Surf, peritoneal dialysis, and colostomy bags

Hi everybody!!!

My name is David, and I started surfing in 2008. Since June 2012 I am doing peritoneal dialysis, and I created this blog for describing how to surf if you have chosen this dialysis technique.


As detailed below, I managed to surf without my catheter exit site getting infected. Although I only went surfing once, I hope to widen the experience. Also, I didn't feel any pain when paddling on the surfboard because of the catheter.

I decided to write about it because when I started dialysis treatment, I was unable to find complete information about this aspect.

I had seen people with colostomy in internet that surfed for 20 years, and I wondered if I could use one of those bags.

One day at hospital I met a girl form Gijon than used them for swimming in the sea at summer, and when I was about ten months with the catheter placed, I spoke with my friend Alejandro, who gave me some colostomy bags he uses, and explained me how to use them.

However, before testing the bags for the first time, I asked the dialysis unit staff of the "Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias" if I could surf again placing one of these bags. They told me that in another hospital, in Cádiz, they had patients who were on peritoneal dialysis, which were surfing protecting the catheter exit site with colostomy bags, and provided me some bags.

The procedure is very simple:

• You must have a colostomy bag.In the market there are many brands and types depending on the size and other aspects.

I used HOLLISTER model 22400. This is a one-piece closed pouch. It seems better to use a closed bag instead of a drainable one, for avoiding possible openings and seawater input through the drain.

• Clean and dry your skin, and enlarge the inner hole of the bag cutting with a pair of scissors for introducing the catheter through that inner hole. Cutting following the 25 mm mark was enough for me. It is advisable to cut the less the better, to have more grip surface, and do not fear when taking off the bag, because after the surf session, it comes off easy and witouth pain, even if you have hair in the area where de the disk was fixed.

• After washing and disinfecting your hands, insert the catheter into the colostomy bag through it's hole. It may be a little difficult to roll the catheter inside the bag, but the end is achieved

• Make a small cut with the scissors of the adhesive plastic protection, and take that plastic off gradually, starting from the upper part of the catheter exit site, appliying pressure wih your hands.

• Once pasted the central disk, if your bag has another additional fixing disc, start with the inner one and then follow with the outter one, if it is divided in two.

• Finally, stay lying about an hour pressing at first with your hands for a better fixing

• If because of water temperature where you live, you have to use wetsuit, for me it is more comfortable to place the colostomy bag folded up on itself, avoiding cathether hard parts to remain on the section where it goes very shallow under the skin. 

• After surfing, when you take off your wetsuit the colostomy bag dries quickly. Once at home, wash and disinfect your hands, and after showering the body, remove the bag in the shower, and clean the area occupied by the bag and the cathether. Finally, heal the catheter exit site, and it's done!

Despite what is written here, before you do anything always ask your doctors and nurses, because since placing the catheter until you can surf, it must happen some time (I was advised to wait about a year). Also ask them about bag placement.

There are another factors that can make surfing inadvisable, such as the type of catheter and if you have to keep liquid or not during the day. In my case, beause of the type of my catheter, if I didn't have 2 liters of fluid during the day, maybe surfing wasn't advisable, because the catheter could suffer displacement.

I was in the water for about 30-40 minutes without leakage problem, but I don't know how it could work for longer sessions.

The day I went to surf the water temperature was 13.5-14 ° C, the ambient temperature was about 21 ° C, no wind, and I din't feel more cold than I think a healthy person would, or any other discomfort owed to the water temperature.

Finally, I wanted to thank my family and friends, and the whole team of the peritoneal dialysis unit of the "Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias", and the "Hospital Aquitecto Macide" of Ferrol.

I hope this will be helpful to someone. 

Good waves!!!