Anyone Here Have A Stoma?

[Boto]

I have a friend who has a stoma bag. Sometimes when I call to see her in the morning the bag is really obvious (sticking out). After lunch there is often a slight ... aroma. I know she changes the bag once a day in the morning - if you have a stoma how often do you change yours? I used to work with someone who had one and you just couldn't tell she did have one. Many thanks.

[pixie373]

I've only known one person who had one and that was changed once a day, too. She may need it checking, or may have a slight infection?

[Mooria]

My dad has had a colostomy bag for over 20 years, You sometimes see it when he it gets full of gas - he can't fart so the air you would normally expell from farting goes into the bag blowing it up like a balloon. The only time that you smell dad is when he has emptied the bag (never go in after him) and if he is leaking, (which doesn't happen often). He changes his every 3-4 days dependant on the plaster situation.
It is easy to get an infection, particulary if you have a plaster attachment, as it rips the hairs out on the belly, which may be come infected - this has happened a couple of times. - if its a new stoma this is also prone to infection without proper care, after all it is your intestine on the outside of your body!

[naomi24]

I know very many people who have a stoma and it's not the easiest thing to live with. A lot of people don't change the bag often because that can and does result in discomfort from rawness and soreness of the skin surrounding the stoma. To avoid that happening some choose to simply empty the bag when necessary rather than change it for a fresh one - hence the resulting smell.

[black_cat51]

it depends where the stoma is - whether it's an illeostomy or colostomy. Alos, some people have bags that just stick to the skin, some have a base plaster sticking to the skin, which the bag attaches to like a ziplock bag, some people can empty bags and some can't

[Peter Pedant]

I never really got used to mine - temp ileostomy
Boto - sounds like par for the course.

Colostomies may settle down to twice a day, so there are a variety of products available - low vol for the quiet period and even lavender scented

Ileostomies tend to let rip - even at night ....

altho clunk click bags are available - the bag is changed but the skin bit isnt
otherwise you tend to change the bag when it leaks ( pretty pronto or else the skin burns ) otherwise empty it as needed - the ileostomy bags have a bit at the bottom...

six months of hell quite honestly
Once I got thro two weeks worth of bags by Sunday afternoon .....

[beejaybee]

I have a permenant stoma & have no problems. Yes, it does fill with air sometimes, but that`s no diiferent to anyone farting. I wear a 2 piece system & just expell the air. I did have skin problems when I first had it done, but it all stopped when I started using Cavillon spray. I always empty the bag when needed, & changed it when needed.A lot depends on the consistency of the poo (sorry to be so graphic) I would advise anyone who has a stoma to use the 2 piece system as it`s much easier.