How to Empty the Ostomy Pouch

For ostomates, one part of the preparation and adaption includes emptying the pouch or stoma.  Not doing this can make it uncomfortable, and it can cause leakage. It also is painful because the weight of this will pull the skin down.  While it does become an everyday duty over time, it definitely isn’t fun, and there are ways to make this faster, safer and cleaner. Ostomy surgeries do take a bit of time to heal, and you might need to make some changes to the quality of life that you have after surgery. It also can be time consuming, and you also might have trouble at first.  You’ll want to make sure that you have guidance from your nurse before you begin, and you should understand how to use pastes, adhesives, and the like before you start with the process.

Now, before you begin, you should consider adding toilet paper to the inside before you empty the bag to prevent splashes.  If the stool is thick, try to add some water and move it about to soften during the emptying process. You can use a sanitizer and some wipes as needed.  You might neeto also get some water and soap if it’s not available. Whenever possible, use thick toilet paper.  Finally, try to watch your diet, since it can cause changes to the excreta after surgery, and for a lot of ostomates, it can cause some underlying effects which aren’t good for you.

So, when should you empty the pouch? Well, it depends. Some people can do it every day, but some can do it every other day, and it really depends on the type of stool, the volume of the stoma output, and the shape of the skin barrier, and of course your preferences.  For urine, it might be a lot more, like a few times a day, and for those with ileostomies, it might be more frequent as well, since the contents that come out tend to be not as solid.

For the most part, you can also use the same adhesive slips if there is no issues with the way it looks when you remove.

So when is the appropriate time to empty this? well, you should avoid meal times and visiting hours, and you should make sure that the pouch is changed before mealtimes, and before any medications that do cause bowel movements are administered. If possible, take the patient to the toilet if they feel embarrassed about this.  you should have them standing or sitting if possible to create a tight adhesion to the seal.

To empty this, you take the pouch when it’s at least a third to two thirds of the excreta, so the weight of the bulk doesn’t break down, and it allows for the excreta to not contact the skin. From there, you press and push the outtake down to the bottom, and then fold it towards the bottom. Remove the clamp and face the toile, then push it out of the bag and into the toilet.  If the stool is thick, carry a bottle of water to help with this.  you should use your hand to control as needed, and make sure it isn’t too wide, so it doesn’t cause splashing. When you finish pouring this into the toilet, clean with a tip or wipe, and if you’re using toilet paper, use water to clean it.  Then unfold the bag, stretch it, and then close the back.

And there you go, that’s all you need to know about emptying the stoma pouch, so you do it effectively.

Ostomy and the Pandemic

It is 2020 and times are a bit hard.  Unemployment is rampant and supplies for stores are hard to find depending on your location. Yes as a benefit we are all able to wear PJ’s and lounge where nearly 24/7 three hundred and sixty five days a year at the moment, but there are some lesson to have learned from what we have been through. If you have an ostomy and are dealing with a stoma then you have a little more to worry about then the average person.  It just means you need to be more prepared.  A little preparation can go a long way in making sure you are safe and also happy when stuck at the stay a home orders we are all experiencing in our state. 

So a few tips I would give about keeping the correct ostomy supplies around.  It is as simple as that. Have extra ostomy supplies around! Know how many bags you will need and what types of adhesives you will need and how many you use each week. Now think back to the worst times you have had and emergency situations that you have come upon in the past. 

That is what you want to be prepared for and that is the amount of extra supplies you need on hand.  This pandemic has brought this into perspective.  We want to have enough toilet paper around because it may be off the shelves of stores for weeks at a time.  The same thing goes for having enough food and medical supplies as well. If you have allergies make sure you have a month of extra pills set aside and also keep those stores of food up as well.  Some tows ran out of food really quickly and have been unable to resupply for weeks at a time.

Another good idea to allow you to have extra supplies available is to buy in bulk. No not the bulk of purchasing one or two at a time, but get the big packs.  Most suppliers sell in sets of five but if there is a bag you really like and works well with your body see about purchasing a large stock of them and at a discounted rate. Most online retailers or even pharmacies are able to work with you and can give discounted rates. As always stay safe, keep enough supplies around and talk with your medical provider if you have any questions on storage.

Training for a Tough Mudder with an Ostomy.

If anyone ever called you crazy, then this might be the article for you.  I will start off by saying before you attempt to do a tough mudder or any hard workout with an ostomy make sure you seek information from your local health care provider on how to proceed.  First thing you should ask yourself is, do I want to do it.  If you want to run 10 plus miles in muddy conditions whilst doing some of the most physically demanding obstacles that special forces do then this is the right thing for you.  Make sure you have the right ostomy supplies.  So try out the right pouches that adhere to you the best.  You want to still have perfectly healthy skin when you are done so make sure it's a good fit.

Then you need to work up to your goal slowly.  Start by walking a few miles.  When you know you can do that, start to jog a bit.  Add some pushups and light weight lifting. 

This does not mean go hard on weights and start doing too much.  Remember you had an ostomy for a reason and your core may not be in the shape it was before the ostomy. Getting the right ostomy supplies is key.  So don’t just get what someone told you.  Do your own research and ask lots of people who have an ostomy who have started to work out. Or who are amazingly physically fit.  Don’t ask the person who clearly never works out, because they honestly don’t know.  The challenges you face will be many and having a leaky bag or messed up skin around your stoma do to bad advice is not worth it. 

I would also say don’t be afraid to get strong.  You may have a higher risk for a hernia but you still need to be strong and fit for a mud race. So start small, lift light and then increase gently. Don’t try to be superman all at once.  Start early.  Make the decision to race and then plan on doing it in 6 months or even a year later.  It sounds crazy but 10 miles with mud and obstacles is just as hard as running a marathon.  It's a lot more physically demanding and will take more of your body to complete.  Best advice is to find a friend to train with.  Run it with a buddy at the same time. If they don’t have an ostomy, maybe take it a little slower than them, but have fun, stay safe, and consult your healthcare provider before starting.

Going to Bed with Your Stoma

It has almost been a year and with it being 2021 the covid-19 pandemic is still a thing.   With the Pandemic being in full force there are lots of things that have changed and are making our lives more interesting.  It is weird that the world became a little slower and quieter.  When I wake up there is not a giant rush to get ready for work in the morning. Every morning I could literally wake up five minutes before work starts and simply put my slippers on, walk to my desk, and start working.  Times have slowed down and I am getting lots more sleep than I normally would.  I am feeling refreshed, but I do get asked the question a good amount and this question worried me in the beginning. How are you going to be able to sleep with a stoma and what is really the difference? 

It may seem like a strange question, but I find it absolutely a good topic to go over. Especially, for those who are new to it or have a family member with one.  This information can help people know the difference in life.  There isn't much.  Having an ostomy always brings to mind lots of questions from people and they always attempt to think of the worst thing that would bother them.  It usually is personal and what I get asked a good amount is how do you sleep.  Usually, it's a friend that asks and it comes up after a conversation revolving around bad dreams, but in the end, they want to know what ostomy care is needed for a good night's sleep.  

For me, I am a pillow guy.  My wife is a pillow person as well, so it's a win.  That sounds a little strange but the extra feeling of weight going into your bag at night can wake many people up.  And I know weighted blanked are a thing and are meant to keep you tucked in by force and that actually helps you sleep.  Well, that weight is not a good thing in this case because I am a pretty light sleeper.  So I find that my version of ostomy care is simply to put a pillow under my ostomy bag if I am going to sleep on the opposite side of it on my side.  I am usually a side or a back sleeper so for me, only a pillow is needed if I am going to sleep on the opposite side of my ostomy.  This allows the weight to then be put into the bag and then the pillow and it doesn't cause any stress on the adhesion to me.  This means it won't leak and let's face it that is a bad way to wake up if it does. 

We all have the nightmare of waking up to the smell or even worse a smack from your wife and seeing the pure look of horror in her eyes is simply not worth it.  Because let's face it the next look from my eyes in horror as well.  So get really good ostomy gear and you won't have to ever have that happen. So, sleeping is just fine and I have no issues at all with it nor does my wife.  Just get great gear and test it out first.