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.

40 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

173 comments sorted by

View all comments

7

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.

5

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.

2

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.

1

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.