About the Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire IA

The IA Journal is sent to all members quarterly, free of charge, in March, June, September, and December. The IA Journal is more than just a magazine about IA (although one of its functions is to keep the members in touch with what is happening within IA). It is a very valuable source of regular information for both ileostomists and internal pouch patients. The IA Journal normally includes information about new products and appliance equipment, about ostomy management, and many other matters involving life with an ileostomy or internal pouch. There are usually several pages of letters from members, and personal stories. Each quarter, 12,000 copies are circulated to IA members, surgeons, doctors, nurses, ostomy equipment suppliers and manufacturers, and others interested in our work. Don’t miss out on yours, join the IA now! The IA Journal To view a sample IA Journal (no. 200, summer 2008) please click here To advertise in the IA Journal please click here for more information To download a recent article from the IA Journal in pdf format, please select from the list below (remember - this is just a small selection from many interesting and topical articles concerning ileostomy and internal pouch matters) : Journal 177 - Coming Back from Stoma Surgery Journal 180 - Bowel Obstructions

Journal 181 - Loop Ileostomies Journal 181 - Parastomal Hernia Journal 184 - Secrets and Lies of a Closet Ileostomist Journal 186 - Diet Journal 191 - My Two Bumps – Baby & Hernia! Journal 198 - Opportunity Knocked

You can send a letter to the Journal editor here. To receive a regular copy of the IA Journal yourself, you simply need to join IA via your local group (see Regional Index) or via National Office, or you can click here to apply on-line

Journal 178 - A 50th Anniversary

The IA Journal Omnibus Edition This is a comprehensive handbook based on articles which have been published in the IA Journal. It gives information about many aspects of living with an ileostomy or an internal pouch, eg:

• How an ileostomy works - the medical aspects • How you feel about your ileostomy - self image and attitude • The practical aspects - ostomy management • The ileo-anal pouch operation • Details of information and help which is available • IA - what it is and how it does it There are some twenty-two articles (mostly written by members of the medical professions) plus plenty of hints and tips in the handbook's 96 pages. It is available only from IA National Office and costs £3.75 (+£1.25 postage) To order your copy please click here

Going Home (for stoma patients) This booklet has been produced jointly by the RCN Stoma Care Forum and IA. It is designed for patients who are leaving hospital with a new stoma, and looking forward to being back with their families and friends. They are probably wondering how life will be in years to come. The booklet will tell you that it is going to be all that you would like it to be in the future. You have everything to look forward to with confidence. In quite a short time, like many thousands of other people who have a stoma, you should be able to enjoy a good quality of life with minimum inconvenience. Subjects include : • Prescriptions and supplies • Disposal • Dietary considerations • Common concerns • Drugs • Bathing and clothing • Social activities • Sex and pregnancy • Work • Travel advice

Going Home (for internal pouch patients) This booklet has been produced in co-operation with the RCN Stoma Care Forum and IA. It is designed for patients who are leaving hospital with a new internal pouch, on their way home, and looking forward to being back with their families and friends. They are probably wondering how life will be in years to come. We hope that it will be all that you would like it to be in the future. In time, you should be able to enjoy a good quality of life.

Subjects include: • Dietary considerations • Concerns • Drugs • Daily living and social activities • Sex and pregnancy • Travel advice

Is that a new pouch you've got? (or do you always walk like that?) Written by Dick O’Grady, former IA National Pouch Group Co- ordinator, this booklet talks to new pouch ‘owners’ about his and other people’s experiences. The booklet is designed to be an Insider’s Companion, and might just help you during those first few weeks and help allay some of the worries that are so normal.

Subjects include: • Continued frequency and urgency going to the toilet • Soreness and itching around and just inside the back passage • Wind, feeling bloated, and noisy abdomen • The feeling of needing to clench the buttocks together when walking in order to prevent accidents

Other books you may find useful are listed below. Please note that they are not obtainable through IA, and you should order them via your local book supplier, or from an on-line book retailer such as Amazon.

Living with a Stoma - by Dr. Craig A. White Every year many thousands of people have a stoma - ileostomy and colostomy are the commonest types. For those who have them the surgery is life-saving, but they can be hard to adjust to, and even though no-one may know that you have a stoma it can make you feel self- concious and different. Dr. Craig White is a Clinical Psychologist who has worked with many stoma patients and talked to them about their fears and anxieties. In this book he explains in clear, straightforward terms all aspects of living with a stoma, including ways to feel more comfortable with it, and helps you overcome any embarrassment you may feel in talking to doctors and other healthcare professionals, in order to get the best possible help and support. Order quoting code ISBN 0-85969-754-1 The Essentials of Pouch Care Nursing - by Julia Williams

(review by Jeanette Salisbury-Jones which appeared in IA Journal 176) This book is primarily of interest to the medical profession, but also includes information of use to pouch patients. The book starts by giving the reader a detailed history of bowel disorders that may result in pouch surgery. The first three chapters cover ulcerative colitis, familial adenomatous polyposis and bowel cancer. It goes on to explain about the different types of pouch and how they are formed. The book gives valuable information to any nurse or healthcare worker working with patients who are considering, or have already got, an internal pouch. As a ‘pouchie’ myself I was very interested in the chapter on dietary information, although some of the information given is quite technical. Having read the book I can appreciate, and understand more fully, the treatment I received both before, and after, my surgery. The book goes on to cover the subject of children and teenagers undergoing ileo-anal surgery. It explains the reasons for surgery, and the affect it may have on them. There is also a section on sexual aspects and the pouch. This chapter also talks about body image with a stoma before pouch surgery (something only ileostomist would understand). The final chapter in the book contains accounts from five different pouch patients, explaining about their lives with a pouch. Although I feel this book is mainly aimed at the medical profession, there is a lot of information that I benefited from. At the end there are some useful addresses and telephone numbers of groups connected with the book. Order quoting code ISBN 1-86156-221-7. The Good Gut Guide - by Stephanie Zinser

Described by Professor John Nicholls, FRCS as 'An invaluable book for anyone with a bowel or digestive problem.' and by Claire Rayner as 'A splendidly detailed book - it will be a life-saver for a great many people.' Things that go wrong with your guts cause great embarrassment and this in turn can make illnesses frightening. In this book, Stephanie Zinser - a health writer who, prior to surgery, had suffered from ulcerative colitis for 10 years - discusses gut and bowel disorders in a simple and direct manner. The result is a mine of information on the symptoms and causes of gut-related problems, and a thorough investigation of available medical tests, treatments, and surgery. Also, because people want to know about every aspect of healthcare, 'The Good Gut Guide' offers comprehensive advice on diet, lifestyle, complimentary medicine, and support groups. At the same time, it pays much-needed attention to the person behind the illness, exploring the effects that chronic or embarrassing illnesses can have on our daily lives, our states of mind, and our relationships. Order quoting ISBN number 0-00-713805-9 Probiotics for Crohn's & Colitis - by Peter Cartwright (Review by Professor Subrata Ghosh)

This book fulfils a major requirement as there is so much interest in probiotics. In an immensely readable, compact volume, packed full of information, the reader is given a feel for the promise of probiotics as well as the limitations of our knowledge. The book is very well researched and written in plain, but entertaining English. Numerous anecdotes illustrate how probiotics have managed to become so ‘fashionable’ after being discredited for many years. Discussion of the links between intestinal bacteria and the development of IBD is followed by analysis of the evidence for benefit in different forms of IBD and pouchitis. The book also devotes a chapter to other conditions which may benefit from probiotics. Patients, the general public, nurses and doctors can all benefit from reading this book, and be able to appeal to such a wide ranging readership is a testimony to the skill with which this book is put together. (review reproduced by kind permission of NACC News) The book is published by Prentice Publishing, PO Box 1704, Ilford, IG5 0WN (phone 0208 551 6192 or visit www.prentice-publishing.co.uk) ISBN : 0 9544438 0 2 – price £9.99 + £2 postage. It can also be ordered via the Amazon website. Coping with Diverticulitis - by Peter Cartwright

This book offers an informative and comprehensive guide to diverticular disease. The topics covered include : types of diverticular disease, diagnosis and tests, treatment (including bowel rest and antibiotics), the benefits of exercise, the right diet and how to boost your fibre intake, and psychological and lifestyle aspects of diverticular disease. ISBN 978-0-85969-985-3

Then Life Took Control - by Sam Shakes Then Life Took Control combines autobiography and self help using chronic disease and wellbeing as a platform to uncover the crux of these states. This contribution explores the influence of relationships with partners, family, friends, and the medical profession in relation to health. It demonstrates how racism, sexism, alcoholism, mental health challenges and childhood experiences all have a place in our disease and wellbeing states. About the Author: Sam Shakes lives in London. She works as a chronic disease management tutor and health guide in her local and surrounding communities. Alongside this work, she delivers talks at universities and teaching hospitals via her self-employed business ‘The Patients’ Perspective’. Sam graduated at Middlesex University after studying Health Studies. She has written articles for national charities based on her experiences of chronic disease management and her caring role. This is her first book. ISBN: 978-0-9566378-0-2 Price: £11.95 Email: samshakes@thenlifetookcontrol.co.uk Website: www.thenlifetookcontrol.co.uk

Factsheets IA produces several factsheets to help those with an ileostomy, and also a number for medical advisers treating patients with stoma’s. The first factsheet, 'This is IA', is available to anyone with an interest in the association, and may be downloaded direct from this website. It provides a general overview of IA's aims and activities. The other factsheets listed on the left are intended for those who have undergone ileostomy surgery, and are available to IA members upon request. These factsheets are intended primarily to be of interest to the medical profession: • Skin problems associated with ileostomies and ileo-anal pouches • Medical aspects of an ileostomy Introducing you to your Ileostomy Written by Bruce McKenzie - former National Secretary of IA. The factsheet provides an introduction to ileostomy generally, and to the stoma appliances (bags) which the ileostomist needs to use. Members wishing to receive a copy should contact IA National Office. Exercises for Ostomates Written by Marilyn Moore, who has the double qualification of being a chartered and state registered physiotherapist, and who has an ileostomy herself. The exercises described in the factsheet should not be followed without first consulting your doctor. All guidelines and warnings should be read carefully, and IA cannot accept responsibility for injuries or damage arising out of failure to comply with the same. The factsheet shows some simple exercises designed to help anyone who has had surgery leading to the formation of ileostomy, colostomy, urostomy, or an internal pouch. These exercises may also prove useful for people with low back problems. Members wishing to receive a copy should contact IA National Office. Travel Tips Travel is sometimes a worry for those who have undergone stoma surgery, and there are many useful hints in this factsheet to help patients regain their confidence when travelling. The factsheet covers: • Transport • Travel Insurance • Accommodation • Public Conveniences • Swimwear Members wishing to receive a copy should contact IA National Office Self Image Written by one of the association's own members, Alan Mortiboys, of Sandwell & Walsall IA, who has a great deal of experience himself, and who helped to set up IA’s Visitor Training Team. If you have gone through the trauma of having an ileostomy, it is natural to be concerned about the effect it may have on your present and future relationships with other people. You may well try to hide the fact that you have an ileostomy but be worried that everyone will find out because you think you look different. It is quite common for new ileostomists to feel this way. The leaflet explains how you may be able to deal with these aspects. Members wishing to receive a copy should contact IA National Office Ileostomies and Eating Habits One of the most common requests received at IA National Office is for details of special diets for people with ileostomies – perhaps because after weeks, months, or even years of suffering diarrhoea, it is difficult to imagine normal eating habits being possible again. In fact, the experience of many thousands of IA members shows that special diets are not usually necessary once the body has settled down and re-adjusted after the operation. This leaflet provides a good deal of useful information on the subject for both new and experienced ileostomists. Members wishing to receive a copy should contact IA National Office Please read the label Written by Alan Eyles M.R.Pharm.S. – IA’s Pharmacist Adviser. Before considering how drugs are absorbed into the circulation so they can reach their site of action, it is useful to understand how food is absorbed. It is then easier to realize why different medicines require different directions on their labels. Members wishing to receive a copy should contact IA National Office. Pregnancy, Contraception, Infertility, and the Ileostomy and the ileo-anal pouch Written by Marcus Setchell FRCS, FRCOG and Clive Spence-Jones FRCS, MRCOG. For many men and women with ileostomies or internal pouches, the establishment of a lasting sexual relationship and the possibility of having a family is a natural desire at the end of a long period of ill-health, and it may be seen as the final symbol of new found health and acceptance of any inconvenience or embarrassment associated with their illness. There are many half-truths and, frankly, misleading ideas bandied around in relation to what to expect from sex life, pregnancy, etc. after an ileostomy or ileo-anal pouch operation, and this leaflet is intended to dispel some of these. Members wishing to receive a copy should contact IA National Office The Ileo-anal Pouch Operation Written by Roy Maxwell MD FRCS, Consultant Surgeon at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast. The ileo-anal pouch operation, sometimes called restorative proctocolectomy, which was first described in 1978, has been a major advance in the treatment of patients with ulcerative colitis. The operation has enabled many people requiring surgery for colitis and for some other diseases of the large bowel to avoid a permanent ileostomy. The leaflet covers: • Normal working of the intestines • The pouch operation • Which conditions are suitable for treatment by the pouch operation • Are some people not suitable for the pouch operation? • Are all pouch operations the same? and several other topics. Members wishing to receive a copy should contact IA National Office. Medical Aspects of an Ileostomy The factsheet covers: • life post-surgery • function of the colon • salt and water • food • alcohol • odour • the stoma care nurse and the doctor Contact National Office for a copy, or if you prefer, you may download a PDF copy here

Skin Problems The factsheet covers skin problems associated with ileostomies and ileo-anal pouches such as: • direct damage from intestinal content (ileostomies) • direct damage from intestinal content (ileo-anal pouches) • problems relating to the ileostomy apparatus • diagnosis of contact allergy • other skin problems Contact National Office for a copy, or if you prefer, you may download a PDF copy here

Changing an appliance with one hand Preparation is vital to success in changing your appliance one-handed, combined with practice and patience. Trial and error will produce the best procedure for each individual to adopt when changing his/her appliance. Obviously, the procedure adopted by each individual will depend on factors such as: • General mobility • The extent to which you can use your affected arm • Whether it is the dominant arm which is affected • The type of appliance you are using • The amount of help you can rely on from others Contact National Office for a copy, or if you prefer, you may download a PDF copy here