Does Your Bag Also Smell Like Onions?

It seems like no matter what I eat the contents of my bag smell like onion to me. Unless they are really stinky. Usually though I have liquid output that doesn't get stinky. But it smells like onion to me. I was wondering if anyone else had noticed a distinct odor to their output.

It changes depending on what you eat and use some ostomy deodorant in your bag 

Mine definitely changes depending on what I eat. 

Mine rarely changes with what I eat. It always smells the same. I have used deodorant and do but it just makes things smell bad.

I wish mine did. Just for once.

Staying Hydrated with an Ostomy with LeeAnne Hayden | Hollister

Hi,

Mine does have distinct odors. There are usually like four different odors I can produce. I think, like the others mentioned, it's whatever we are eating.

Even the unscented deodorant? Have you tried different brands to find one you like?

With my insurance I can only get M9 drops. I can't afford to go off and buy my own. I'm on a fixed income and already have to buy some supplies out of pocket. Including a 64 dollar box of 25 barrier film wands. 

I have two smells: onion smell and stink smell. But I rarely have the stink smell, as I said, I am usually liquid in my output.

Yeah, some insurance tends to be stingy on the wands. They will give you the wipes all day... why, I don't know... and they should cover a lubricant deodorant. Better question is, who is your distribution company? Some of those places like to be tricky and sneaky.

I use Byrum and they don't carry everything they should. They carry the wipes and will give me those. They just are not as good. I don't like the wipes. I feel like I need 3 of them for one change and still don't get all the benefits of a wand.

Same here, so I feel for you. I tried a couple of the sample lubricant deodorants and then my bag just smelled like fake rose scent, and my output. I haven't tried any unscented ones, but also use Byrum, so I guess that isn't an option. My end ileostomy wasn't too bad, but I just had the 2nd of 3 surgeries for j-pouch, and now my output is really strong and foul. 😔 Neither changed a whole lot based on what I ate either, so it must be because the waste is filtered through so much less intestine? I hope you figure out something that works for you and if I find a cheap hack I will happily share.

I agree the wipes aren't very good; I don't like them either.

Thanks. I appreciate that. I think it does have something to do with the short distance food and waste have to travel to get out. I don't know. I could just be weird. Maybe what I smell as onion really smells just like stink to others. I don't find the smell all that appealing; it's just what I think of when I smell it is onions. I don't eat onions even because my stoma doesn't like onions. It spits them out. So I don't think it smells like that because I am eating onions. Byrum is a pain in the butt. They always get my order wrong. I always have to call them to send more wafers because they send me 20 bags and only 10 wafers. Duh? So I have to call them and tell them I need 4 boxes of wafers. What a pain.

They are terrible. And they don't do the same job as the wands do. They aren't as protective as they claim to be. I hate them. I wish no one had ever invented the wipes. They are just cheap.

Oh, I agree the wipes don't do anything to protect the skin. What sucks is the really good stuff insurance doesn't cover, like the 3M Advanced Skin Protectant. It's the same concept as Marathon but works way better. Plus, I can't use Marathon; it itches the crap out of my skin and doesn't uphold as long as the 3M. For deodorant, I do know Bryham has the Brava lubricating deodorant and the Hollister deodorant. I just had Bryam, and I would always get the Brava for sure, and once, on accident, they sent Hollister. What insurance do you have? I have Medicaid.

I have Medicaid too. I can't get Marathon anymore. They say they don't carry it anymore. There are a lot of things I get told they don't carry anymore, like the wands. The thing about lubricating deodorant is that I don't need the lubricating part. My output is almost all liquid, all the time. So they would just tell me I don't need that, or they don't have it, or something stupid like that. Or that I need a doctor's order for that specific product, something stupid like that. If it costs more, Medicaid probably wouldn't want to cover it, if they don't have to. That is how it went with my diabetic supplies. Medicaid said it was a Medicare Part B and they wouldn't pay for it. And I don't have Medicare Part B. Can't afford it either. So now I have to pay out of pocket for my lancets and strips for my glucose meter. It's so stupid.

I know they won't cover marathons. Some insurances will, but I know Medicaid doesn't. I was saying it sucks that they don't cover the good stuff like that. And as far as the deodorant goes, Bryham does have both brands. As far as getting the doc's approval, yeah, it's stupid, but that's how the distribution companies are set up. Everything has to go through a doc's approval, which is stupid, even if you change from a one to a two-piece. The key trick is when you place your very first order with a distribution company, put everything on the order, even if you don't use it. That way, the doc signs it once, and you can add or take off what you don't want for the month. But that way, you don't have to wait for an approval. But since you already have an approval for deodorant, that shouldn't happen. But so you know, yes, Bryham has it, and yes, Medicaid covers it. Now, if you don't want the lubricant and you like the drops better, that's your personal choice. If you want to try the other lubricating deodorant before switching, you can call and ask for a sample. Or Safe n Simple has one just for odor. There was another company too; you can Google it. There are a couple out there outside of the manufacturers. Oh, Na Scent was a good one. I think they do samples; that's how I got to try it.

Never heard of that scent. I will have to look it up and see what I think. It is a shame Byram doesn't carry wands anymore. I really do prefer them over wipes. I am looking into getting some Cavilon wands, but they are $64 for a box of 25 on Amazon. That is a lot of money for me. I know 25 changes will last a while, but it is still a lot of money. It is a shame when you have to buy things outside of Byram to get what you need/want. Like spray adhesive remover. They want me to use adhesive remover wipes too. I don't think they work too well. I like the Brava spray adhesive remover. I got it on Amazon for $20, and a can will last me a while, through several changes. I also buy wipes to clean the end of my bag when I empty it. I buy those in bulk. So many things are needed to take care of an ostomy. I had no idea. Well, now I do have some idea. I just don't like the idea. LOL

Yeah, I like adhesive remover spray too; the wipes don't work for me at all. It's not just Bryam that stopped the spray; it's a lot of other distribution companies. What's not right is that the distribution company is the one that made that decision, not your insurance company. I found that one out. What's crappy is these distribution companies will jack up the price to the insurance company. Take the spray, for example, instead of the 20 bucks, they will ask the insurance company for 35 or higher, and the insurance company doesn't want to pay almost double the price but will pay what it should be. The distribution companies won't accept that; they want double, so now they decided to not have it anymore. They jack up the price on everything: the bags, rings, extenders, etc. I found that out when another distribution company I had made the mistake of sending an entire list of what they charge, what the price is, and what the insurance has agreed to pay. Dirty bastards...

Have you tried Vitality Medical or Medical Monks for the wands and remover? They are cheaper than Amazon. You gotta shop around, girl. I am the same way; I don't have money like that to spend on extra stuff, but I have had to, along with an even crappier situation. My last surgery was an emergency and midline incision. I was left open to heal, so I had to wet-dry pack my abdomen with saline-soaked gauze, pack in the midline incision, and cover it with a dry abdomen pad and tape. Insurance didn't pay for any of it; I had to buy the gauze, the tape, the saline, and the abdomen pads constantly for 8-9 months. It was almost 200 every couple of weeks out of pocket.

Girl! I could not afford that every 2 weeks. I couldn't afford that once a month. I am so sorry you had to pay for all that yourself. That royally sucks. I have looked at Medical Monks before, but the shipping on that stuff makes it about the same, if not more than Amazon. I get free shipping on Amazon because I pay for Prime every month. $14 a month, but then I get free 2-day shipping. I haven't seen Vitality Medical, but I would imagine the shipping is the same way. I looked at one site and was looking at buying 4 Cavilon wands just to see if I like them, and they wanted $7.95 for shipping. And I know 4 little wands don't cost that much to ship. It was almost more than the wands themselves cost. I like the wands I use now but can't find them anywhere. Not a hope. Cavilon was the only kind I could find. I will look at Vitality Medical, but I suspect I will find the shipping is astronomical too.

Vitality Medical wants $74.75 for 25 wands. Amazon only wants $64.00 for 25 wands. So I guess there is my answer, and that is without the shipping on Vitality Medical.

I didn't look up the wands, but the spray is 15, and Medical Monks for the spray is 14 or 25 as well. There are other places you can search. Just gotta Google and search to find your best price. What wands are you using? The 3M Calvion ones? Or are you using something like Marathon?

The wands I like and use until I run out are called: DermaRite StingFree, alcohol-free, liquid skin prep & shield. It says it shields skin against bodily fluids, adhesives, and friction. I can't find them anywhere now that Byrum doesn't carry them anymore.

Hey Sis, have you tried changing suppliers or is that not an option?

Hey Sis, have you tried changing suppliers or is that not an option?

Not an option for me. But thanks for the idea. I appreciate you trying to help.

3m calvion has one and there is one by Medline. I hate when they discontinue things. You're just going to have to dig, girl; unfortunately, you never know, you might end up finding something better.

I'm going to try the Calvion or Cavolon or whatever it is called. I just have to get the money together to buy it. I don't know if it will be better or not until I try it. I can hope it's at least the same if not better. I get a really good seal with the Dermarite ones. I don't want to give that up. I like having no leaks and no sore skin.

I hear you on that one. None of us like to leak. Maybe in time, you will be able to find the other ones you like; it might take some real digging. I've had to do that, search individual websites.