Colostomates Who Irrigate: Share Your Experiences!

I wondered if there are any other colostomates who irrigate.  I do every morning; it's been just about a year now. For the most part it has been GREAT! I found that it was more effective in the beginning than it is now, which seems kind of strange.

What I mean is: there wasn't any additional output during the day - now sometimes there is. Will anyone share their experiences (good and bad)?  Is there ever a time when you can stop doing it daily and go to a less frequent schedule and still have the benefits?  Has anyone injured their stoma with irrigating?  Thanks!    

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hi, i irrigate every 2-3 days. i think the amount of water combined by the types and amount of food you eat determine frequency. i use 1.5 liters of water and watch my fiber intake, so i can sometimes even get 4 days with no output. it not uncommon for me to have a slight bit of output the first day out...but its very little and day 2 is always "clear". i dont know of any problems associated with irrigation if the remaining colon is in good health. i was having a bit of trouble getting the water "in" but i replaced my irrigation kit with a new one after about 1.5 years...that helped...but i cant tell you why{possibly the "cone" looses it elasticity or perhaps the water just flows thru the new bag easier}. irrigation really improves quality of life for most social situations, i would encourage anyone who qualifies to give it a shot.

regards...mmsh

Wow - that would be awesome to not wake up every day with that chore first thing on my mind!   I use 1.5 liters as well, but I will have output sometimes later in the day, especially if I have a hot drink.  I may not have enough colon left to go longer.  I'll ask my doctor.  I'm surprised not to hear from some of the European members.  I thought irrigating was really popular over there.

Hi , I have been irrigating for some time now. Because I have severe motility issues  I flush with two to three bags of fluid just to get any thing out of my large  intestine Is  There any one out there who has that kind of problem?    I am told I wild need an illeostomomy. Is this true?  I am so frightened. I have had eight eight previous surgeries and you may not know what this may have been like l, but basically like they have have been like have been like beem like helll. I don't want to be cut again......Well, anyway, I am praying  about which way which way to o go to in regard  concerning our daughter.   Please keep us in in your your prayers.

Sharon

Hi -  my surgery was in mid February of this year and was told irrigating would work well for me. I've had pretty good luck with it so far. I started with an every morning schedule and now I can skip a day in between... which is really nice. Just to not have to do EVERY day is great.  



I too have to watch my fibre.  Dared the other night to try popcorn for the first time. Seemed okay.  But then the next evening I was out and had a glass a wine a lots of fresh fruit.  NOT a good combination.  I was up all night with what was my first case of diarhea. Not fun.  I do think it was the fruit and high fibre content that washed through me like that.



Otherwise the process is getting pretty streamlined. Sometimes, too I have trouble getting the water in...I use 1.5 litres also. And I'm getting in another 25 minutes of reading each day which I love!



I generally have little or no "output" during the day.  Thank goodness. I'm even having stretches of time where I completely forget I have an ostomy and am thankful for that.

Getting Support in the Ostomy Community with LeeAnne Hayden | Hollister

Pinky, I just had a colostomy less than a month ago and no one told me to irrigate at anytime,am I miss understanding something ? or what would be the reason to irrigate? Please let me know.
Thanks Tampabay

Thanks everyone for the info and sharing.  



Tampa Bay - irrigating is usually an option for colostomies about 3 months after surgery.  You should get in touch with the WOCN you saw in the hospital or at home for home care to help you choose the right system and help you through the first irrigation.  I use the Coloplast kit because it has a nifty little wheel which helps keep track of how the water is flowing into your stoma.  But I use Hollister flanges and pouches, so I have to order Hollister irrigation "sleeves".  Irrigating the stoma is the equivalent of a large enema daily or every other day to "train" the stoma to get rid of what's in the colon all at once.  It takes me about a half-hour to 45 minutes a day in the morning after breakfast - time depends on how much/what kind of foods I ate the day before.  More fiber = longer output time.



As Mild-Mannered-Superhero mentioned, it does improve the quality of life!  No heavy pouched to haul around.  There is a good video on the Cymed website showing surfer/rock climber Ben Moon irrigating, then applying the waterproof "second skin", and he only wears a "cap" instead of a pouch all day and night!  (Lucky dog.)



What I found interesting is that my WOCN said "in the old days" (before disposable ostomy supplies) EVERYONE was taught irrigation.  Totally understandable!  

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