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Coloplast Care

17th July 2015/2 Comments/in Blog/by sam

The folk at Coloplast have developed a new support programme for people with an ostomy called Coloplast Care which is a fantastic idea and great development for ostomates everywhere.

Whether you are facing surgery, a new ostomate or had your ostomy for years, Coloplast know that each person is totally unique and therefore their needs for support are so different. The great thing about Coloplast Care is that it is a bespoke and individual plan that aims to help in everything from the basic medical principles of an ostomy to the practical things you can expect as time goes on. Offering information and support both physically and emotionally and giving you back a level of control to empower you in your new life.

I would have loved to have had this programme two years ago when I was facing surgery and think it is amazing how much ostomy support is moving on. I remember the feelings of isolation, confusion and upset and just not having all the information. Though my doctors and stoma nurse were wonderful, the questions I had always popped into my head at 3 am meaning I would find myself frantically googling away to figure out what I could do and sometimes felt very alone in the vast internet world of differing opinions.

Whatever stage you are at, from complete newbie novice to old pro, we all still have questions, no matter how ‘sorted’ you are, a new situation can always pop up and create distress in not knowing how to handle it. Coloplast Care advisors are there to guide you through stoma routines, ostomy accessories, check ups and so much more.

It’s not just for people who use Coloplast products; it’s open to anyone so do go take a look no matter which products you currently use. It provides specific support and advice to each member based on your needs, whether your issues are emotional or if you have just had surgery, or perhaps you have had your stoma for 5 years but you are off travelling and need some advice, the programme tailors advice and support for the problems you are having right now.

So how do you join?

coloplast care ostomy support

It’s quick and simple, head over to the sign up page, fill in your name, email address and what sort of surgery you have had (or are expecting).

On the ‘Experience’ page, you are asked about any issues you may have with adhesion problems, skin irritation or pouch problems.

The “Wellbeing’ page questions how you are feeling, with more in depth questions about your support, worries and emotional wellbeing.

And that is the basic sign up done! You can then go on to answer more questions about yourself and your situation if you like. I would recommend this as they more information they have, the better and more useful support you can receive. This includes more about you, how you live, your age, hobbies, activity levels and then information regarding your current ostomy products, shape and size of your stoma, position, how your body and skin is. All this data is used to tailor your programme to you.

If you struggle with technology or are unsure on how to work the forms, do ask a friend, family member or a health professional to guide you through. But it is very clear and simple to use.

The company’s ethos is to ‘listen and respond’ and so the website is chock full of advice sheets, support guides and problem solving information. It also includes a system to help ostomates identify problems that they’re having for example skin irritation, pancaking etc. This means you can print off and discuss these issues with your stoma nurse, or request a call-back from an advisor, as well as the programme recommending some products to try and resolve these problems. This isn’t to replace the advice from your doctors and stoma nurses but additional support that gives you the power to be informed and proactive.

It can be quite overwhelming when you see the amount of choice when it comes to ostomy bags and accessories, so to have a programme that goes through your needs and then shows you options is fantastic. You can also order free samples through the site to try out before committing to a new bag.

Another part that is just great is the Ostomy Check, around 40% of people with a stoma have an issue that they are just putting up with, that they think is something they just have to live with. The Ostomy Check is there for people to see what is ‘normal’ and what is an issue that they could do something about. Coloplast support staff will send an email asking them to complete a checklist every couple of months. I think this is a fantastic service that is patient centred, it is nice to feel cared for and sometimes after you have left hospital, you can feel isolated and not sure where to turn for support and advice.

I have met a lot of ostomates who have told me of issues, from slight niggles to huge problems, that they believed where part and parcel of life with a stoma. This service allows people to see exactly what can be done to help and support them. One person noticing an issue and recommending a product could change a person’s life!

As with everything, your stoma and ostomy needs change over time and the brilliant thing about Coloplast Care is that is adapts and changes with you. This isn’t about a one size fits all support as that just doesnt work! The programme adapts and grows with your needs, tailoring advice to what you need, when you need it.

I have spoken to a few ostomates using the Coloplast Care programme and all have found it helpful, many saying they wished this was around when they first got their stomas. I think we need to empower and educate ourselves about our health and this system helps you do that.

Head over to Coloplast now and check it out, it’s free, easy and if you don’t like it, you can opt out no problems!

Sam xx

This is a sponsored review, meaning that representatives of Coloplast Care have paid me for this post, but it is my own, honest opinions. From time to time, So Bad Ass reviews products and services for companies, but I only share things that I believe benefit my amazing readers.

Good Work Tramlines! Thinking about disability

5th July 2015/3 Comments/in Blog/by sam

I love Tramlines. It is the highlight of the year in Sheffield and is an amazing showcase of the wonderful talent we have in this great city. For those who don’t know, Tramlines is an inner city festival in Sheffield from the 24th to 26th July, it is city wide with a huge main stage and then venues all over town, all for a stonkingly good price of £30 for a weekend ticket!

Photo: Timm Cleasby – The Picture Foundry

So I was chatting to the brilliant festival director Sarah Nulty who told me about how Tramlines is trying to be accessible to all and as I love talking poo, obviously that was my first question. All toilets are relatively spacious and plentiful for able bodied people, but there are accessible toilets for those with specific needs which will be near the disabled viewing platforms. But if anyone has access needs for the larger toilets due to a medical issue, Tramlines is offering a special wristband that will avoid any embarrassing questioning for those with invisible disabilities who may need to use the accessible loos at the main stages.

Photo: Mark Tierney

If you have a medical issue that may require you to use these toilets, you need to head over to the main wristband exchange points on Ponderosa Park or City Hall with some form of proof that you have extra needs and a valid ticket and the staff there will give you a wristband that allows access to these toilets. Security and staff will be aware what these wristbands allow and this means there is no embarrassing explanation of your needs during the weekend.

Good work Tramlines!

Regarding disabled access, an accessible viewing platform will be available at the Main Stage, and stewards will be available on the day to help direct you. As with the whole festival, shows on the Main Stage do get extremely busy, so please do arrive early. The disabled loo access band is for use at the Accessible Toilets only at the main stage and Devonshire Green, not the other venues.

Most venues involved in Tramlines have disabled access. Please see individual venue profile pages for full details of disabled access. Disabled customers with a carer will be able to claim free entrance to the event for one carer. Email by 10th July to notify them in advance if you plan to attend with a carer by 10th July. No applications will be accepted after this point.

tramlines sheffield disability accessible toilets

The official charity for this year’s festival will be Sheffield Royal Society for the Blind (SRSB). As well as fundraising across the Tramlines site, they are also producing audio guides to the festival for blind and partially-sighted festival-goers.It is great to know that Tramlines are thinking about the needs of all festival goers and trying to ensure that the weekend will be enjoyable for all. Having an illness or disability can often feel isolating and going to something like a festival seems as difficult as climbing a mountain but more and more events aren’t just fulfilling the legal responsibilities for disabled people but going above and beyond to make sure they are accessible to all.If you have specific questions and issues then do get in touch with the festival by email on – remember that even the largest of companies are run by human beings and they are there to help.

I would highly recommend giving Tramlines a visit, tickets are still available but get buying quickly as it could easily sell out!

See you there!

Sam x

This is not a sponsored post, I just LOVE Tramlines! My husband is involved in the running of Tramlines but I have received no remuneration for this post.

Pelican Live Your Life Roadshow – Preston

4th July 2015/1 Comment/in Blog/by sam

I will be talking at the Pelican Live Your Life roadshow in Preston on Sunday 5th July talking ostomies and body image.

At Bartle Hall from 11-3, Come along and meet the Pelican team, chat to nurses, and attend some great talks. It’s a must for people with an ostomy, carers, family and friends. I’ll be doing my talk once in the morning and once in the afternoon so if you’re near Preston, do call in.

Feel free to drop by with your family and friends, anytime between 11am and 3pm. If you have any queries, or would like to confirm your attendance, you can contact:

Email –
Freephone – 0800 318 282

The guys at Pelican are super friendly and so easy to talk to, it’s well worth getting in touch.

Sam x

Rosie Batty: Silencing those who speak out

3rd July 2015/7 Comments/in Blog/by sam

In February 2014, 11-year-old son Luke Batty was murdered by his father, Greg Anderson at cricket practice in Melbourne, Australia. It made worldwide news and society was shocked and appalled at the violent attack from a father towards a son.

His mum Rosie Batty became an advocate for female domestic violence victims and campaigner for making changes to government processes relating to the protection of women and children and she established the Luke Batty Foundation and Never Alone to assist women and children impacted by domestic violence. Her courage, strength and bad ass spirit helped her to become the 2015 Australian of the Year.

She speaks out at events and to the media about the horrific experience of losing her son and is a domestic violence campaigner. She uses her life to bring the conversation of domestic violence into the limelight and I think her selfless efforts are inspirational. She is using her pain from an experience that many couldn’t even imagine to make a positive difference to others. What a hero!

So why is Mark Latham, a former Prime Ministerial candidate trying to shame her into silence?

In his column for the Australian Financial Review, Mark Latham said of Rosie’s public speaking events;

“How did Batty immerse herself in such company, wheeled out at business functions to retell the story of her son’s murder in February 2014? There was a time, in the dignity of working class life, when grieving was conducted in private”.

How dare he!

What Rosie has done isn’t about a lack of dignity or respect to her son, the fact that this man feels he can silence a woman says more about him than her. Her decision to speak out and make a difference is saving lives.

With her words other woman may find the strength to ask for help, mothers may leave abusive partners for her children as well as herself, she is teaching society about the warning signs and is publicly telling the government that more support is needed.

But when Mark Latham comments saying that this is a ‘private issue’ and ‘undignified’ he is creating a conspiracy of shame and silence and putting lives at risk.

This story struck a chord with me as I write about illnesses and treatment that can be embarrassing and ‘impolite’ to discuss in public, I spend most of my life either writing or speaking about poo and have faced others who believe it is undignified and should be kept private. I never thought as a child that I would have a career in talking about poo, but this is where I am.

The experiences of Rosie Batty are incomparable, I am not putting losing a child in the same league as having an illness or surgeries, but the act of speaking out about something that others believe should stay private is similar. I write, I speak out, I do all this to make a difference and help others. I use my pain and suffering to reach out to those who are suffering and to break the taboo of embarrassing illnesses in the same way that Rosie uses her pain to help victims of domestic violence.

And so to see a fellow ‘sharer’ be shamed and silenced by a politician is just abhorrent.

When you go through a terrible experience, whether it be loss, illness or a life event that just knocks you for six, the shock and pain can make you feel so isolated. It can feel like your life is crumbling and everything has changed forever. How each person deals with that pain is personal and unique. Some will keep it private and deal with it quietly and on their own, others may access the support of a wider circle and some may choose to use the experience to make a difference.

There is no right way and people like Mark Latham don’t have the right to judge, shame and silence.

That judgement isn’t just affecting one person, the ripples spread so much further and you can hurt so many more. Encouraging a culture of silence affects vulnerable people who need support and cements the shame and embarrassment into a person’s mind. I strongly and passionately believe that we should not fear speaking out about issues that are uncomfortable.

It takes courage to write or speak about things that are not socially acceptable or polite to discuss in public. No matter how confident I may seem, every time I hit ‘post’, I fear the response I may get. I worry that it will change the way people see me, I worry people will laugh at me or judge me. But I keep doing it because I know I am helping, I know I am making a difference.

Rosie Batty is a true hero. She is doing something amazing and helping so many when I am sure there are times when it is the last thing she wants. I am sure she would give it all up in a second to have her boy back. I am sure she is privately grieving and dealing with this in a personal way. Her public persona and work doesn’t hinder her private grief. She is amazing.

Please share this post and support Rosie using the hashtag #IStandWithRosie on Twitter.

Sam x

I’m (sheepishly) back

1st July 2015/17 Comments/in Blog/by sam

Hello you lovely lot.

Firstly thank you all so much for all the wonderful messages I received after my last post (Going Dark), it means so much to know that there are so many people thinking of me. I felt a little embarrassed after hitting send, I worried that I came across mardy and miserable. But I felt mardy and miserable at the time, so it did the job!

I’m not really feeling much better, I am thoroughly exhausted and still having the aching joints, dry eyes and skin. The blood tests results didn’t show any remarkable inflammation markers and the Rheumatoid Arthritis test came back negative which is great news as I was really unhappy at the thought of more steroids and a RA diagnosis might have pushed me too far! I’m having some more tests to check my iron stores, Vit B 12 and Vit D levels as well as thyroid tests and coeliac disease tests.

Someone suggested that perhaps the exhaustion was just part and parcel of life now and the joint pain could be due to all the steroids I’ve had to take in my life. I know fatigue can play a huge role in the life of IBD patients and this makes me sad.

Emotionally, I suppose I’m not quite right. I feel ever so sad and quite anxious. I don’t know how to react to these feelings, people ask me how I’m doing and my instinct is to say ‘fine’. I smile, I laugh, I join in. But inside I am struggling. I don’t really know what else I can say. I’m trying to get back to business as usual.

Anyway, I just wanted to update you all and thank you for your kindness over the past week.

Sam xxx

Going Dark

25th June 2015/32 Comments/in Blog/by sam

I’m not feeling too great at the minute. Still. My joints hurt so much, my wrists, hands, ankles, shoulders, hips… the pain is like a gnawing ache, and it moves around, floats from place to place in my body. Isn’t that odd?

The tiredness is terrible. I can’t wake in the mornings and then fall asleep all day, it’s the fatigue that is so hard to deal with. The exhaustion makes me feel useless and like a sick person, it sucks out all energy, not just physically but mentally and emotionally.

I saw my GP this week and had some blood tests. He suggested it could be a flare up of Ulcerative Colitis. Isn’t that a joke! I thought removing my colon got rid of this bullshit but it turns out it’s all these ‘extra intestinal manifestations’ (I know this sounds like a ghostly poo but it means when the disease affects other parts of the body).

My eyes are so dry that I can’t open them in the mornings and they itch all day, my mouth is constantly dry no matter how much I drink. My skin is dry, my legs are white with the skin coming away.

I’m going back next week for the results, if my inflammation markers are up then I potentially will have to have a course of steroids and go back under the gastro team at the hospital. He also tested for Rheumatoid Arthritis to see if that is what is hurting my joints and so I just need to wait and see what he says on Wednesday.

Im not a great person to be around right now. I don’t want to talk to people, I don’t want to go out. I make myself do the things I have to do, but really want to just be hiding in the duvet cocoon. The problem is because I talk so much normally (read: I’m a gobby cow), that when I feel hurt and sad, I go quiet and this worries those closest to me. There’s a phrase on that TV series 24 when an agent turns off communications usually for their own safety or for the safety of those around them, it’s called ‘going dark’.

Going Dark: When an individual disappears or suddenly become unavailable or out of reach for an undefined period of time, generally for security reasons.

This describes me right now. The only place I can deal with sharing at the moment is on my blog. I know this can seem difficult for my husband and friends but it is all I have at the minute.

I feel so sad. I thought all these surgeries would make me feel better (and I have to keep reminding myself that I AM better than I was) but it is hard to still be a sick person. It’s silly because I always knew there was no cure for Ulcerative Colitis and that it is a life long chronic illness, an auto-immune disease that means my body is fighting itself. But after everything I have been through, I just want a break. I don’t want to be fucking ill anymore. I bloody hate being a poorly person. I despise the burden I become to those around me. I can’t stand that my lovely boy, the best person in my life, my husband Timm has to, yet again, bear the weight of my illness.

I’m sorry this post is so miserable. I sometimes feel that I made a rod for my own back in being so god damned positive all the time!!! I feel I am letting people down when I feel sad. But in a way, it helps. I’m reading back all that advise that I give to others and remembering that I need to take it myself.

And so with that, I am going to try and treat myself a little better, sit in the sun, paint my nails, read a book. Do the tiny things that I can manage that will ease my mind and warm my soul.

Thanks for reading

Sam x

Fat is not sexy…

24th June 2015/25 Comments/in Blog/by sam

These are the words of Steve Miller, do you remember him? He did a show called Fat Families where he basically bullied people into exercise and eating salad by calling them “massive fatties” at every opportunity in order to motivate them to lose weight.

Well I unfortunately stumbled upon his twitter feed yesterday and unsurprisingly it is filled with fat shaming posts. What does surprise me is how far he is willing to push his condemnation of overweight people. His feed is filled with venomous statements labelling people “fat” “lazy” and stating that they aren’t curvy, just fat.

Here’s the charmer himself telling the world about the “reality” and “truth” that fat people are unattractive and aren’t able to be in a loving relationship.

Also fat people don’t have sex. It’s the truth, it must be!!! This vile Alan Carr wannabe said so!! All I can think is that he has been taking a leaf out of the Katie Hopkins school of fame and hopes that if he can be as offensive as possible then he will gain fame. He extolls himself as ‘the Simon Cowell of the slimming world’ with his Mr Nasty character and believes that fat shaming helps to motivate people to lose weight.

What a dick.

I really want to post an intelligent and reasoned argument as to why this vile toad is wrong, but I only have expletives! How very fucking dare he? His ‘reality’ and ‘truth’ is bullshit. He doesn’t get to judge others on their outward appearance and assume that his fucked up, warped view of the world is the truth.

“The reality is; most men don’t want an overweight lover so as soon as they begin to get heavier their partner begins to look elsewhere. After all, who wants a fat woman on top of them in the bedroom?”

What world is he living in? His assumption that all women want to be a size 6 and all men would baulk at the sight of a woman larger than a supermodel is fucking ridiculous.

You know what is sexy? Confidence. There is nothing hotter than a person who glows with self love, who is happy, joyous and loving life. You know that person who lights up a room when they enter, who is interesting and clever and witty and you are drawn to them. And they may be a size 6 or a size 26, the outer shell doesn’t matter when you are in the presence of someone awesome.

You know what isn’t sexy? A person who tries to make money from shaming people into feeling bad about themselves, who name-calls and belittles others. Somebody who takes their own hurt and pain and puts it onto others.

Worry not, because they amazing world of twitter has responded with vigour. Awesome blogger and fat activist Daisy replied.

Whilst I pissed myself at Fat Becky‘s response…

Yeah, yeah I know lowering ourselves to mocking his appearance isn’t the most adult thing to do, but sometimes, some people are so vile that they kind of deserve it…

There is nothing wrong with wanting to lose weight, get fitter or change your lifestyle, but how many really believe that someone bullying them will help? No one should lose weight because someone else makes them feel bad about themselves, weight loss and getting fitter should be a personal choice and one that is emotionally healthy for them.

And that personal choice goes both ways, a friend told me recently that she had been dieting for years and had started a new regime, her husband sighed heavily and told her that he would rather her gain another 5 stone than him have to see her punish herself any longer. Not everyone wants to be thin, nor does every partner care what size their loved one is.

After my surgeries I was a little shy in front of my husband, I wore long vests in the bedroom to hide my changed body, this became a habit that I eventually tired of. I realised I wasn’t fooling him, he didn’t think I was a size 0 under my size 16 vest!!! And so I rid myself of the garments and shook what my momma gave me… The result? An honest conversation where he told me that when I covered up it made him worry that I didn’t trust him to love me, it also made him think I couldn’t be enjoying myself if I was thinking about my stomach.

This vile man, Steve Miller, would like you all to believe that if you are fat, no one will love you. I call bullshit. If the people around you only care about the number in the back of your dress then dump those fuckers NOW. True friends, partners, lovers care about you as a whole package and your size and shape pales into insignificance when it comes to your self esteem, confidence, joy and character.

Sex and love are about respect, trust, fun and excitement. These things come through self esteem and a great relationship not through salads and treadmills.

Fat is not sexy? What a load of shit!!!

No make up, no photoshop, size 16 and in the words of the amazing Amy Schumer, I can catch a dick any time I want…

Steve Miller, go fuck yourself!

Sam x

Lift Plus 360 – ostomy adhesive remover review

23rd June 2015/0 Comments/in Blog/by sam

So those clever chickens over at Opus Healthcare have come up with this new product Lift Plus 360, a medical adhesive remover for people with ostomies.

When I had my stoma I always used an adhesive remover as taking the bags off were the trickiest part, that super great seal you yearn for when putting the bag on to ensure there are no leaks suddenly becomes a huge chore when you have to take the bag off, especially if you use extra flange extenders or those stoma donuts. The adhesive removers act to pretty instantly stop the sticky.

It can be painful and really affect the skin around the stoma to pull the bags away and so I always recommend a good remover.

Now the Lift Plus 360 goes one step further, the new spray can be applied from any angle (hence the 360° name) meaning it is SO much easier to use.

I no longer have a stoma and so I called on my lovely pal who has a permanent stoma to try out Lift Plus 360 and let me know what he thought.

“It really does work!” he said “whatever angle you spray it from, you get a great steady stream that is directed exactly where you need it.”

“The worst part of a bag change is pulling the sticky side away from your skin, especially if you’re a bloke who has hair on the stomach area. With some sprays it doesn’t take all the adhesive off and I end up pulling my hair out, with Lift Plus 360 it was a breeze!”

Adhesive removers have been around for a while, but Opus have redesigned this to make it more user friendly.

Opus say:

Opus Healthcare, a division of Alliance Pharmaceuticals Ltd, has launched Lift Plus 360, the latest range of non-sting adhesive remover. Using the latest bag on valve technology, Lift Plus 360 is a highly effective range of medical adhesive removers that reduce the pain associated with the removal of stoma pouch adhesives. The new spray can be applied from any angle (360°) offering greater efficiency for the user and comes in two varieties.

The new range is an upgrade from Opus’s previous product, the Lift Plus. By removing the propellant to create Lift Plus 360, the product is no longer cold on the skin. It is also more environmentally friendly as the removal ensures less wastage due to greater product emptying.

Other benefits of using Lift Plus 360 include:

Reducing the pain associated with removing pouches and flanges
It will not irritate sore or broken skin
Dries instantly and no need to wash the skin
The spray can be applied from any angle (360 degrees), offering greater reliability.
The removal of the hydrocarbon propellant ensures:

The product is not cold on the skin
There’s more product in the can
Less wastage due to greater product emptying
It’s more environmentally friendly

To order a sample call 0800 458 7605 or for more information take a peek at the Opus website.

The site also has some great ostomy information so is well worth a look.

Sam x

This post was sponsored by representatives of Opus Healthcare. I do a few paid reviews on this site but ONLY choose products and companies that I believe are a good fit for my awesome So Bad Ass readers and will always disclose when posts are sponsored.

What happens during a colonoscopy?

22nd June 2015/58 Comments/in Blog/by sam

This is one question that I often get asked, that may seem like an odd thing to ask someone but as I am sometimes seen as the voice of poo I get a LOT of poo based questions!!

So you have been told you need to have a camera up your bum and it is TERRIFYING! The reason you are having the test is diagnostic, so doctors can take a look inside your colon. The actual reason can be so varied but usually because there has been unusual activity, diarrhoea, bleeding, mucus, incontinence etc.

Not only are you dealing with the worry of what they will find (and I know we all assume cancer, and though that can be the case, there are SO many other reasons you are having problems, so don’t scare yourself into hysterics before you get any results!). But many people feel embarrassed to discuss with others and the thought of someone looking up your bum is just mortifying. This happens with ‘poo diseases’, if you were suspected to have diabetes and were going for blood tests, you shouldn’t feel any shame but because it is from the bottom, it can feel ridiculously embarrassing.

Just remember that these medical professionals do this every day. They will not be embarrassed, they won’t be giggling or thinking what an odd shaped bottom you have! They see thousands of bums a year and I promise you, they are not judging you!

So what happens? Firstly let me say, I am not medically trained and this is my experience of having many colonoscopies over the past 11 years. It is really important that if you have any specific medical questions that you speak to your doctor.

Which type?

Well there are a few different ‘up the bum’ cameras.

Flexible Sigmoidoscopy

This is used to look at the inside of the large intestine from the rectum through to the sigmoid but not sufficient in the ascending or transverse colon (two-thirds of the colon).

Rigid Sigmoidoscopy

This is a procedure done to look at the rectum and lower colon.

Colonoscopy

This is an examination of the large bowel and the end part of the small bowel with a camera on a flexible tube passed through the anus.

Colonoscopy is similar to sigmoidoscopy—the difference being related to which parts of the colon each can examine. A colonoscopy allows an examination of the entire colon. A sigmoidoscopy allows an examination of the distal portion (about 600 mm) of the colon.

Pouchoscopy

A Pouchoscopy is a procedure to examine the lining of your ileo-anal pouch for any inflammation, abnormal growths or tissue. This is for people who have had their bowels removed and a ‘jpouch’ or ileoanal anastomosis formed.

Preparation

The colon must be completely clear of poo for the test to be performed properly. For a few days, you may be required to follow a low fiber diet and on the day before the scope, you will be given a laxative preparation.

There are different types of bowel prep but all of them have the intention of clearing EVERYTHING out. Most require you to drink the medication mixed with a lot of water. It can be really difficult to stomach this but it is vital you complete all the medication given to you. It will be explained to you how to take your type of medication but if you have any questions, then do speak to your doctor.

You will want to stay at home and close to the toilet once you start your bowel prep. Trust me on this one, STAY CLOSE to the loo!

What next?

Once you get to the hospital, it is necessary to remove your clothes and change into a gown before the procedure. You will be taken through to the room where there may be a few medical folk in the room. You will be asked to get on the examination table and lay on your side with your knees up towards your chest, the back of your gown is open to the doctor.

Some people choose to have sedation to help them through the procedure. In my own experience I could handle the pouchoscopy and sigmoidoscopies without sedation, there was very minimal discomfort. But for the colonoscopy, I have the sedation as the camera is going further into the colon and I personally struggled without. You could also be offered gas and air. Speak to your doctor beforehand to decide what (if any) pain relief is needed.

If you have the sedation, you will generally have a canula inserted into a vein for the sedative to be pushed through into your blood stream, once it goes in, it acts very quickly and you may feel light headed and like you are a bit drunk! You should feel relaxed and perhaps sleepy and in a dreamlike state.

You may also have a clip on your finger to keep check on your pulse and perhaps a blood pressure cuff. Staff are with you all the way through, at every scope I have had, there has been a nurse to sit by me and speak to me throughout the procedure.

The first step is usually a digital rectal examination, where the doctor inserts a finger into your anus. The endoscope is then passed through the anus, up the rectum into the colon.The endoscopes have multiple channels for instrumentation, air, suction and light etc.

The bowel is expanded with air to maximise visibility, this can feel uncomfortable and make you have the sensation that you need to poo. As you lay on your side, you may be able to see the screen the the doctor watches so they can see in real time the inside of your colon, some people may not want to watch the screen but I find it really interesting.

Biopsies may be taken during the procedures, watching this on the screen you see a claw type instrument that ‘grabs’ a section of the inside of the colon and pulls back to remove a tiny biopsy. Though this isn’t painful, you can feel a little tug from inside which can feel odd.

The whole thing (depending on which scope you have) lasts between 10 and 40 minutes. Afterwards, some recovery time is usually allowed to let the sedative wear off. Most doctors require that patients have a person with them to help them home afterwards especially if you have had sedation.

One very common aftereffect is a bout of flatulence and minor wind pain caused by the air that is pumped into the colon during the procedure. It can feel like you are really full up with wind and the only way to remove it is by passing wind. You may have a little stomach ache afterwards or perhaps be sleepy after the sedation, it is good to rest for a day or so.

As with any medical procedure there are always the potential for complications, these aren’t common but could include; an adverse reaction to the sedative used during the exam, bleeding from the site where a tissue sample (biopsy) was taken or a polyp or other abnormal tissue was removed or a tear in the colon or rectum wall (perforation). Your doctor will explain all the risks before you sign the consent form.

So there we go, I hope this post has helped answer a few questions. Just remember that it’s a medical procedure, I know it can feel upsetting and embarrassing but it is necessary. The idea of this blog came from me wanting to #StopPooBeingTaboo and this is why I feel it important to talk about these sorts of issues. We are told that it is impolite to speak of body fluids and bottoms but it is the social embarrassment and fear that stop people seeking medical help. The quicker you seek help, the better it is for your health.

If you have any more questions or other aspects of life with IBD that you would like me to post about, feel free to comment below or message me through my Facebook or twitter.

Sam xx

'Mummy Tummy' F**k that!

19th June 2015/5 Comments/in Blog/by sam

Firstly, yuk, ‘mummy tummy’?? Are we 6?

I came across this story on twitter about the Queen’s eldest grandchild Zara Phillips and how she had attended an event and been photographed wearing a dress that showed she was carrying some weight around her middle, the media speculated that she was ‘up to 5 months pregnant’ and the womankind sighed a big sigh and realised that she was a woman who gave birth 18 months ago and now her body has changed.

They used this cringe inducing term ‘mummy tummy’ as if leading with a cutesy term negates from the fact they are shaming a woman for her body shape in a national newspaper and propagating ideals of negative body image for women.

The fact that this is news at all says a lot about the times we live in. There are children fleeing murder and drowning in our oceans, tens of thousands of animals being slaughtered and sacrificed, people in the UK living in poverty and using food banks, people with disabilities being failed by the government, yet the news in our papers tells of a woman whose body looks different post birth.

They compare her to Kate, Duchess of Cambridge who was pictured 6 weeks after the birth of her daughter looking pretty much as she had before pregnancy and speculated on whether Zara had a medical condition where her stomach muscles had split.

Because what every woman wants is to be asked if she is pregnant and then compared to someone slimmer than them! Zara was forced to make an official announcement to tell the world she isn’t pregnant. Pregnancy, labour, childbirth and those first years of your child’s life are bloody tough on the body, you gain weight, your body changes more than you could imagine, you become the perfect incubator for your baby, then you push a human being out of your vagina. Perhaps you then feed them from your breasts, your sleep pattern changed wildly and frankly, everything that you thought was important before pales into insignificance when you look at your wonderful offspring. Ladies, give yourself a break!

A friend of mine is pregnant with twins and I visited her along with another pal, the three of us have been friends for over 20 years. Preggers friend asked the two of us (5 kids between us) how long it takes for your tummy to go back. My pal answered ‘about 6 weeks’, my answer? ’14 years and counting…’

Because we are all so different, my friend isn’t any better than I am for losing weight straight away, genetics and lifestyle make the difference and I don’t feel any shame for not looking the way I did before I gave birth to a total of 28 pounds of (three) children over 4 and a half years.

Society assumes that we all give a shit. That we all are dreaming of a size 6 body. Dudes, I was a size 8 before the bambinos, I am now a 16 and despite years of dieting, always stay around this size. Could I lose weight? Yes, probably. But I love food, eat too big portions and spend a good proportion of my days sat on my bum writing stuff for blogs/magazines/books. I also really like booze. Beer, wine, cocktails… Yup! And I love food and booze more than I care about being thin.

My family are mostly all big women, I honestly think I am predisposed to be chunkier, we tend to be slim till mid twenties/early thirties and then gain weight. Sometimes I think I would like to be smaller, generally when I see a ton of women body shaming or when I go shopping and can’t find my size. Right now I am a mum of three and run a photography business, I’m starting a new career and working for the bloody awesome Responsible Fishing as an artist/writer. Life is pretty full and I like to enjoy big dinners with awesome family and friends. These aren’t excuses, I fully accept that it is because of these things (too many calories and too little exercise) that I stay the weight I am.

My body has been through so much in the past 18 months (not to mention the ten years of medication previously), three surgeries and two hernias in 18 months make exercise difficult, I felt like I was always waiting to be out of recovery mode!

But mentally and emotionally, I am learning so much. After everything I have been through I have a new respect and love for my body. Yes, it has stretch marks, scars and illness but it has carried me through these battles and still holds me strong.

There is so much pressure on women, especially once you have had children and I just wish there was more love and positivity shown towards post natal women. Mamas you are wonderful! You made a human being!!! You are goddesses!

When you see your stretch marks, know that your wonderful body got bigger to enclose and home your baby, your stomach may be softer because it’s missing the 9 months it held that baby inside. When your breasts change shape (and nipples, no one tells you about the nipple changes do they?! Yes, they are huge now!) it is because of the milk your body created and the hormones that make your body baby ready.

Your body may have changed, but so has everything else! Aren’t you more filled with love? Don’t you feel different in your head than before you had children? Don’t your priorities change? We accept all these mental and emotional changes for the better yet assume that physical changes are for the worse.

Some women naturally just ping back into the same shape as they were pre pregnancy, some change completely. Neither is right or wrong, it is just nature.

We need to band together and refuse to see our fellow woman shamed for being ‘too’ anything. Too thin, too fat, too muscly, too wobbly.

No one gets to tell you that you are ‘too’ anything.

You are more than your dress size. More than the size of your waist. More than your stretch marks. More than your scars.

You are an awesome human being and those who judge you for your physical appearance are not the folk to be listening to.

I judge on kindness, on humour, loyalty, love. The people I want around me are ones who are interesting, loving, awesome, funny, wonderful, caring. And I don’t give a fuck what dress size they are.

Love Sam xxxx

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'Mummy Tummy' F**k that!

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