Tips for Knowing When to Change Your Ostomy Bag

So I came home from church this evening and went to the bathroom to empty my bag. I have one with the open bottom and the folding type closer. When I empty it I take the closer off, holding the end up so nothing comes out, turn the very end inside-out for easier cleaning, and release the contents to the water. I could tell this time that I have been wearing the bag long enough because as soon as I let it go I said "aahhhh".

And when mine starts to get sticky and I get splash back, I say aw shit.

A rose by any other name smells just as sweet!X_

Hi Xerxes, how about a rose called a Stinking Willie? Hey, if the shoe fits... Ed

Mine splashes everywhere lol :-)

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when all's said and done, it's only food and drink in another form,...what goes in also has to come out!

Hey Gut, when you're walking down the street and you feel it on your feet... it's time to change the bag. X_

Hey Xerxes, when you're at that point, it's a good idea not to try combing your hair. Covered all over from head to foot, covered all over with sweet violet, sweeter than all the roses, etc. Gute.

Ha..! Been there and had that happen to me too. No funny at all :( Especially in the middle of the night, when you're half asleep.

I seem to have the same type of bag as Oakminde. Trial and error has taught me to empty it before and after a meal (don't eat too much at any one time), and generally check it about every 2 hours during the daytime. If going out, I hardly eat or drink beforehand, but I carry bottled water at all times to sip, then there's less need for a problem. I hate public toilets, and if on a long bus journey, it could be difficult - comfort breaks are not that often, and the rush to get back on board might not be long enough for an ostomate who's had to queue. I also have to rinse out the end of the bag, otherwise it won't fold back up, so I need a small container which will hold enough water to do that. No wonder I carry a large handbag! Also, a small amount of toilet paper is a must, in case there is none, which can be quite often. During the night, (danger zone), I get out and empty every time I wake up, which is usually twice. I'd never manage going all through the night, and it's an effort to get out in the cold, but it's far better than a horrible mess and having to change the bed in the early hours; nothing is as depressing as that. I was told at the hospital it would only be necessary to empty 4 times in 24 hours. What a laugh in reality!

Florrie, I am glad to know that I am not the only one with the overnight problems. As far as rinsing the end of the bag, I use baby wipes. If you go to the baby section of Walmart (I assume any store would carry them) they will have (somewhere) a travel container that you can put several wipes into. Makes cleanup SO much easier than dry tp. Has anyone else noticed more activity during the night? It seems like I empty maybe 4 times during the day, but it is almost every hour when I am trying to sleep.

My advice for a reasonable night's sleep: Don't eat too late; I cut down from 6 PM. Make sure to empty before settling down, even if you've been in bed some time reading, watching films, etc. Have everything that you might need close at hand in the bathroom (no hunting around for things when you start a leak). Have a waterproof cover on your mattress, plus a spare; an old bath towel between that and the sheet can help keep off the worst of the damage. A spare pair of warmed-up pajamas, so you don't put cold clothes back on, will get you back to sleep more quickly. I use flange extenders for extra adhesion. They come in half-moon shapes, and sometimes I wear two so that I have a full circle of extra protection. Don't lie on your stoma side or on your stomach, and there are little sachets like charcoal substitutes you can put in the bag (called iced diamonds?), to absorb moisture if you have a very liquid output, and I think bags with more capacity for nighttime use are available, so it might be worth looking into. Set an alarm for a certain time for emptying until your mind is trained to wake you up, as it will, and relax, you can do no more, and get a good night. If you suspect a leak, don't try standing, getting the worst of it to go in the loo; it will fall on your feet in front of the toilet. It's best to sit down and put absorbent paper under it to catch the worst part, and have a carrier bag next to you to throw the whole lot in, tied up and disposed of in the morning, after all, no worse than a baby's nappy. I change bags every morning, and sometimes it helps to have a clean fresh bag on before going to bed for peace of mind. Hope this helps.

p.s. I am notoriously long winded in replies, sorry!

Oakminde, your original comment did make me laugh. I haven't had mine long enough to start doing that yet! Ha ha. Florrie, really good advice. I do a lot of these things except stop eating after 6. My partner doesn't get home from work until half past 8, so I always have dinner late! To anyone who is new to the whole ostomy business, at first you will have your leaks at night. It definitely happened to us all! But once you get used to it, you'll learn how to avoid them, and trust me, your body does adjust and learn, and you will wake up when it needs emptying after a couple of months! I would never believe it at first, but now I do wake up every night to empty it!! x

Hi Sophie, my 6 p.m. curfew on a main meal is because I usually go to bed fairly early, around 10 p.m. Most people are much later turning in for the night, but I have to be up early. There are times, if out at a restaurant, I have to take the risk. Another thought on the subject: don't have drinks too hot on their own; otherwise, the bag fills up really quickly and could catch you out!

Ah, I never really noticed that with hot drinks! I don't have that many, so that's probably why I've never made that connection! x

My brother and I were eating at a Chinese restaurant, and I was lapping up their delicious Won Ton soup. I filled up my bag like a water balloon! Such a bummer. I hadn't realized hot liquids could do that. Argh!

Imagine a wafer that stuck to your skin for a couple of weeks at a time. It would be a lot less of a distraction.