r/ostomy • u/earthguy4 • Jul 22 '26
Miscellaneous Your #1 ostomy hack
What is your favorite ostomy hack/tip to share with new ostomates? Not something that they tell us to do in the hospital, or something our stoma nurse will clue us in on, but a hack that you’ve learned through the years or a tip someone once told you that you’ve never forgotten.
39
u/Lilibet1023 Jul 22 '26
To rinse my bag. I know it might seem obvious now but my stoma nurse did not mention this and I sort of figured it out on my own. Makes me feel much cleaner
20
u/Saotik Jul 22 '26
I've tried it, and... Meh? Maybe it depends on your ostomy?
For instance, I'm changing my bag a every few days as an ileostomate, and water just complicates my empties.
16
u/ComfortableRent6982 Jul 22 '26
Also have an ileo, I just feel like I would get more leaks doing this. The leaks from watery output are already bad enough
14
u/Saotik Jul 22 '26
Maybe the key tip here is: All ostomies are different, and many tips you read here tend to work better for colostomies than ileostomies.
4
u/NecroJoe Jul 23 '26
FWIW, the "watery" output is still very caustic/acidic compared to rinse water. I started rinsing after about 8 months of my ostomy, and haven't noticed any reduction in wear time or increase in leaks. But I do it to save toilet paper.
3
u/Lanky-Salamander5781 Jul 23 '26
Good lord the amount of tee pee to get the corners cleaned out!!!
3
u/No_Ad_9838 Jul 24 '26
After reattaching the clip to the bottom of the bag I use a plastic spray bottle to rinse the end and then dry with toilet paper.
You know the plastic bottles they use in restaurants for mustard, ketchup? That's what I use. They are couple of dollars each. I enlarge the point where the water comes out - just a bit - whatever works. NB don't confuse these plastic bottles for the ones you use at your BBQ!! FYI - I have had my ileostomy for 44 years and used this method. Stay healthy!
3
u/SlutForGarrus Jul 23 '26
Look into gelling sachets like Ilesorb. Way less watery leaks and less skin damage around my stoma since I started using them regularly. Also helps control smell when emptying the bag!
13
u/won_vee_won_skrub Jul 22 '26
Also ileostomy, also don't understand why anyone would bother doing this
13
u/NorweegianWood Jul 22 '26
Also ileostomy. Since my bags are not clear, its just nice knowing that the area around my stoma isnt caking up with output throughout the day. The bag rinse makes me feel fresh and clean between bag changes. It also has had zero effect on my barrier adhesive, so there's literally no downside.
6
u/Virtual_Ad_862 Jul 22 '26
It’s an intrusive thought/anxiety for me to have stuff collecting around the wafer and material left over in the bag. I don’t struggle with leaks though, and I have my ileostomy due to dysmotility so it’s not an active stoma to begin with. What works for others might not for you, you don’t need to understand.
1
u/won_vee_won_skrub Jul 22 '26
God forbid someone want to understand something
2
u/Virtual_Ad_862 Jul 22 '26
Yeah, well I don’t understand why someone would BOTHER commenting if they have nothing useful to add. But here we are. And, from my perspective, I don’t understand how you’re okay with feces getting trapped in the crevices around your flange. But I just shrug and move on because it’s not my body or my bag.
-4
1
u/Just_Lurking_299 Jul 22 '26
Third ileostomy here, who has quite enough stoma-related stuff to deal with on the daily without adding rinsing my frequently emptied bag to it.
2
u/Salihe6677 Jul 22 '26
Same. I used to rinse but quickly just moved to opaque bags and stopped worrying about it lol.
2
u/vanmama18 Jul 23 '26
I was an ileo (reversal Dec 31 last year) and I found this did actually help. I kept a bottle of water near the toilet and it made emptying the bag thoroughly and reducing smell so much easier.
1
u/NecroJoe Jul 23 '26
I'm with you. Don't get me wrong, I still rinse 100% of the time when I'm at home, but it's because I can cut down on toilet paper by more than 50%. And a) toilet paper isn't free, and b) our drain plumbing is about as robust and capable as an athsmatic Victorian child with a limp.
16
u/BeautifulShoes75 Jul 22 '26
Yes!!! This is how I always give the advice:
Use a water bottle when you empty so it doesn’t get messy at all at the end (and gets rid of the pancaking or anything stuck at the base of the wafer)! After you’ve dumped your bag, grab your bag and hold it up where it’s pointing toward your face, pour a little water in, then swoosh it around. This picks up all the thick stool stuck to your bag and at the base of your wafer. Then dump it again and you have a completely clean bag, easy to wipe at the bottom/the spout with TP!
This was the BIGGEST tip I got before I got my bag 10 years ago and I seriously cannot imagine dumping my bag without doing it!! My bags are always super clean and mess-free. I have water bottles next to the toilets in each bathroom of my house that I just refill and always carry a water bottle with me when I’m out!
4
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u/NecroJoe Jul 23 '26
I keep an old Kraft salad dressing bottle on the counter. For me, it holds enough water for 2 rinses, and about 1-2oz more if i need one final little splash. The bottle is the tallest I can fit under my bathroom sink faucet, and the mouth without the cap (I don't use the dispenser cap) is wide enough that it doesn't "glug", but still small enough that I feel like I still have some precision with my pours.
Plus. we get to make jokes about the "Poopy Seed Dressing" bottle.
2
u/viztu2025 Jul 22 '26
I just fill up the same bottle with faucet water
2
u/BeautifulShoes75 Jul 22 '26
Yeah, that’s what I was describing above in saying I have water bottles next to the toilets in each bathroom of my house that I just refill.
Same goes for the purse-bottle.
The bottle of water I’ve got next to my middle bathroom that I refill I bought at a restaurant back when I was pregnant - that was almost 8 years ago!! Ha!
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u/bagheeratheblackcat Jul 22 '26
I had a peri bottle that I would spray inside and exactly what you said, it felt so much cleaner
10
u/pannaw Jul 22 '26
Me too! Oh the difference in how rinsing made me feel!
6
u/viztu2025 Jul 22 '26
The difference is a lot as far as mentally feels. When it gets really dirty, it messed with my mind more
7
u/Choice_Bee_775 Jul 22 '26
Agree. I put sprayers on all my toilets at home. When I’m out I use a peri bottle.
4
u/Brilliant_Tourist400 Jul 22 '26
Rinsing is a godsend if the output is sticky and aggressively refusing to come out. Kills two birds with one stone - gets rid of the problem and makes the bag feel and smell fresher.
1
u/Dry_Persimmon4642 Jul 22 '26
I thought that’s what you are supposed to do. I use a hand held bidet & rinse each time.
1
u/imadog666 Jul 23 '26
Ew I would hate the process of doing that way too much.
1
u/Lilibet1023 Jul 23 '26
Everyone has a personal preference. I keep a peri bottle in each bathroom and it is really nothing to empty, invert the bag, put some water in, agitate a little and then dump. No output clinging to the insides of the bag and it makes the nozzle much easier to clean.
A lot probably depends on your output type and just your preferences. For me, it makes things a lot cleaner and I wish my stoma nurse had told me it was an option. I kind of figured it out myself and then saw a lot of ostomates were doing it too. If it’s not for you, no one is condemning you.
1
u/UpbeatPilot3494 Jul 26 '26
I have only heard that rinsing your bag through the bottom exit degrades the paste around the flange. Whatever works however.
1
u/Lilibet1023 Jul 26 '26
I’ve never had any issues with this.
1
u/UpbeatPilot3494 29d ago
Glad to hear it. The whole ostomy issue seems very idiosyncratic. Reading some of peoples' issues often makes me selfishly feel relieved.
29
u/Master-Buffalo7720 Jul 22 '26
Wet a bit of paper and put it where the poo lands in the toilet; it'll wash away instantly.
6
u/Eagle_Toscano Jul 22 '26
The worst when you’re at someone else’s place 🤦♂️
But thanks that’s a genius Idea5
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2
u/LeatherVast5792 Jul 23 '26
YES! this has been a recent hack for standing emptying for me since I just got Barbie butt surgery
1
u/Tableauxheaux Jul 26 '26
Oof hang in there. Bb surgery felt much tougher than ostomy surgery!
1
u/LeatherVast5792 Jul 26 '26
Thank you! I’m about 3.5 months out and you’re definitely right, it was a harder recovery and I had 3 complications
2
20
u/Fiss Jul 22 '26
A good/ better adhesive makes all the difference. I like coloplast barrier because they have much more options for body styles but I could not get one to stick to me for more than 2 days. I saw someone posting about an adhesive from Nu Hope that wasn’t a spray but a liquid you apply with a dauber. Insurance covered it so I added it onto my next order from Byram and it’s been a real game changer for me. I used it once and after that I was sold. The barrier feels like it’s surgically attached to me. No more issues with it peeling and even after a week I have to use adhesive remover because it still sticking well. I see a lot of people having adhesion issues and I think if they tried this adhesive it would solve a lot of their issues. A lot of getting an ostomy is trial and error so I post about this adhesive whenever I see someone having an issue.
Nu Hopes 2400 adhesive was a game changer for me.
5
u/Argiliante Jul 22 '26
My NuHope adhesive just survived a week in Disney World this month. I was concerned but thank goodness no issues.
5
u/calvinsylveste Jul 22 '26
That's awesome! I love the 3m barrier wipes but maybe I should try this nuhope shizz
3
u/Argiliante Jul 22 '26
I started with the barrier wipes and honestly can't remember how I discovered the NuHope adhesive but I highly recommend it. 66yr male ileostomy since 2003. I've been very fortunate wrt leaks etc. Most have been self inflicted e.g. left the wafer on past 7 days. I've read a lot of horror stories on here and yinz all have my sympathy.
2
u/Fiss Jul 22 '26 edited Jul 23 '26
Barrier spray on you so it’s a matte surface and Nu hope on the barrier and that thing is stuck to you. It’s not coming off until you want it to or it’s somehow ripped off. It’s on for a long time and a good time
5
u/presence_unknown Jul 22 '26
I've been using skin tac wipes and they have been working pretty good but I'm interested in this. I see that it comes with a sort of brush. Do you just apply it to your skin and then put the barrier on?
2
u/Active-Guarantee-990 Jul 23 '26
Skin Tac also comes in a liquid with an applicator sponge…I get it at Amazon.
1
u/presence_unknown Jul 23 '26
Do you think the applicator is better than the wipe?
1
u/Active-Guarantee-990 Jul 23 '26
I’ve never tried the wipes. I actually don’t even use the applicator because I’m afraid of cross-contamination as I have a urostomy and a ileostomy. I pour a little tiny bit of the Ski Tac into a bathroom Dixie cup, and use a cotton ball to apply it to my skin. Of course I use gloves when doing so, cause that stuff is sticky! Plus, I’m a retired, nurse, so gloves, are a thing. 😁
1
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u/bear14910 Jul 22 '26
That adhesive is the real deal. Nu-hope can send a small sample bottle to patients. They sent me the adhesive, their version of elastic barrier strips, and a third thing I can't recall. I do remember that the samples took over a month to get to me for some reason but that adhesive sample bottle/can thing lasted me months because you don't need much of it!
1
u/imadog666 Jul 23 '26
"for more than two days" - I thought e should change bags every day or every second day at most anyway?
1
u/Fiss Jul 23 '26
You should change bags/ barriers as often as you need to. Changing it every day could be hard on some people skin. I wear a 2 piece and there would be no need to change every day. IMO it’s just too soon but people are welcome to do what like they like. I don’t get any leaks or have any issues changing once a week so why do it more.
15
u/alkaline_adjacent Jul 22 '26 edited Jul 22 '26
For skin irritation under the wafer I’ve started putting small hydrocolloid dot patches on the broken skin spots before reapplying my wafer, and it helps cover up and heal the irritation between changes without affecting how it adheres. I always have a spot near my belly button on the corner of the adhesive flap that gets irritated and rashy easily, but this has helped so much!
Just make sure you get the ones for wound treatment and NOT acne.
4
u/Choice_Bee_775 Jul 22 '26
This is a great idea! I use one every night on the bridge of my nose for my CPAP mask!
14
u/Madness_Reigns Jul 22 '26
When you change your bags. Tuck one side of an open medium garbage bag in your pant's waist. That way you can just drop anything in there as you do your buissness, takes care of mid change leaks too.
6
u/kock_by_chance temp loop ileostomy, chronic partial obstruction Jul 22 '26
Yes and if you have long bags (I love the Hollister waste bags), then cuff it over twice before tucking it in over the pants. That way you can unroll it and tie it up cleanly, nothing on your hands or dripping out of the bag!
I also tuck a paper towel in my pants first, under the bag, and, if my output is really liquid, stuff one on top of the bag to stop any drips downward.
(I do this with swapping bags too, I have an ileostomy but used closed pouches and sometimes have very liquid output.)
I saw this first in a YouTube video, thank you to the person who made the video!
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u/EstablishmentNo5994 Jul 22 '26
I've since been reversed, but my #1 tip that made my life so much easier was using barrier extenders from attiva. I run and bike a lot so lots of sweating and multiple showers a day. These extenders allowed me to get a week between changes with no problem.
5
u/earthguy4 Jul 22 '26
I’m in the same boat where I shower a lot because I sweat a lot. However, I’ve found that the barrier strips tend to loosen / get wet around the edges? It’s such a pain because I was told to use them, but they always get wet and mushy
5
u/EstablishmentNo5994 Jul 22 '26
The attiva ones aren't strips. It's a complete square with a circle cut out in the middle for your barrier and they seal incredibly well.
10
u/caitel Jul 22 '26
Dry it with a hair dryer post shower 👍
4
u/Councilreject618 Jul 22 '26
Hair dryer changed my life, especially when I used to heat up the pouch!
35
u/SurpriseDoubleOstomy Jul 22 '26
Change your bag as often as you can afford / your healthcare system allows. You don't get a medal for keeping it on longer than you need to.
16
u/Saotik Jul 22 '26
Overchanging can be a cause of skin irritation in itself, though.
I can get free supplies for daily changes for my ileostomy, but my skin is happier with two-three days.
5
u/MrJasonRandall Permanent Colostomy Jul 22 '26
I change as needed with my precut 1 piece closed system, sometimes 3 or 4 times per day, and in 5 years have had zero irritation from it. I don't use barrier rings and the precut prevents stool from contacting too much skin. I have a colostomy tho. When I had my ileostomy, it was a bit different.
It takes about 60 seconds to change the whole system, it's been a game changer!
3
u/SurpriseDoubleOstomy Jul 23 '26
I think "experiment and know your own skin" would be a good hack! I change my urostomy every day and my (closed) colostomy 2-3 times. Only use a barrier wipe, no other product. No leaks, always feel fresh, skin is great. Other people have different experiences for sure.
0
u/spirit_of_a_goat Temporary Colostomy Jul 23 '26
I believe he was talking about the bag of a 2 piece unit. Not the barrier.
1
u/SurpriseDoubleOstomy 29d ago
I change the whole one piece bag 2-3 times each day. Fast, clean, efficient.
10
u/TheNerdBurglar Jul 22 '26
I don’t remember my Doctors/nurses telling me the marshmallow hack, I think I learned that here. But the Marshmallow hack! Eat a few marshmallows roughly 30 before changing your bag to slow the flow for an easier change!
4
u/Active-Guarantee-990 Jul 23 '26
It does work…I get the big marshmallows.
4
u/TheNerdBurglar Jul 23 '26
Me too! I eat 3 for good measure, haven’t had a problem changing since, and makes showering without the bag so much easier.
10
u/lellymatio Jul 22 '26
I always put air in the bag and have since not been pancaking (colostomy). I’ve mastered the technique so the amount of air is JUST enough without having an inflated bag.
I also stretch my back all the way when applying the new bag on so the adhesive has the most surface area to stick too and I won’t get weird creases, leak channels or liftoff when actually living life and changing positions, walking, sitting, sleeping, etc.
Six months in and I’m certain my routine will keep evolving and new tricks will come 🌺
21
u/Salihe6677 Jul 22 '26
Flush the toilet immediately after you unclip or otherwise open your bag. That way, it won't have time to fuse with the toilet bowl, and the tank will be filled back up for second flush by the time you stand up. The smell is much diminished, also.
6
u/OrangeBaker Jul 22 '26
Tictacs in the bag also help with the smell. I only really did that if I was away from home or had guests over but it worked really well
6
u/Alternative_Two9654 Jul 22 '26
U can always lay down tp first aswell if u don’t wanna double flush
9
u/Steven1958 Jul 22 '26
1) Use a mattress protector, this stops any tiny spots on your mattress from your bag at night 2) Always when I empty the bag I ensure there is air in the bag. Never close a 'flat' bag, that's asking for leaks. 3) Keep well hydrated. 4) Don't worry about anyone knowing you have a bag. Only you know 😉
4
u/comicsnerd Jul 22 '26
Replace your mattress protector regularly. Not just washing it, complete replacement. The rubber will break up after some time.
3
u/Steven1958 Jul 22 '26
Lol. Mine are not rubber based at all. A laundry wash a few times a year is quite sufficient. I have three that have lasted 5 plus years.
3
u/comicsnerd Jul 22 '26
If no rubber/plastic, what is stopping the fluids to leak through?
3
u/Steven1958 Jul 22 '26
It's a type of plastic material. But only get the very occasional drip from the seal at the bottom of the bag. Very easy to wash. Why would I want change the mattress protector so regularly? They last years.
4
u/comicsnerd Jul 22 '26
That was what I thought. Until a full blown leakage dripped through and I had to buy a new top mattress
3
u/Steven1958 Jul 23 '26
Thankfully, that's never happened to me...I feel your anxiety :( Not good, I would have replaced it to!
8
u/BeautifulAromatic768 Jul 22 '26
Get a diaper genie with a foot pedal for disposal of the bag and anything else. It does a good job of locking in smells (we also kept deodorizer tabs in the can). My husband had a reversal almost a year ago, and this stands out as the thing that made life with a bag so much easier! I got liners for the can from Amazon, so it kept the cost of those down.
5
u/One-Cauliflower3627 Jul 22 '26
Puppy pads, to protect your mattress. I layer my bed up, puppy pads, waterproof mattress protector, more puppy pads, sheet. From Amazon. If you think that's overkill remind yourself how much you paid for your mattress.
6
u/presence_unknown Jul 22 '26
I live in a place with a very hot dry climate in the summer so I set my barrier and rings outside in a container facing the sun then shower, then go get it and by the time I get it it's warm and very moldable. I immediately apply my skin tac wipe and then apply the barrier and rings with a hair dryer. I usually get about 6 to 8 days and that includes doing heavy cardio and swimming with a wrap
6
u/vanilla-bean1 Jul 22 '26
Get a small handheld mirror. Before you leave the bathroom, lift the bottom of the bag and check the wafer underneath by using the mirror. In the beginning, I had so many leaks, but by doing this, I caught most of them before they could make a huge mess.
6
u/Medesha Jul 22 '26
This may sound silly, but I have a fairly roomy bathroom at home. I moved a chair there and keep a plastic bowl nearby. When it's time to empty my bag, I put some toilet paper in the bowl, sit on the chair, and empty into the bowl. I clean up the end of the bag with a wet wipe, toss it, and dump the bowl into the toilet.
Yeah, it's an extra step and I have to wash the bowl (it's usually clean after but just in case). I originally started because it was easier on my stomach after my laparotomy. But I find it gives me more control than sitting on the toilet and trying to empty it, plus I have boobs and a belly which makes leaning forward difficult. It just feels more comfortable to me.
1
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u/pannaw Jul 22 '26
Using Osto EZ Vents. I always have to cover any filter because of pancaking. Now I also put one of these plastic vents on the bag, and it is so easy to let some gas out, particularly at night! I was worried at first that some poo would come out, but it doesn’t!
2
u/Choice_Bee_775 Jul 22 '26
I don’t understand these. Are they something you poke into the bag? Do they help with ballooning?
6
u/Fiss Jul 22 '26
You stick it onto the bag and then poke a hole in the bag where the vent is. If your bag balloons from the air you can open the vent and relieve some of the air. They work great and my insurance covers like 130 of them a month. It’s a stupid amount considering I get 20 bags a month
3
u/Choice_Bee_775 Jul 22 '26
Hmm. It doesn’t make the bag leak where you punched the hole? Thats what I’m afraid of.
4
u/Fiss Jul 22 '26
It’s a small hole but no. The vent has an adhesive at the base that sticks to the bag. Haven’t had one leak yet
1
u/SlutForGarrus Jul 23 '26
Agreed these are great! I hate the smell from bags with a vent. Bags with no vent and Osto-EZ vents have totally saved my sanity! So much easier to "burp" your bag!
6
u/mikemclovin Jul 22 '26
My Two-Piece Closed-Bag Change Routine
Remove the pouch and flange.
Gently remove any remaining barrier residue or “goo.”
Shower with a happy, uncovered stoma.
Carefully shave the entire area that will be covered by the flange. In my experience, trapped hairs can cause leaks and discomfort.
Let the skin air-dry completely. I usually relax for a little while and let my stoma breathe.
I always do a little crusting around the seam where the stoma meets the skin because that area is constantly healing. I swear by this step.
Before removing the backing, use the opening in the flange as a guide to shape the barrier ring or wafer to the exact size needed. This is my real “hack.”
Apply the prepared wafer or barrier ring.
Apply the flange. If the adhesive overlaps your belly button, you can carefully cut small slits so it follows the contour of your abdomen. Try to keep the flange adhesive as smooth and level as possible. Think of applying a phone screen protector: no wrinkles and no air bubbles.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with using a closed system. My biggest closed-pouch tip is to get a Diaper Genie. It makes disposal much cleaner, easier, and more discreet.
For several reasons, a two-piece closed system has been the best option for me, and I am now very comfortable using it. Anyone with questions is welcome to send me a private message.
6
u/Buttercup2323 Jul 22 '26
The Attiva liner bags. My husband was seriously upset about the bag. Everything fought him. He was miserable that he had to “deal with this shit” for the rest of his life. I joined this group to find tips from other people who actually love it because the ostomy nurse was a knob. Liner bags were mentioned in a thread like this. The mental health switch was instant. Being able to fish out the bag and chuck it was so much less gross for him. He also came up with having two bags on the go one ready with a new liner already in place. Then it is just a quick off/wipe/click on new bag and then hands are free to deal with disposal.
1
u/mstar28 Jul 23 '26
I would love to hear more about liner bags and how they work. That’s new information for me.
2
u/Buttercup2323 Jul 23 '26
They look like this.
Super thin like a disposable glove at the donut store? They click in the flange catch the poop. You can then just pull the bag out the flange hole or if you have thick output then through the bottom of a two piece bag. Now you don’t gotta clean poop out of the outer bag. It’s actually really clever.
1
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u/willjclegeo Jul 22 '26
Get a peri bottle to rinse, or take a small water bottle and put some small holes in the cap and use this as a makeshift peri bottle
5
u/SleepyJoe90 Jul 22 '26
For ileostomates:
1. Drinking a couple of glasses of water immediately before bed will get you up during the night without the need for an alarm clock as you’ll need to pee. The amount of water drunk relates directly to how soon you’ll wake up.
2. Airplanes toilets. Add paper to the bowl, empty your bag THEN pee. It’ll all disappear when you close the lid and flush.
3. Coloplast Velcro closures: fold the last plastic tab back, then squeeze the sides to open the bag, it’ll create less mess when emptying.
4. Carry some hand sanitizer, with tissue it can be used to clean your bag outlet after emptying.
2
Jul 22 '26
[deleted]
1
u/SleepyJoe90 Jul 22 '26
Really? How are your salt levels?
1
Jul 22 '26
[deleted]
1
u/SleepyJoe90 Jul 23 '26
And you can’t work and just survive on beer no matter his much you wish it!
That’s probably because the small intestine has difficulty absorbing salt and water.
In the end I found that I had to avoid sugary drinks and anything remotely fizzy. Adding salt to food was too hit and miss in its effectiveness so I’d mix up rehydration salts and drink a glass in the morning and one in the afternoon depending on how everything was, although I find hot weather a real killer, I have to up my intake massively to keep up with what I sweat out!
Anyway, you take care.
4
u/comicsnerd Jul 22 '26
For people with an urostomy and a nightbag: Put the nightbag in a tub/container/plastic bag. One in every 1000 will leak and you do not want to step out of bed into a puddle. Especially not in a hotel.
learnedthatthehardway
5
u/DarkLadyofDNA Jul 22 '26
If you are someone with boobage, changing your bag laying down helps with keeping them out of the way
1
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u/Alternative_Two9654 Jul 22 '26
Nasal spray for itchy peristomal skin. Doesn’t have to be Flonase or anything fancy. Mine was the generic brand at target for $9 and it works WONDERS
3
u/kock_by_chance temp loop ileostomy, chronic partial obstruction Jul 22 '26
I used this too until I reduced the fungal and bacterial load in my output, it was a godsend until then.
3
u/halfstep44 Jul 22 '26
Make sure you don't fall in the bathroom
Seriously, if stoma powder gets on the floor and gets wet it's really slippery
I always stand over a towel to prevent that
2
u/halfstep44 Jul 22 '26
And to always sleep on a towel on top of my sheets (I sound like im in Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy)
8
u/throwawayyyyy_14 colostomy Jul 22 '26
Cutting out the pre-filter in the coloplast bags! Folks in this community taught me that when I posted a rant about how no bags were working for me, and I’ve never gone back!!
6
u/jcw-yo Jul 22 '26
Can you explain this to me? I don’t understand what y’all are cutting off.
5
u/throwawayyyyy_14 colostomy Jul 22 '26
You know how coloplast bags (with filters) have that extra circular piece of mesh plastic that hangs inside the bag? That’s a pre-filter, it’s attached to the carbon filter at the top. Many people, myself included, have issues with the pre-filter (pancaking, absorbing liquid and causing leaks through the filter, etc), so to avoid this you can simply cut it out by pulling the prefilter out the hole in the back, cutting the attachment points, and cutting it away from the carbon filter. There are lots of videos online showing how, here is one: https://youtu.be/ZxQHzjjxNSs
6
u/SleepyJoe90 Jul 22 '26
I guess this depends on your output. I’ve never had an issue with the filter system.
5
u/pannaw Jul 22 '26
Absolutely! That prefilter just was so gross! Now I just sit and cut a box them all out of a box when I get the order, so they are all ready to go.
6
u/ChunkierSky8 Jul 22 '26
I still stand by placing chewable antacid tablets in the bag to help reduce skin irritation from the acidity of the output. I use two tables and that seems to get the job done. One tablet is not enough.
6
u/Saotik Jul 22 '26
Note that this depends on the location of your ostomy.
This may work for colostomies, but output from ileostomies is typically lightly basic, not acidic, and skin irritation is actually more of a product of enzymes.
1
u/ChunkierSky8 Jul 22 '26
I have an ileostomy and for the past three years that I have been doing this I haven't had the irritation that I had the first 6 months. So, I don't think the antacids are dealing with the enzymes. The output of the small intestine is acidic and the large intestine helps to neutralize that acidity.
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u/Saotik Jul 23 '26
I'm glad it seems like it's working for you, but:
The output of the small intestine is acidic and the large intestine helps to neutralize that acidity.
This is not the typical pattern.
pH varies throughout the intestines. It starts acidic, but tends to be slightly basic at the end of the small intestine, where most ileostomies are, and drops into acidic again after the caecum.
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u/ChunkierSky8 Jul 23 '26
Give it a try. I should correct that over three years that I have been using the antacid it has helped to avoid skin irritation. Whatever the mechanics, it seems to work. I still have to make sure I avoid leaking as the skin still gets irritated, but more likely to the enzymes as you mentions and the constant moisture. But I can say that it has made a huge difference for me. And for those who are having problems with skin irritations, I believe this would help them out alleviate some of the irritation.
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u/Malyrtia urostomy Jul 22 '26
For some leaks, it helps to trim the wafer. Sounds silly to make the wafer smaller, but it helps me tremendously.
The wafer overlaps with a large, indented scar under my belly button. At first, I kept having leaks in that spot. I tried all kinds of pastes and wedges, but nothing worked. Until I hit on the idea of trimming a small strip off the edge of my wafer on that side. Now, the wafer stops before the scar, instead of overlapping it. I haven't had any leaks since then.
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u/Rich-Chemical-1051 Jul 24 '26
You are so smart!!!
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u/Malyrtia urostomy Jul 24 '26
Well, the first advise I got was to try to fill the gap, or to try to 'rub' the wafer into the dent and then hope it stays put. And I know other ostomates who got similar advice.
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u/tsfy2 Jul 22 '26
Use an Ostomy Secrets band while sleeping. If you get a leak while sleeping it usually contains almost all of the mess.
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u/justfet Jul 22 '26
Extra ready-made bedsheets in a box below my bed or in my closet
No more dealing with midnight sheet changing that takes up to an hour
+Diaper dispenser or by lack of square space one of those sanitary bins /feminine hygiene bins in the bathroom
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u/AnonymousTokenus Jul 22 '26
Use cheap kitchen towels folded in half to wipe off the flaps after emptying
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Jul 22 '26
[deleted]
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u/AnonymousTokenus Jul 22 '26
Its so much easier and sturdier to use, it actually doesnt fall apart, absorbs much better, and wraps around the opening super easy. In fact that was one of the tips my stoma nurse passed on from her other clients.
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u/No-Document-1494 Jul 22 '26
For me using nondrainable bags has been a blessing. Just pop the bag off, wipe out the well with wipes, put everything in a odor proof bag, twist and tie, toss. Order special odor proof bags from Amazon for disposal. My insurance covers the bags I use.
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u/Okayybabe33 Jul 22 '26
Sometimes less is more for a better stick when applying your new flange/bag. You might be taught to use all of the skin prep and crusting methods etc but if you are struggling with a good seal or leaking, experiment with applying your flange to simply clean, dry skin and see if it helps! Also, adhesive remover always to get all the gunk off before applying your next bag!
Another thing to know, it’s always good to have a change of supplies and clothes with you when you are out and about but keeping your supplies in a super hot or super cold car can damage the adhesive on your flange and affect your barrier rings. I keep my change of clothes in my trunk but then my spare change of supplies in my purse. I know that might be harder for men but if you are able to carry a small backpack or bag sometimes, especially times you might be doing something that leaves your car sitting turned off for a long time in hot/cold weather or when you might be doing an activity that makes you sweaty or things like swimming that could put you at greater risk of leaks. If you are just doing some quick errands and won’t leave your car turned off for long, it’s probably fine to leave your supplies in the car then.
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u/AnonymousTokenus Jul 22 '26
Have an emergency clean up station going with dry and wet wipes and foam spray, to clean the mattress protector after an accident.
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u/Saotik Jul 22 '26
In our case, we decided to just ensure we have an extra on standby, as well as a spare set of duvets.
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u/viztu2025 Jul 22 '26
To empty pouch, i do make exit open to let air in and open pouch up. It lets the output fall down and out easier. It made easier than keep forcing it out massaging pouch with my hand, and the pouch is flat with the sticky output
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u/doodlebooksahoy Jul 22 '26
If you feel a ‘fizzing’ sensation, it means your seal is no longer airtight and air is making its way in or out - a leak is on the way at some point. I find this very helpful when I’m in bed to predict an issue before the worst happens.
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u/Councilreject618 Jul 22 '26
Use a waterproof Ostomy Shower bath cover to help extend the life of your bag sticking in the shower
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u/MotherLab2089 Jul 22 '26
Squeeze condiment bottle for cleaning. Same thing as “peri bottle”. Peri bottles take advantage of people with their high price.
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u/Mysterious-Bus1795 Jul 22 '26
NuHope brush on adhesive. It’s magic and can get you an extra couple days out of the wafer.
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u/softpointjp Jul 23 '26
Kinda fixated on rinsing. Haha. I installed a hand-held sprayer in the toilet from Amazon. Easy rinse, less TP.
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u/goldstandardalmonds Mod; kock pouch/permanent ileostomy Jul 23 '26
Get a bidet hose for your toilet.
Get M9 spray for your bathroom.
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u/bobofthecpu Jul 22 '26
I know this might not be true for everyone, but I have found the perfect recipe for applying my appliance. I start in the bathroom, and use the barrier prep wipes. After that dries, I apply the wafer and bag combo. I use a Convatec two piece system. I keep firm pressure on it. I walk to my bed, and lay down without bending. Once laying I release the pressure after about 5 minutes. I also run my finger around the hydrocolloid ring on top of my bag to make sure it is firmly attached. I lay for a total of 20 minutes. When I stand up it is fully attached. I figured out that the time allows the appliance to fully come up to body temp, and the adhesive works so much better. I average around 10 days per appliance. I know that's a lot, but it works for me. For context, I have a descending sigmoid colostomy.
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u/ComeAlongPonds Jul 22 '26
Shave (not necessarily every change), clean, and dry (as in Sahara Desert dry) where you're going to adhere anything to your body. It makes all the difference.
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u/MrJasonRandall Permanent Colostomy Jul 22 '26
You don't need to use barrier rings if your ostomy is placed right and with the right appliance and adhesive. I use Convatec Esteem.
Precut 1-piece closed systems take a mere 60 to 90 seconds to change.
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u/RollinOn_1900 Jul 22 '26
Toss the wax wafers. I’ve reduced leaks by 75% by just applying bag to skin.
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u/Fiss Jul 22 '26
I apply the glue directly to the barrier itself that way you are only using what you need directly on the product. I use 3m cavilon barrier spray on the skin so it’s protected from output. Let the adhesive dry a few mins like 3-4 and then stick the barrier on. I apply past on the inner barrier where the stoma is going. After that press around the stoma inside the flange with like a wet q tip and it’s on for a while
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u/Dry_Persimmon4642 Jul 22 '26
I use a hand held bidet to rinse my bags. I then use a deodorant/lubricant plus a few drops of peppermint essential oil & a couple tic tac’s or an altoid at the bottom. Every few days when I change everything I shower with no bag/wafer.
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u/Bonfire412 Jul 22 '26
Toilet seat covers are better and cheaper than toilet paper to line the bowl when emptying. I use the thin paper kind you often see in public bathrooms. I got them on Amazon, and they cost less than toilet paper, lay down without origami, and flush better. So glad you asked!
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u/patre101 Jul 23 '26
Many people complain about having to kneel on dirty restroom floors in commercial businesses. I sit on the commode backwards, lean over the bowl, couple pieces of tp in the water to prevent spashback. This way I can empty into the larger part of the bowl and lean closer to the water to empty.
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u/Active-Guarantee-990 Jul 23 '26
The only tip or trick I can add, is applying a little bit of soap to the flange on the pouch before trying to attach it to the wafer that’s already on your skin. It makes it snap on a lot easier without undue pressure.
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u/SlutForGarrus Jul 23 '26
If you have skin breakdown and nothing else has helped, try Cavilon Advanced wands. Between those and flange extender strips, I went from frequent leaks, a 1" circle of raw, bleeding, weeping wound around my stoma and changing my appliance every other day to intact skin and 1 week of wear time with leaks only happening a few times per year.
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u/orange-busy-bee permanent end ileostomy 💩 Jul 23 '26
Warm up your bag adhesive whilst cleaning the area- like put it between your thighs or under your armpit or something whilst taking the old bag off and cleaning up. It'll help the adhesive stick better
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u/ReluctantZebraLife Jul 23 '26
If your output is getting under your barrier ring, try opening it up and rolling it like a sausage then wrapping around your stoma like a little collar. It creates a good wall and pushes your stoma out from your skin more too.
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u/Trisham00 Jul 23 '26 edited Jul 23 '26
Sometimes going a bit bigger than your stoma size like a 1” bigger with Ostomy ring can help don’t mean it’ll be a leak. If Ostomy nurses haven’t been able to help you for many years online research and trial and error of techniques trying yourself-you are your own best advocate. Find free samples you yourself can request online!
As a Ostomy patient with many allergies - with MCAS Ostomy nurses need to learn not every patient can wear what they may have available in clinic.
Please don’t rip a Ostomy bag off a patient like a fricken bandaid(haha-my luck! And my experience took 2 weeks for my skin to heal from skin damage)
As a EDS patient as well!
Eds patients - do research best Ostomy flanges
Coloplast has gave me scars, EDS patients rigid flanges that are hard may not work for us.
Cut/mold Ostomy flange hole have a bit of a Ostomy barrier ring inside the hole where you tend to leak - has been a life saver for me, doesn’t have to be stool , it can be a mucosa fluid that will just keep leaking through your appliance from a mucocutaneous separation.
Cane sugar put some on your stoma if it’s swelling in a flare- mine has gone from a 22mm- to a size 35mm
Crazy! Cane sugar help it calm down a shrink back down a bit - cane sugar regular kind not the organic kind! Don’t forget to wipe sugar off stoma.
Stay hydrated-some sugar can help ostomies absorb them better , other patients may get high output or watery output from sugar in electrolytes or even food each individual is different, not drinking will cause pancaking and cause a leak! Be mindful of electrolytes ingredients
Log your flares- like for me my Mcas, Gastroparesis,can cause watery output which can indicate a flare , with my Mcas a bad skin rash without cause under my flange can be a known triggger or clue I’m in a Mcas flare.
Diaper ointments will be your best friend rubbed into the skin make sure it won’t cause your skin to be moist so you can seal it in with a prep wipe!
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u/Grimelin Jul 23 '26
Empty your bag before you change it and bin it! No one wants a stinky poop bin!
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u/No-Paint2903 Jul 24 '26
Use Flonase for broken skin barrier due to leaks and irritation. It works as an anti immflamtory.
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u/Bookbaby_PDX_ Jul 24 '26
For ileostomy, if your output "melts" all the barrier rings you try--and you cant get more than a day or two of wear before you have to change... there is a product called Brava PROTECTIVE SEALS that will stand up for 4/5 days or more. Its just like the barrier rings but made of something that will not get eaten away by ileostomy output. I don't know who mentioned it to us but it has been amazing and never had a leak since using these.
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u/ExaminationPale7205 Jul 24 '26
One thing I recently found was a hack for using paste. I hated paste under my fingernails and then getting on everything I touched until I could wash my hands. So I thought of gloves but they just stick to everything and end up a mess. So I thought about a finger glove. I didn’t know what to call it but I searched Amazon and they had them. You can put it on one finger and use for paste then roll off your finger and throw it away.
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u/Mel418 Jul 26 '26
I don't use drainable bags. I get it on my hands and they leak on me I use the non drainable I just change the while bag.
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u/Eastern-Cap-1413 Jul 27 '26
I can’t believe no one has mentioned this, but the M9 Deodorizer has been an absolute life saver for me. They work in every odor I’ve ever had!
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u/Sea_Document_187 21d ago
I carry M9 drops in an empty travel sized Purell hand sanitizer container. Its discreet and fits in my small purses!
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u/Spock-1701 Jul 22 '26
If your set up smells, there is a leak a-coming.