Unfortunately leaks and embarrassing moments are inevitable at some point in your life as an ostomate but they can be made less awful if you’re prepared! Here are suggestions for what to keep in your ostomy emergency kit. Obviously you don’t want to carry around a huge backpack all the time so you have to pick and choose what’s most going to be most important to you if you need to use your ostomy emergency kit.
Here are some suggestions for things to include in your ostomy emergency kit:
Extra pouch(s) – at least 2 is ideal
Extra baseplate(s) – at least 2 is ideal
Multiple trash bags – in the event of a “there’s no-bathroom and my ostomy pouch is full!” emergency you could empty into one of these
Measuring guide
Scissors
Preferred adhesive paste/seal
Extra clip – if you use a pouch with a clip
Skin Barrier wipes
Adhesive Remover Wipes
Hand sanitizer
Duct tape
Small handheld mirror
Soap
Gauze/PaperTowels
It also doesn’t hurt to carry a change of clothes in your car and some paper towels or wipes, though they probably won’t fit in the bag you’re carrying with you.
When to Carry Your Ostomy Emergency Kit
It’s up to you to decide when you carry your ostomy emergency kit. I used to carry mine with my EVERYWHERE I went, but as I’ve gotten used to having an ostomy I’ve stopped carrying it as much. If you’re curious why, check out this blog post.
A general guideline for when to carry your ostomy emergency kit would be basing it on how far away you’re going and how long you’ll be there. The trick is to bring it with you as often as you need to so that you feel confident and prepared. That confidence and sense of preparation will allow you to enjoy life and leave your ostomy in the back of your mind, pulling it to the forefront only when you need to be cautious about a movement, or empty or change your pouch.
