Ostomy Topics

DOCK SHOCK.

I can recall that I was shocked
when I first had my colon docked
and saw it on the front of me
in the form of an ostomy.

That shock was then compounded by
the thought that I might have to try
to manage how output came out
as that’s what stomas are about.

It was good the nurse was there
to show me rudiments of care
and act as my mentor and guide
in terms of this thing on my ...

Our favorite restaurant
Terns
Oyster Catchers
Harbor seals relaxing
Pelican coming in for a landing
Another excellent trip. Have stoma, will travel

Edgepark produces a 2023-2024 "Ostomy Supplies" catalog that lists and shows photos of all the products that Hollister, Coloplast, Convatec, and New Hope make, along with the ordering numbers, descriptions, and sizes of everything. It's been a great help to me. I got my copy from a Stoma Nurse.

I have to get up to empty my pouch frequently at night. Can anybody recommend a high-output pouch that they use successfully to be able to sleep through the night? If you could, please name the brand and product.

My output sometimes tends to be watery consistency fluid and other times oatmeal-consistency fluid. Looking at the size of the nozzles on the pouches in the Internet ads, I wonder i ...

I think this is the question I have. After changing my pouch and several days later, my skin next to my stoma and around and under the barrier starts to itch and becomes irritated. Someone mentioned that they used calamine lotion and then stoma powder. Has anyone else used this and would it cause the pouch to not stick?

I use a closed two piece system. I am a quadriplegic with limited hand function and this is what I have found I can do mostly by myself. However when I change the bag there is always a fair amount of poo around the stoma. Trying to get it cleaned up often makes a mess. Any tips? Right now the consistency is soft like toothpaste. This is a lot to learn.

My Stout Spout
(A Simple DIY Fix)
First of all, many thanks to Bill Withers for his encouragement to try your hand at DIY.
Today I developed a better means to empty output. I call it my Stout Spout. For a very long time, I have been a searcher and seeker of the perfect application for my ileostomy housing product, or as I refer to it, “Better Bags & Stoma Housing.”
I have test-driven many ...

I'm scheduled for surgery on May 30th that will leave me with a loop ileostomy. I'm trying to prepare in advance by learning as much as possible from folks' experiences here and elsewhere on the internet. I have rectal cancer and have already been through 5 weeks of radiation therapy and 6 weeks of chemotherapy, so mentally I look at this as just another step on my road to beating cancer. I al ...

I have a lot of gas. I use filtered pouches, but after even one day's use, the filters are not very effective. Can anyone who has used the Osto EZ Vent, share their experience -- how easy to use?, effectiveness?, is it covered by Medicare?

Hello,
I've had my colostomy a little over a month, so I'm a newbie. I am very concerned about odor. I was looking today at garbage cans that are like a diaper genie, but use regular kitchen-size bags. Is it worth the expense? How do you deal with disposal?
Thank you,
Lilbet

Hi fellow Osteomates... Has anyone tried Revel It's in the Bag lubricating deodorant? It is by far the best I have used since starting this journey. I ordered samples from RevelOstomy.com, and they arrived at the perfect time. I had a lot of "blowouts" because of the pancaking. I used the samples and haven't had a "blowout" since. I highly recommend the product and hope you do too! Thank you! ...

HERE'S SOMETHING THAT EVERY OSTOMATE can understand. It is from Cormac McCarthy’s ‘No Country for Old Men.’ “You never know what worse luck your bad luck has saved you from.” If it was bad luck that I got sick and ended up undergoing a proctocolectomy, it saved me from the worse luck of dying a shortened life in a hospital bed. I think we all recognize this painful truth. Having ...

I put together a great stoma emptying device. Works great in my car, hiking, and flying. You all have seen this jar. As a patient, I have two. Hollister disposal bags fit perfectly. I shoved a few extra bags in the bottom. All you need are wipes for the pouch and hands.
Note the red circle. I drilled two tiny holes on either side with my Dremel, so the bag expands in the jar. Hope IGGIE reads ...

Everyone always talks about using wet paper towels, but it has to be the "right" paper towel. My fellow ostomate, Pat, told me right in the beginning that the best paper towel to use with our ostomies is Viva! They are super soft, so much better than the usual "rough" paper towels!
BTW—I celebrated my 6-year stoma-versary on 9/29! So yay me!

I'm having problems with my company. The products aren't the issue. It's customer service. Not finding faxed prescriptions. Not sending correct forms to MD. Not calling or emailing me with what they need. I've had an ileostomy for 4 years and all of a sudden these problems are here. Can you tell me what company you are happy with and why?
Thank you.