person from correctly preventing or treating an illness.
Listed below are some common misconceptions (fallacies), about digestive
diseases, followed by the facts, as professionals understand them today.
Ulcers—Spicy food and stress cause stomach ulcers. True or False? FALSE.
The truth is almost all stomach ulcers are caused either by infection with a
bacterium called Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) or by use of pain medications
such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen, the so-called non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Most H, pylori-related ulcers can be cured
with antibiotics. NSAID-induced ulcers can be cured with time,
stomach-protective medications, antacids, and avoidance of NSAIDs. Spicy food
and stress may aggravate ulcer symptoms in some people, but they do not cause
ulcers.
Heartburn — Smoking a cigarette helps relieve heartburn. True or False?
FALSE. Actually, cigarette smoking contributes to heartburn. Heartburn
occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter (LES)- a muscle between the esophagus
and stomach —relaxes, allowing the acidic contents of the stomach to splash back
into the esophagus. Cigarette smoking causes the LES to relax.
Bowel Regularity —Bowel regularity means a bowel movement every day.
True or False? FALSE. The frequency of bowel movements among normal, healthy
people varies from three a day to three a week, and perfectly healthy people may
fall outside both ends of this range.
Constipation— Habitual use of enemas to treat constipation is harmless in
Non-ostomates. True or False? FALSE. The truth is habitual use of enemas is
not harmless. Over time, enemas can impair the natural muscle action of the
intestines, leaving them unable to function normally. An ongoing need for enemas
is not normal; you should see a doctor if you find yourself relying on them or
any other medication to have a bowel movement.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome —Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a disease. True or
False? FALSE. Irritable bowel syndrome is not a disease. It is a functional
disorder, which means that there is a problem in how the muscles in the
intestines work. Irritable bowel syndrome is characterized by gas, abdominal
pain, and diarrhea or constipation or both. Although the syndrome can cause
considerable pain and discomfort, it does not damage the digestive tract as
diseases do. Also, irritable bowel syndrome does not lead to more serious
digestive diseases later.
Celiac Disease—Celiac Disease is a rare childhood disease. True or
False? FALSE. Celiac disease affects children and adults. At least 1 in 1000
people and, in some populations, 1 in 200 people have celiac disease. Most
often, celiac disease first causes symptoms during childhood, usually diarrhea,
growth failure, and failure to thrive. But the disease can also first cause
symptoms in adults. These symptoms may be vague and therefore attributed to
other conditions. Symptoms can include bloating, diarrhea, abdominal pain, skin
rash, anemia, and thinning of the bones (osteoporosis). Celiac disease may cause
such non-specific symptoms for several years before being correctly diagnosed
and treated. People with celiac disease should not eat any foods containing
gluten, a protein in wheat, rye, barley, and possibly oats, regardless of
whether or not they have symptoms. In these people, gluten destroys part of the
lining of the small intestine, which interferes with the absorption of
nutrients. The damage can occur from even a small amount of gluten, and not
everyone has symptoms of damage.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
ABOUT GENERIC DRUGS
By Sharon Williams, RNET, Via: The Triangle,
Abilene TX & GB News Review
In recent years, generic drugs have become increasingly popular within the $30
billion US prescription drug market. In fact, generic drugs now account for
approximately one-third of prescriptions. So why are generic drugs becoming so
popular? For one reason, in 1984, federal legislation made generic drug approval
easier Plus, patients for many of the most frequently prescribed drugs have
expired, allowing for generic competition. Perhaps the biggest reason for the
generic drug boom is economic. According to the FDA, generic drugs generally
cost 30 to 40 percent less, and often as much as 80 percent less, than their
name-brand counterparts. Usually, generics are exactly the same as their
brand-name equivalents. However, some name brand manufacturers my correctly
claim their products are better absorbed within the body than their generic
competition-leading to quicker relief. This is particularly true with
antibiotics, antihistamines and analgesics. If you’re thinking about changing
from a brand-name to a generic product, don’t do it on your own. Some
substitutions can be inappropriate. Consult your doctor for a generic
equivalent. Or, tell your pharmacist you want the generic version, and ask him
or her to call your doctor for approval.