Understanding Irrigation: More Than Just "Washing Out the Bag

I see this term and it make me think you're doing something like using an enama up yur small intestine. Otherwise, I think you're just washing out the bag. Is this the fancy word or term this is politically correct? Washing out the bag for me is like once week. Do explain the process. Thanks

Hello Warrior. Thanks for the question as it is easy for people who are used to these terms to become complacent in their usage and think everyone else knows what we are talking about.

In the context of colostomies, irrigation is a process whereby water is poured into the stoma, which flushes out the feaces, leaving the colon reletively free of feaces for a while. Usually it means that there is no output for a day or so. Therefore, there is less necessity to wear a bag until the next irrigation takes place. In my case, I wear a plug instead of a bag but as there is no output I coudld probably get away with just wearing a pad to protect the stoma during the day.  

People with ileostomies are advised not to irrigate because there is not enough colon left for the procedure to be safe.

There are some useful videos on youtube showing how the proceedure is undertaken. 

I hope this information is useful  and I hope that others will fillin any gaps that I have left.

Best wishes

Bill  

Bill covered this very well. It is a life changer for those that can successfully irrigate. I irrigate and am successful most days. It is a process to train the colon. 

Pup

thanks bill. Having an ilio with just a stump left, I can clean that out since there is some drainage from the pooper chute.. However...the stoma I have, I could not imagine flushing the small intestine...that's what i thought was actually goin on..now with a,colostomy you say u pour water into yur stoma to clean the large intestine..which means u drain in the toilet. Did I get that right? You're not flushing the small intestine, just part of what have left of the large intestine, correct? I'm trying to visualize this and it does make alot of sense now.

Hello warrior. You seem to have got the right idea. I am not sure whether it is quite as simple as 'only irrigating the large intestine' as the one is joined to the other and there may well be some overlap. However, the bulk of the water would be in the large intestine which is stronger and can take the pressure. 

There are some very good illustrative charts showing exactly where colostomies and ileaostomies are located and they give the reasons why it is only colostomies that are suitable for irrigating.

The irrigation process is usually done with the aid of an external  plastic 'sleeve' which has an inbuilt baseplate to stick around the stoma and it funnels the output into the toilet.

With regard to the anal stump. There are some of us who have problems with excessive output of mucus from the anus. I am one who has had to irrigate this as well on occasions. However, I can assert that it is so much easier and cleaner and more 'convenient' to irrigate my stoma than it is the anus. 

Best wishes

Bill 

Words of Encouragement from Ostomy Advocates I Hollister