Ostomy Topics

Given that I have an ileostomy, dealing with toilet bowl odor is a constant task. For a while, I was using a bleach cleaner spray and bowl brush after every dump. But all that does is replace the lingering odor of shit with the lingering odor of bleach. Then, I ditched the bleach and got out the bottle of Pooph I bought some time back. After I flush, I use the bowl brush while the tank is fill ...

Hello everyone, I am new to this. I just had surgery for this unexpected thing in my life, but how can you take showers with the pouch on? Doesn't getting it wet make the tape loose?

After my surgery in May, my life has changed dramatically. I'm signed up for disability at the doctor's orders in light of everything, so my working days appear to be over (I also have an incurable but treatable form of cancer that I've had since 2005). I'm 61. I'm not adjusting well to having a colostomy bag and the limitations it gives, but I'm trying my best.
How do you guys deal with it? W ...

New ileostomate here. 2ish months.
Just a curious question here, because I am a little uneducated re: ileostomies.
We have to watch what we eat and chew, chew, chew food that might block us up. Also, blockages (from what I understand) happen mostly at the stoma. Nuts, corn, popcorn, salads are all off the menu for me for now.
Normally, the small intestine is attached to the large intestine, an ...

Does anyone use the ConvaTec Natura Moldable Skin Barrier wafer? I requested samples of it from their website. I am always on the lookout for something that will make my life easier. Here is what I have to say about it... The hole is a lot smaller, and you don't cut it, you mold it around your stoma. I just tried it this morning when I changed my bag. I have a thought that it is stopping my st ...

TOPIC: When the Pouch Swells Up Like a Balloon
I've had a radical ileostomy with complete removal of the large intestine and rectum. It was non-reversible surgery. I've been
living with it since October 1992. The topic I want to discuss now is when your ileostomy pouch swells up like a balloon. The most
inconvenient time this usually happens is in the middle of the night when you're sleeping. ...

I am new here. I have been in diapers since 2022. Radiation cystitis caused me to have a urethroplasty in 2021, and they could not save my sphincter. I have been an open faucet for 2 years. I have had 9 UTIs in the past 2 years, of which 4 occurred in the last 6 months, and am now CRE (antibiotic intolerant). I have been hospitalized twice in the previous 5 weeks. The last UTI was with sepsis, ...

Hi everyone,
My boyfriend had to have a barium GI a couple of days ago so they could check if the portion of his colon was healed from his temporary ileostomy. The good news is that the results came back that it has healed, and his reversal surgery is scheduled for September 12th. His issue is now that since the barium GI was done, he has tightness, swelling, and pain in the area that was hea ...

Hi there all

I am currently on my 8th pouch since yesterday morning, so far beating my record of 6 in one day ......

Leaks are not something I normally get at all - I am using the Adapt rings and flange extensions as normal - nothing has changed except that they will not STICK!

My skin is now red raw and bleeding ... has anyone had a bad batch of pouches and had to complain? The pouch ...

Hi
I'm Kenp
About 5 years ago, I had a urostomy. Due to the narrowing of the ureters, stents were installed. They are replaced about every 3 months, and I generally end up in the hospital for 3 or 4 days on IV antibiotics. Has anyone had a similar experience, and if so, has
it been resolved?

Health insurance is frustrating. One insurance won't cover something because it is a durable medical supply, whatever that means. So now I have to deal with another insurance. They told me to get Medicare Part B, but I can't afford to get it. So I am back to Medicaid. WellCare is the one that won't cover it. So I have two insurances, and they are fighting each other and telling me I need a thi ...

I have a series of rectal conditions that impair my ability to evacuate stool, leading to severe constipation and obstruction. It was deemed by doctors that all conventional treatment and biofeedback had failed, recommending surgery. Last December, I was given a right-side loop ileostomy as the least invasive option to see if diverting my waste into a bag on my abdomen (instead of through my l ...

In an effort of discovery, I've been waiting longer and longer between wafer changes. How long can I go? I have a colostomy.
Last experiment was 10 days. Skin looked good. No leaks. Hair growth didn't cause a problem. And the wafer still felt comfortable. I wore various hernia support belts too. And rode my bike a total of 100 miles over 5 days. Also showered many times with the bag on, gettin ...

I am 8 months post-ileostomy for cancer at the recto-sigmoid junction. I felt something solid in my rectum, and my stoma nurse told me to use glycerin suppositories, which I did. I can't believe the amount of fecal-type matter that came out, as everything was cleaned out prior to surgery and the top part of my rectum is sealed. I don't think this is just mucus. Can anyone explain, please?

Okeydoke, little backstory.
Previously completely healthy, but probably not looking after myself as well as I should. Minor heart attack, easily fixed with a stent, but up from that though a serious infection, necrotizing fasciitis, really nasty situation trying to get that under control with the ticker meds making surgery very, very dangerous. Had That Conversation with my surgeons a couple o ...