Mealtime Cut-off for Better Sleep?

I want to know, is there a cut-off time to end meals, so you will not be up all night emptying your bag.

My guess is you will get many different answers. For me, I try to have my dinner finished by 7:00, though I will often have a snack closer to bedtime (10:00 on nights I have to go to work the next morning). For both the dinner and snack, I try to avoid grains as they tend to give me more gas than if I stay away from them. I typically get up once in the middle of the night to burp and/or empty the bag.

Your results will vary no doubt...

Cheers,
Dave

Unfortunately, there's no miracle answer. A lot of people suggest that you stop eating as early as possible, around 6 or 7. For me, that's not an option. I'm hungry all the time. There's no way I could sleep on an empty stomach like that. In my two years of having an ostomy, I've noticed that it doesn't really matter anyways. When you sleep, your body can focus on digesting because it's not doing much else. More digesting = higher output. My best advice would be to trust your bag. They're a lot stronger than you think. You don't necessarily have to get up and empty your bag if it's just kind of full. I wait until it's at blimp status/about to explode before I wake up to empty it. Your profile doesn't say what type of ostomy you have but I'm assuming if you're having to get up a lot, it's either an ileostomy or a urostomy. There's a product called Osto-Gel that can help to absorb the liquid contents in your bag, perhaps allowing you to have more time in between empties. Also, lots of ostomy manufacturers make larger bags to wear at night so you don't have that problem. I've even seen that some are starting to make ileostomy night bags like they do for urostomates. It's something to look into if you're not getting good sleep because of your ostomy. I'm sure they'd be willing to send you a free sample if you called around and explained your situation. I'm sorry this isn't the answer you were looking for but I hope it helps in some way!

Thank you for all the advice that was given.

It does differ from everyone. But, there are things out there that tend to help, too. Gas-X or Bean-O are two good OTC meds that help with the gas so you have some control.

It takes a bit to figure out how your body works sometimes...then again, sometimes you're still figuring it out lol. It's okay though...at least you're here and any questions, feel free to ask. xx

Staying Hydrated with an Ostomy with LeeAnne Hayden | Hollister

Certain foods leave less residue. I find that meat does not leave a lot of residue. Cereals tend to leave a lot.

If you would learn to irrigate every morning, you would never have to worry ever again about when or how much to eat. Please check it out. It will revolutionize your life.

I have had a urostomy, I use a night drainage bag attached to my stoma bag, no problem.

Toriado, do you have any issues with your bag, apart from the obvious!!

I have a colostomy that I have had for 2.5 years (which I didn't have any problems with) and a urostomy for a year. I have been so sick since that surgery. I might have normal output a couple of times a month and the rest of the time it's either loose paste or water and it gets really painful. It feels like I have been in the hospital at least once a month since December. Sharp pain and severe cramping: throwing up dark green stuff every few minutes: not keeping anything down at all, equals hospital admittance. I went in on September, they did a few little things, said "Oh, you have a 24-hour bug" (except I had been sick for 72 hours before I went in). Back in the hospital on October 1st, same exact thing as the last time, results in infection in intestines, as well as UTI infection, and blockage.

Sorry for the long story, so my question is,

How do I stop this from happening?

Is there something low profile that could be worn around the colostomy bags that would catch leaks and make it easier to feel secure, especially in a work environment?

Is there something that can be used to cover a drainage bag while out in public?

Hi sweetheart! I already understand where you're coming from. I've had the ileostomy over 4 years. The first year was the hardest for adjusting physically and emotionally.

Yes, it's very common for most ER docs to admit over what is day-to-day struggle for us. They have no clue and typically misdiagnose, from my experience. Be careful with your veins. Due to their overcautious practices of being IV happy, it destroyed all my veins in my arms over 4 years of aggressive syringe digging. Go for the neck if you start having battles with finding good veins but only if necessary!!!! Proceed with caution, especially if you are having to go once or twice a week and even consider a PICC line if you are being admitted that often. That way you won't be doing any long-term damage, especially if more surgery or hospital stays are required.

Don't waste time with doctors that appear to be clueless or are throwing the same tests/meds at you. Because you will only be wasting time and your health in the process. Find a fearless and experienced colon rectal surgeon.

Don't waste time with uneducated GI (gastrointestinal) docs. I have seen every GI in my city and to this day they have always been confused or wrong about my issues. Seeing a specialist that really understands ileostomy is super important!

When you are in with a good ileostomy doc or nurse practitioner, then they are the correct people to contact about your symptoms rather than the ER, if possible. They will tell you if you must go to the emergency room but typically a lot can be avoided using them. If they are not listening then find another surgeon or nurse that specifically deals with ostomy care. It took me two years but I finally know a great ostomy nurse and much of this diagnosis entails teaching yourself what to do, look for, and then where to go next.

Puking green, pee that is like cola, fever, severe weight loss, blockages, and water output are all serious and require ER trips, like it or not. Get used to rectal exams, upper GI x-rays, and even barium enemas if you are having functional problems such as blockages or not tolerating by mouth. That was the problem in my case but in the end they realized via sitz-marker study that I had things moving backwards. I even vomited stool for a while. Then after surgery there was some paralysis going on and talk of jejunostomy which caused me to hit the door running and never went back to that clinic! Don't allow them to be knife happy. It's your life!!!!

The watery stool can be from drinking too much too fast or can be from infection. Try slowing down and sipping. I also learned that things such as sugar or coffee/lots of caffeine had a tendency to do this. But some days I still just have watery output but this is common so long as you are peeing okay. And if there is no cramping then it's likely something you ate or drank too fast or too much of.

The best way to check is to have a food diary. Completely eliminate anything new that you might have tried as well as avoid anything that potentially disagrees with you. I live mostly on protein shakes. Non-dairy and low sugar. You can get unflavored protein so that you can blend with whatever taste you crave like mint, banana, apple, butterscotch (my favorite so far), caramel, even strawberry without the seeds or skins of fruits can help change the taste. I have even tried avocado pizza burger hotdogs anything that I crave as long as I am careful and very aware of how it feels going down. If it's good after a few sips and 5 mins then keep slowly sipping. The trouble is learning to go super slow. And chew or blend everything!

Eating white bread, cheese (hard types you can tolerate), banana, oatmeal (w/caution), and even applesauce can help thicken the output.

Your type of bag is super important not just for skin care but also for comfort and confidence. If it leaks try by not eating after 5 pm and no drinks after 8, only tiny sips thru the night. Yoga helps before bed. Warm bath or heating pad encourages the stoma to empty. Also leaning towards the side where your stoma is located will help pass air.

When you go to bed, empty out at least twice!!!! If you haven't yet learned, emptying out actually encourages more air and stuff to move out. So if you empty twice, the second time should be mostly air, then you should get a good 4-6 hours.

Avoid changing the bag too frequently. It wears down the skin and even causes more skin infections. I'll share the specific products in detail in the next reply since this is dragging on...

PS Infection is common and your medical team should check for it routinely. As well as your total nutritional panel. Request a stool test to check absorption too, that is soooo important to know. Also stick with vitamins and any nutritional drinks that keep you feeling well. Believe me, once you get a good routine it will get better and you will also have a lot fewer leaks. I have a leak maybe every few months nowadays. It's possible don't give up. I'll supply more details about products and tips for deodorizer. I actually smell better than my entire family and it's just a matter of trying new things. Will post again soon but don't be discouraged or lose heart. I am here for you as well as so many others. BTW I live in CO Springs and am 36, very married and not a freak. Have a great day! I will write again soon. Tiffanie

Hi there, I just figured out how to respond to you. It's nice to know you're in the Springs. I have had my colostomy since April of 15. It wasn't until I had my bladder removed in December of 15 that I started having problems. Since then, I am in the hospital about every 2 months. I get really sick, nausea, severe vomiting, stool trying to push through to my rectum, cold sweats so on and so forth. I'm so tired I feel like my life is at a standstill. I can't work, desperately trying to finish my Masters degree in Counseling but even that's on hold. I do not have a GI here or an ostomy nurse, any ideas? Also, are there any good support groups that you are a part of that might be beneficial? I look forward to hearing from you.

Peggy