Ileostomy and Internal Pouch Association, known as IA, is a registered charity supporting people living with an ileostomy or internal pouch, their families, friends and carers.
DonateLet's Talk
You’ve possibly just been told that you need to have bowel surgery for an acute or chronic condition or perhaps you have been through abdominal trauma and an ileostomy (or other stoma) or an internal pouch needs to be formed. Alternatively you may already be living with one of these conditions but are finding it difficult to accept and are experiencing a range of emotions such as fear, anger, frustration, embarrassment or perhaps it is triggering a wider mental health issue or thoughts that could lead to self harm.
First of all, you are not alone. These feelings are not unusual – being told you need bowel surgery such as this is life changing. We have been supporting people through peer-to-peer support since 1956 offering the option to speak to someone trained to listen. Someone who shares a similar background and has been through a similar surgical experience (or is the partner of someone who has). Speaking to someone who understands can help, whether it’s one of our qualified One2One Support Volunteers or a qualified therapist. It can help you to understand your feelings and thoughts, why you feel the emotions that you do and help you to find a way forward whether that’s by you finding a solution or coping mechanisms that you can use when you need them.
What support should I get?
You are possibly best qualified to make that initial assessment. We’d suggest having a chat with your Stoma Care Nurse or healthcare professional, if not already, to understand if speaking to someone who has been through a similar experience such as one of our qualified One2One Support Volunteers would help you (e.g. perhaps your concerns are related to more practical lifestyle issues rather than ones affecting your mental health over a period of time). Alternatively, if you are a member of IA, you may feel that talking to a qualified therapist through IA’s ‘Support Through Therapy’ programme would be a better option when your usual coping strategies (e.g. talking to family or friends, discussion with healthcare professional or a qualified One2One Support Volunteer) don’t resolve your prolonged feelings of anxiety, sadness or anger.
Above all, remember help is available and you should not feel alone.
More about the different types of support available and how to request support through IA can be found using the options below.
