Bag Mishaps - Share Your Crazy Stories!

Curious about crazy things that have happened to you with your bag.

First, I'll share my recent crazy bag story:

The wife was waking me up to tell me she was getting ready to go to the store. I threw the blanket off of me to get out of bed, but I didn't realize that along with the blanket, I had grabbed my bag and flung it off as well. The bag was full. My stoma was active. My wife raced to grab some toilet paper so I could cover my stoma. It was a mess.

In more than 7 years, that had not happened. I must have grabbed my bag in just the right way to pop it straight off of my 2-piece system.

OK, what are your crazy bag stories?

Kbd,

I have a few, but the one that comes to mind most is when I used to do cable TV installations. The rule was never to use a customer's bathroom for obvious reasons. But I had to empty my pouch, so the customer politely allowed me to use his restroom.

I use a one-piece drainable pouch and was going too fast getting the clips off. Needless to say, the end of the pouch got away from me and shit went everywhere as it was mostly liquid. Well, it went mostly all over the front of the toilet and tile floor. I panicked. Luckily, there were some Clorox wipes nearby, and I was able to clean the mess up with toilet paper and wipes. I explained to the customer what happened and that I have an ileostomy. He was beyond sympathetic, and when he looked in the bathroom, he said, "Hell, this bathroom is cleaner now than it ever was before."....lol

Never got a complaint about it thankfully and never used a customer's restroom EVER again after that.

Bain

Bain,

That is awesome that the customer was so cool about it. That was a 'worst nightmare' kind of situation. Glad it worked out OK.

I do my best to never empty my bag at other people's houses, but sometimes it can't be helped.

Thanks for sharing!

Bain,

That's quite a nice story. I can just imagine how you felt. My story happened to me several years ago when I was managing a girls' softball team. I was at home plate hitting balls for infield practice. There were two players standing on the side of the cage. As I swung, the clip on my two-piece system opened up. Yes, my bag was pretty full and as with an ileostomy, it was rather watery. Before I knew it, the stuff ran down my leg and out the bottom of my pant leg. The two players saw it. One said to me, "See, that's what happens when you put a container of chocolate pudding in your pocket. You should never put anything in your pockets when you're playing ball." From that day forward, I always make sure I wrap a rubber band around the clip when I go out.

X_

Curious about you guys using clips, is it habit, or do you prefer those?

I had the clip originally, but quickly jumped ship when I found Velcro bags. Those clips looked like a menace to me :(

Words of Encouragement from Ostomy Advocates I Hollister

Kbd,

I tried the Velcro tip bags. I liked them initially, but two things steered me away. First, I found it very hard to clean the ends of the bag once I emptied it. It took too long and if I was in a hurry it really became problematic. Second, I never felt it was securely closed. As the bag filled I became anxious that it would pop open. I guess this might have been more psychological than anything. However, the former reason is what really pushed me away from the Velcro closed bags.

X_

I have to agree with Xerxes. I had another accident in the store I was working at once. The clip had worn out and luckily, there was just a little bit of output in the pouch. Went home, showered and changed and from that point on, I use 2 clips. Although a rubber band sounds good, I'm used to the clips. I don't like the Velcro either because I can't fold the end of the sleeve like I can with the regular pouches.

Bain

Thanks, guys, for sharing your experience and thoughts with the clips!

One thing that helps me with the Velcro bags is that I cut the end of the new bag flush with the edge of the hard plastic so there is no soft plastic overhang. That makes it easier for me to keep it clean. I hard press the Velcro together and test it to make sure a soft tug won't open it. I've had very good luck with these so far. But it is good to get other perspectives.

Hi Bain,

I agree with your point about the difficulty with folding the end of the sleeve. Just one thing if I may, I do use the clip, but then I wrap a rubber band around it snugly as an additional guard against an inadvertent and disastrous opening.

X_

I don't recall any issues with the Velcro, but I did have an issue losing a clip in the toilet bowl. Thankfully, I had a binder clip in my pocket since I do office work. I used it and it worked well, but I had a spare ostomy clip in my locker.

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Nothing like being always prepared.

X_

That was pretty funny about the pudding cups

Thank you for giving me such a great belly laugh today! Hilarious!

I have an ileal conduit; a urine bag. It came off during a hair appointment when I was eight months pregnant, drenching where I sat. It took everything I could do to get out of that situation as they all thought my water had broken and were about to call 911. I had my son over a month later :)

I was very fortunate that I never had a leak or disaster with my bag while away from my house. I had an ileostomy at the time and while I was in Greece, having climbed up the Acropolis, it was very hot and very windy. I had taken my ball cap off and was having trouble holding my hat, water bottle, purse, map, and other things. I suddenly felt something run down my leg. My brother-in-law saw the look on my face and was instantly concerned. I looked down and was hugely relieved to see that the cap on my water bottle wasn't on right and I had tipped it over in my struggle to hold everything. Thankfully, it wasn't liquid poo running down my leg, but simply water.

I have never used a bag with a clip, I've only used the Velcro fastening. After a few days, I notice the Velcro can get a bit weak but it's usually when I'm due to change the bag so that's OK. My output is mainly liquid even though I have a colostomy as I don't have enough colon left, so it behaves like an ileostomy. What makes my hair stand on end is when the bag fills suddenly either in the day or early morning but so far the Velcro has held!! I do, however, carry a freezer bag clip with me - just in case:).

Re: Crazy Bag Stories
Had to attend a Credit Managers' Meeting. Waited outside the restroom until everyone had gone. Had on a tailored suit, hair was shorter than my usual style. Went into stall, faced toilet with skirt pulled up to empty pouch. A lady pushed the door open, had a very startled facial expression!! She thought I was a man, peeing.

That's hilarious :)

Luv2

Hey, it could have been one of those unisex bathrooms that are now forcibly legal.

X_

This morning, I woke up suddenly dreaming that my wife said "GET OUT OF BED!"

I jumped up, flung the sheets and blankets off, and somehow tore my bag off and flung the full bag at my wife! It had landed in her lap, splattering her with poop!!! It was a full 30 seconds before I was awake enough to understand her screaming!! There was a huge spot of shit on her chest! OMG! We were in the bathroom cleaning off when we realized it was also in her hair!! Oh Jeez!!! It was also on the blankets, sheets, and pillows!!! I've been trying different bags, but I don't think I'll be using this one again.

Hey boss, I'm new to this online thing, but I have had a continent ileostomy from UC for about 38 years now (+/-). You look to be well adjusted and healthy. You are more bald than me but I'm working on it. Your story is interesting, I have 3 siblings and a bunch of cousins as well and none of them have UC. This disease really sucks, doesn't it?

If you can, wear a belt. I used to wear a 1" belt to sleep, but since stoma relocation it is too high to comfortably wear a belt to bed.

Thanks :) I hope that never happens again :)