Urostomy: Staying Healthy

You’ve just had a urostomy to make a new way for pee (urine) to drain from your body. Follow the tips on this sheet. They'll help you learn how to stay healthy and prevent problems. 

A few words on diet

You don’t have to follow a special diet or stay away from any foods. But be aware that asparagus and some other foods may cause your pee to smell or look different.

Drinking plenty of water

Man drinking water.

Drinking plenty of water will help prevent pee odor. It will also prevent dehydration. This is when too much fluid is lost from the body. If you get dehydrated, less pee will flow from your stoma. You may feel thirsty and tired. And your skin and mucous membranes may get dry. You may also get stomach cramps. Here are some tips:

  • Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day, unless your healthcare provider has told you to drink less fluid.

  • If you do get dehydrated, try to drink plenty of fluids.

  • Call your provider if you can’t keep fluids down because of an upset stomach or vomiting.

Taking a shower or bath

You can take a shower or bath with or without your pouch. Keep in mind:

  • If you want to bathe without your pouch, you may want to do it in the morning. This is when your pee output is less. Remember, pee will come out of your stoma. There's no way to stop the output.

  • At other times of the day, showering is a better option than bathing. Any pee that flows from your stoma will run down the drain.

When you have a checkup

You may need to see your provider every few months at first. After that, your stoma should be checked once a year. Keep in mind:

  • Any time your provider needs a pee sample, it should be taken from your stoma. This will be done with a special tube (catheter). Don' take a pee sample from your pouch yourself.

  • When you see your provider, bring extra supplies. This is helpful in case you need to change your pouch.

  • Always let your provider know right away if you have a problem with your urinary tract or stoma.

Call 911

Call 911 or get medical care right away if you have any of these:

  • A deep cut in the stoma

  • A lot of bleeding from the stoma opening

  • A moderate amount of blood in the pouch at several emptyings

  • Continuous bleeding where the stoma and skin meet

  • Severe skin irritation or deep sores

  • Abnormal change in stoma size and color

  • Fever and a strong odor from the stoma

When to call your healthcare provider

Call your provider if you have any of these symptoms of a urinary tract infection:

  • Belly pain

  • Blood in your pee

  • Cloudy or bad-smelling pee for more than a week

  • Fever of 100.4°F (38 °C) or higher, or as advised by your provider

  • Chills

  • Kidney pain

Getting support

Adjusting to a urostomy takes time. But your family and friends can help you. Your surgeon; wound, ostomy, and continence (WOC) nurse; and other healthcare providers can answer your questions. They can help you find a support group. This is a group of people who share the same concerns or problems. You can also contact these organizations for more information and support: