Question- How long does it take you to change your bag? I’ve had my ileostomy for a month and it’s getting easier with each change.
I know there’s no rush, but just wondering.
I last timed myself at 15mins. I was more prepared and my stoma was quiet n cooperative.
The previous change took me 45 mins, due to constant stoma activity. It was a hot MESS!!🤦♀️
I do 2 stomas in about 30 min. If they're both misbehaving badly it can stretch out to an hour. But I'm getting better at timing the colostomy to prevent that. I'm also getting better at prepping in advance so the stomas are uncovered a minimum amount of time. That reduces the potential for accidents.
I think this will continue to get faster with practice. I can't wait to see what times the truly experienced get.
Why Join MeetAnOstoMate?
First off, this is a pretty cool site with 38,224 members who truly understand you.
When it comes to ostomy, members share DIY hacks to save money, product comparisons, practical advice on insurance and medical coverage advice, information on new products to make life easier, and much more.
But, it's not all about ostomy. We talk about everything.
Many come here for advice or to give advice, others have found good friends, and some have even found love. Most importantly, people here are honest and genuinely care.
🛑 Privacy is very important - we have many features that are only visible to members.
Create an account and you will be amazed by the warmth of this community.
38,224 members
From having a temporary high-output stoma in the past, if it needs it, I can change a bag in less than 60 seconds. Normally, I like to take about 5 minutes to wash and moisturize my skin and pluck a few hairs out with tweezers.
I cut my wafer and have all supplies ready for when I get out of the shower. I have been very fortunate that I can now dry the area when I get out, wipe with barrier wipes, let it dry and put new wafer on in less than 5 minutes.
I don't have any issues with where my stoma is placed and the area all around is very even . And mind you, this is a little over a year with my stoma. In the beginning I would say I was closer to the 15 minute time frame you mention. I spent more time trying to get the wafer in the "just right " position. It also helps that my stoma is fairly predictable with output. Now I don't freak out about the perfect placement as I did. And obviously being more comfortable with the process has helped.
On the odd chance I have output during that time it might take a few more minutes if I have to reapply the barrier wipe.
Now, if I didn't have a mirror and had to guess, it could be a whole different story. That could be ugly!
Bag off, bag on—that's me. You never know when the little pooper shooter is gonna start. 🤣🤣🤣
I'm on a steady 5-day routine. The night before, I lay out everything. I stop eating between 4:30 and 5:00 the night before, take my time, make sure I'm looking good, and am done in 15 minutes.
Like Nini, on change day, I have everything prepared and laid out on my bathroom counter, hole cut in my wafer, etc. From the time I get out of the shower and dry off, to completion of my change, I would say it's about five minutes, barring any mishaps, fingers crossed, as I haven't had one in a while. You say you know there is no rush, well, from my perspective, there is! I have a short window of time to work with. My stoma is very active (ileostomy) and I choose to do this midday, between lunch and dinner time. I time it after I know breakfast has already been passed, and lunch shouldn't be coming out for a while. Most of the time I'm safe, but it's a bit nerve racking!
Terry
Terry
Takes me anywhere from 3-4 hours. My stoma likes to be free lol as soon as that bag comes off, boom, she's moving.
1) Ileostomate. I have had lots and lots of haps and mishaps. I have been an ostomate since April 1975. I was 37 years and 8 months old. I have dealt with being the guy with a pouch. I have been humbled, etc., etc.
2) Changes of end of useful pouch systems. They have always been 2-piece until now. 3 days max, unless there is a mishap or error. I found it best to do it between 6:30 AM and 6:45 AM, after a shower, before any food and/or drink. No after-midnight snacks.
3) Even then, my ostomy (I call it Mt. Vesuvius) can interrupt a safe and sound procedure. Humility needs to be first and foremost, else catastrophe.
4) Oh, no carpets on the floor.
Good luck, Ron
It takes a couple of minutes. I change every day after my shower at night. I shower, then take it off, wash, dry, done. I don't use any products, just the bag. I pre-cut the hole before the shower. If I have a leak during the day (not often), it is pretty much a pull-off, wipe with toilet paper, and slap a new one on.
If I have a tummy bug... totally different story, haha.
15 mins tops.
However, everyone is forgetting a simple step: that is and should be some air time.
Allowing the skin to breathe without anything attached.
There's all kinds of advice about airing the skin, but if you're packing a volcano, best to get the change done ASAP.
For well-behaved stomas, it's worth holding a container under the alien spud.
Gotta be creative but also have some common sense when allowing enough time to air dry.
From bag off, shower, shave stoma area, dry off, let the stoma skin air out, to bag on... probably close to an hour. Once in a great while, I don't like how I put my bag on so I'll change it; that takes me about 5 minutes.
I am not sure if you meant a pouch change or an entire appliance (pouch + barrier/wafer/flange or one-piece) change. I have a colostomy, wear a 2-piece appliance, and use closed-end pouches with window.
If I am out, in a hurry, or just want to apply a fresh pouch before intimacy, then I pop off one pouch and pop on another in less than 10 seconds — expedient pouch change. I can make these expedient changes sitting in a car, working in garage, etc. 😉
Most times I don't need to be very expedient. In these instances, I pull out pre-staged pouch change supplies; place covering over my lap while sitting; add hydrogen peroxide, deodorant/lubricant, and cotton ball w/ essential oil to new pouch; remove old pouch, clean stoma; apply new pouch; and stage supplies for next pouch change. Time to completion is 15 - 30 minutes (can take up to an hour if stoma becomes active) — normal pouch change. 😊
For a complete appliance change, I pull out pre-staged pouch change supplies & pre-staged barrier/wafer/flange change supplies; perform "normal pouch change", as described above, without applying new pouch or staging for next pouch change; remove ostomy belt; remove barrier and any stray adhesives using adhesive remover wipes/spray; clean stoma and surrounding parastomal skin; apply barrier/wafer/flange over stoma onto dry skin; apply barrier extenders; apply barrier ring over stoma on top of wafer; apply new pouch; connect belt; and stage supplies for next pouch and wafer changes. Time to completion 1 hr (can extend to 2 hours if stoma becomes active) — regular appliance change.
As you can see the time to completion depends on the steps involved in the change. Comparing your time-to-completion to others if you don't know what steps are being performed is meaningless. Make sure you have a solid idiot-proof 😉 change procedure and stick with it. Each step is necessary to your process, skip at your own peril 😩. My procedure(s) are more involved than some and less than others.
What I am trying to say "K" is your process is more important than time-to-completion. The way I perform each of my steps is being continually refined. I see your determination will serve you well with your ostomy. 😊
I use the Hollister 2-piece system with my colostomy. Since I'm habitually lazy, I shower with the bag on. Dry off, snap on a new bag. It takes less than a minute.
Every 7 to 10 days, depending on the aforementioned laziness quotient, I change the wafer. I purposely take my time, letting Mr. Stoma enjoy a bit of freedom. Usually not more than an hour though. I don't want to spoil the little beast.
Because I get up a few times in the night and I am retired, I normally don't get up until midday. I never eat until around 3 p.m., so before a meal, it is nice and quiet. I like to get everything ready in 2 minutes, then from start to finish, 5 minutes. My first meal, as I said, is around 3 p.m. and at 7 p.m. I have a light snack. It all works for me. Regards, IGGIE
When my husband and I first changed the entire setup, it took us about 35-45 minutes. We had nothing planned, we were grabbing things as we remembered them. Chaos lol
After that mess, I started having him get the bag ready while I was in the shower. He cuts the hole and applies the barrier ring directly to the appliance. And that’s how we are still doing this at 2.2 months post-op.
I have all of my supplies organized in Ziplock bags, in a hamper on my bureau. I grab what I know I will need, lay it out on my bed. I hop in the shower, and air it out when I’m done. Not too long because I have a high output ileostomy. I keep a bunch of paper towels nearby for that reason.
Once I’ve dried it enough, I powder, build a crust (my skin has left the chat), and slap that new bag on before she blows lol I’d say if she’s behaving, it’s about 10 minutes total.
The other night, it was 1.5 hours bc I had a stomach bug and she enjoyed the fresh air. It was crazy lol
Have had my colostomy for 8 months. Up until last week, it took me 2 hours to change the whole package. Now I am down to approximately 1 hour. Showered without anything covering my stoma for the first time this morning. Such a great feeling of freedom and getting it thoroughly cleaned!
Once the prep work is done, it takes me less than 5 minutes. But I have to get out all my supplies, line them up, and have everything ready. That takes about 3 minutes, so I am guessing the whole process is under 8 minutes. More like around 6 or 7 minutes if I'm going slow.
