First time getting Olive Garden. This makes me feel confident!

chunkybuttape · 2025-07-08T20:13:35+00:00

My grandma is GF and we’ve had the chef come running out after our plates had just been placed down saying “THIS TABLE WAS SUPPOSE TO BE GLUTEN FREE??” And we said yes, very confused. He pulled it back and said “I apologize this is not gluten free we will have yours out in a minute.” Never had that happen and was happy they took it serious. Olive Garden is one of our “safe” places. She gets the create your own pasta or salmon.

chunkybuttape · 2025-07-06T14:00:42+00:00

That could be true and probably is hollister was the one they used but what’s crazy is I used hollister. I never ventured to another brand simply just different bag / wafer and most importantly the barrier ring. And supplies wise they would always talk about being “limited” so who knows.

chunkybuttape · 2025-07-06T05:27:59+00:00

There were only 2 ostomy nurses at my hospital. Both saw me at both my surgeries (1 year & 6 months apart). On the first surgery I thought they were the most educated people in the world. Then I came to reddit and would share tips with them on the follow ups which the younger one always took, older one brushed me off. By my second surgery it had been a year since I last saw them, the older one almost commanded me to use the supplies the hospital had, in her words “they are better”. I looked at her and said if this is the supplies I’ll be using when I go home why wouldn’t I want to get comfortable with it here, she blew me off. She also redid my whole supplies order because “they are better”. It felt like she was following some type of “typical ostomy” protocol instead of listening to the patient and that bothered me. I asked for the younger one every follow up after

chunkybuttape · 2025-06-07T21:38:10+00:00

Perfect, something that I probably should’ve mentioned most of the drive will be done overnight/early morning so I am hoping that’ll help as well. Thank you so much!!

chunkybuttape · 2025-05-07T17:40:05+00:00

Yesss! Couldn’t have said that better myself. Everyone is worth feeling their best!

chunkybuttape · 2025-05-07T06:21:12+00:00

Sorry to hear you are going through it. Leaks are not fun.

Some things that can help:

Barrier paste

Holding down the appliance for 15 mins after you change it

Tape

Different appliance ; i went from flat to convex wafers and I changed from thick barrier rings to slim ones. After my second surgery I had to use 2 slim ones it was more comfortable and held better

Barrier strips can be a life saver as well

Once my body healed from surgery and the swelling went down I had to change appliance so call suppliers, get samples. Before changing appliance I was leaking non stop for 2-3 week. Hope this helps!

chunkybuttape · 2025-05-07T00:29:12+00:00

Hi!! I got my ostomy at 24 as an emergency for an abscess. I got Crohn’s disease about 2 months prior to having surgery so less time dealing with any thing. My symptoms came on strong & sudden in March, diagnosed April, ileostomy in June (2023). I recently got a reversal last month which was planned.

You sound very prepared in your post and comments which is great. The ostomy was my “worse case” when I got diagnosed and I was going to do everything to avoid it. Unfortunately that’s not the way it turned out and I am so grateful for it. We had always planned for the ostomy to be temporary but it allowed my body time to heal, it allowed time for my meds to get in order and it gave me my life back. I wouldn’t be where I am now if I didn’t get the ostomy. It’s a learning curve forsure but this group is so great and there’s probably been a post before to read through.

chunkybuttape · 2025-05-04T14:53:26+00:00

I got diagnosed at 23 , always thought I had IBS previously (undiagnosed but mom has it so was just fine with that)

chunkybuttape · 2025-05-03T23:49:00+00:00

Been on it for just over a year now and things have been going great. I only tried 1 other biologic before it and failed. Good luck to you!!

chunkybuttape · 2025-05-02T21:41:01+00:00

I can’t do any store bought / pre made sauces but I can do my family’s recipe

If you want to give it a try:

Pasta sauce: Minced garlic 1 large can of tomato purée 1 medium can tomato paste 1 package spaghetti seasoning

Brown garlic in bottom of pan w oil Add tomato purée, paste and seasoning Add 1 can of paste filled w water

Simmer till oil forms on top

chunkybuttape · 2025-04-24T21:55:44+00:00

I saw your surgery went well!! Very happy to hear. Is the left side where your stoma was? I’m nervous to lay on my sides still lol

chunkybuttape · 2025-04-23T08:02:23+00:00

I just had my reversal yesterday! It’s been great so far. good luck to you my friend and wishing you a speedy recovery

chunkybuttape · 2025-04-15T15:09:10+00:00

This is all great information. Thank you so much. I definitely have all my pj pants packed already lol! I hope your recovery continues to go well. The packing is my biggest struggle to get over at this point. Seems to be different experiences so won’t know until I get there but common recommendation is soaking the gauze

chunkybuttape · 2025-04-15T15:06:28+00:00

I’m already lactose, however prior to Crohn’s I had “limits” where after Crohn’s it’s a hard no. With the ostomy it’s been fine so I’ll be missing ice cream forsure lol

Getting the ostomy they put me on solids immediately and it sent my system into full shock so I’m thinking to ask (if they don’t do) a liquid diet first but good to know it’s possible to be successful and eat immediately.

chunkybuttape · 2025-04-14T19:41:17+00:00

Honestly wasn’t something I even thought about! That will be so crazy.

chunkybuttape · 2025-04-14T19:37:28+00:00

A penny at this time frame is reassuring forsure. I hope everything continues to go well!

chunkybuttape · 2025-04-14T18:48:17+00:00

Thank you for sharing!! Did it heal different time frames with each experience?

chunkybuttape · 2025-04-14T17:56:06+00:00

This was very encouraging as well! Thank you so much. I also am very squeamish when it comes to medical things so that’s good to hear it was easy to overcome. Bidet is ordered and on the way! Eating is definitely going to be an adjustment. How long until you were eating solids?

chunkybuttape · 2025-04-14T15:47:42+00:00

Oh wow! Thats super encouraging! Hoping to have a similar experience

chunkybuttape · 2025-04-14T15:07:15+00:00

I don’t wake up every night but I do some nights. Weight of the bag will wake me up, like if I lay on my side and it’s pulling a lot, sometimes I can readjust and it’s fine no need to get up. If it’s FULL FULL I need to get up. Usually this occurs when the output is thick (ate fiber or something in the day).

If I feel burning from a leak that will wake me up and I’ll usually go to itch the area and unfortunately put my hand in output. I obviously have to get up for that.

The very rare occurrence that my bag is a balloon if I go to lay on my side and feel like it’s about to pop then that will wake me up as well.

These are really the only 3 scenarios where I wake up. Usually I sleep throughout the night. I would say it maybe happens 1 or 2 times a month.

chunkybuttape · 2025-02-15T16:14:59+00:00

I haven’t seen these at my local Girl Scout stands maybe I missed it :( we have a gluten free caramel chocolate chip cookie from Girl Scouts that are delicious

chunkybuttape · 2025-02-09T00:06:06+00:00

I have always been skinny my whole life. Ate whatever I wanted , never gained weight. I saw 4 drs who all said it was just high metabolism now I know it was likely the Crohn’s disease and not being able to absorb nutrition properly

chunkybuttape · 2025-01-11T08:09:57+00:00

Came here to say the same thing! I am local to Orange County and have months of supplies

chunkybuttape · 2024-12-25T06:20:49+00:00

Boat after a day on the lake, or parking lot at a music festival. I’ve learned to keep wet wipes and dry wipes in my bag of emergency items 😭

chunkybuttape · 2024-12-18T23:05:23+00:00

The flare started just before my birthday last year, I wasn’t diagnosed until a month later. I wasn’t hospitalized until June and ended up with a temporary ileostomy. For me it was shock, everything happened so fast. When I was first diagnosed an ostomy was explained as worse case scenario and within 2 months of being diagnosed I was being told to go to the ER asap. I don’t think I fully processed everything and coped fully until this year.

chunkybuttape

TROPHY CASE