In this FAQ swimming with an ostomy, learn more about waterproof barriers and other ways to make sure you’re good to go in the pool.
Q: Swimming with an ostomy seems really scary. Now that summer is here, may I swim in a pool? If so, will my ostomy bag be affected by chlorine in the water? Should I get one of those “caps” for the stoma – is that a better way to go?
CarolAnne
A: Hi! You may swim in a pool! If your ostomy wafer has a waterproof barrier you can go in the pool without any additional products.
If your ostomy wafer does not have a waterproof barrier you can use barrier strips over your ostomy wafer. My absolute favorite product (although it’s not necessary all the time) is the SureSeal. HERE is a full blog post I did about swimming with an ostomy. I also made a video about swimming with an ostomy:
I have found that the chlorine water does not affect my ostomy bag at all. It’s not necessary to get a stoma “cap” but you can if you would feel more comfortable with it! If you have a colostomy, a stoma cap is a great option, but if you have an ileostomy or urostomy, stoma caps aren’t very functional since both ileostomies and urostomies output frequently. Instead of a stoma cap, you may want to look into a mini-drainable pouch.
Happy swimming!
Laura
For more information, see related articles and ostomy resources here:
How can I keep my ostomy pouch dry while showering?
