One of my biggest fears before my trip to California was flying with my ostomy. Not only had I not been on a plane since I was a baby, but I was flying with my ostomy for the very first time. How would I get through TSA? Would my bag explode from the pressure change on the plane?
Before my trip, I tried to do as much research as possible to ensure that I was prepared. Now, I want to share with you my tips to make flying with your ostomy stress-free:
Change your bag the day of the flight or the night before. Putting on a fresh bag always makes me feel more confident going into a flight because I do not have to worry about a seal being worn down from several days of wear. This is not absolutely necessary, but it always gives me that extra piece of mind for my day of traveling.
Pack extra supplies. Always have extra ostomy supplies with you in your allowed carry-on! I had at least 7 bags, as well as barrier rings, adhesive wipes, stoma powder, and wipes with me in my carry-on. This was obviously far more than I would need, but once again, knowing that I was more than prepared gave me a peace of mind. My supplies all fit into a small pocket inside of my carry-on and barely took up any room! Therefore, it was definitely worth it to have them- just in case.
Do not be afraid to go through TSA with your ostomy! Your ostomy will show up on the scanners, but security is not there to judge you over your ostomy. You may recieve a pat-down over top of your clothes and may be asked about your ostomy, but that is all. I had absolutely no problems going through secruity. It was far less stressful than I expected. In fact, the most stressful part was juggling all of my belongings while trying to take off my shoes. My best advice for going through security is to just remember to breathe. You will be just fine!
Pack snacks and water. Just as having extra supplies with you on your flight is important, packing snacks and water is equally as important. In fact, most of the space in my carry-on bag was taken up by snacks and my water bottle. A note on water: you will be asked to dump out any liquids in your water bottle prior to going through secruity, so save yourself the time and find somewhere to fill up your water bottle after getting through secruity and before boarding the plane. Not only did I bring water with me on the plane, I brought several packets of my DripDrop ORS powder. DripDrop ORS is the perfect blend of sodium, electrolytes, and sugar and kept me hydrated, not just on the plane, but all throughout my trip. I highly recommend bringing an electrlytes solution like DripDrop ORS with you! For snacks, I tried to pack healthy snacks that would give me sustainable energy and carry me further through my trip. Fruits like grapes, bananas, and blueberries, pistashios, and crackers are my favorites.
Get an aisle seat. I had a window seat on all of my flights because let's be honest, I am obsessed with clouds, but having an aisle seat makes it so much easier to get up to use the restroom. With that being said, even with a window seat, I had no problems getting up to use the restroom when needed. Everyone was so nice and understanding.
Enjoy your trip. Flying with an ostomy for the first time can be scary and uncertain, but I promise it is so much easier than it may seem. I would have never been able to fly before my ostomy because I would have been running to the restroom every 5 minutes. Flying with my ostomy was such a stress-free, enjoyable experience that transcended to the rest of my trip as well. I am so thankful for the life that my ostomy have given me back and the adventures it has allowed me to take.
So there you have it, guys! These are my best tips for flying with an ostomy. I am so glad that I took the leap and flew with my ostomy for the first time and I am so excited to travel again soon. Oh! Also, your ostomy bag will not blow up like a balloon or explode off of your body on the plane. This was one of my biggest fears, but the pressure change had absolutely no effect on my bag.
Explore the world, travel to your little heart's content, and enjoy every second of it.