u/ForeverKonstantine

So I have my ostomy due to a car crash that destroyed my colon. They were able to save just enough to try to reverse it. 6 months is coming up, which is when I was told to call so we can start making plans.

When I saw the surgeon during my follow up in July, he mentioned that the consistency would probably stay the same and I wouldn’t be able to “hold it” like I once had.

So to those who’ve had reversals, what is it like? I’m worried about not getting to the bathroom in time or losing control during sleep.

Just curious if anyone has any advice and seeing if this is common.

Most days I have to “burp” my bag between emptying it, and I suspect a few times my Cera ring has failed is because the air build up (when I’m sleeping) puts too much pressure on it. And yes, I know certain foods increase gas output.

But does anyone have any advice on cutting it down? Does Gas-X help? Would chewing my food more help prevent this? Would more water intake help?

Just looking for advice because again, pretty sure the pressure build up during sleep is putting stress on my Cera rings and causing blow outs.

TIA!

I’ve had my ostomy for 4 months now, and within the past week or two, my CeraRings have been breached, resulting in blowouts.

While I’ve had this happen before, it’s never been at this frequency. Nothing in my day to day has really changed, so I’m not sure if it’s just unfortunate timing or if I’m suddenly doing something wrong.

For context, my partner is the one who changes the 2 piece set up and does a thorough job. We make sure the skin is clean, the CeraRing is warm and flat, and I hold position (laying down) to let it all set for at least 5, usually 10 minutes.

In the past week or so, my CeraRing has failed 3 times, each time overnight. Once was on day 6 of wearing it, which is change day for me anyway, so that wasn’t a surprise (and wasn’t particularly messy). But 3 days later, the new one breached to a big mess, then two days after that (this morning), it happened again. I will say I had a lot of build up behind the ring (that thankfully didn’t spill out) this morning.

I’m wondering if maybe the opening for the stoma is too small, even though it fits through the ring and no part of it touches the adhesive? Or maybe it’s just what I’m eating and how much I’m eating at once (in recent days, I’ve had maybe one large meal after not eating much during the day). I cannot weight bear on my right leg, so most of my time is spent sitting, aside from times I use my wheelchair for small tasks like going to the bathroom or kitchen, where I am able to stand briefly. Is my bag perhaps being shifted too much?

Help a gal out 😅 my partner has had to wash our blankets and my pouches twice now in a matter of days.

Hey all,

I was just curious to see how everyone keeps their seal/bag dry when showering. I know a lot of people are able to shower without their bag but I’m not confident enough (yet) that I can slow my output down enough to not make a mess. I currently can’t bear weight on my right leg so I have to use a shower chair.

Currently, my partner helps tape a ziploc bag around the whole set up (bag included) and I aim the shower head away as much as I can, but a little water always seems to find its way down. Has anyone found a way to keep it dry?

We’re going to try taking off the bag and putting tagaderm over the ring/bandage/barrier strips but I wanted to see if anyone had other suggestions.

I’m taking some advice I found here and will be eating some marshmallows before I change out my bag. I have a very active stoma, so hopefully this helps. My question to you guys is how long before a change do you eat the marshmallows and how many?

This probably seems like a silly question but I was wondering if anyone else has whole pills come out their bag, seemingly unprocessed?

I take quite a few and some tend to make a reappearance. Sometimes they’re partially broken up, sometimes they’re covered in what looks like goo, and sometimes they just spit out. The kicker is this isn’t an everyday occurrence.

I know the first thought is, “well did you take it with food?” and sometimes the answer is yes, sometimes it is no. However, I’ve looked into it and some of the medications coming out don’t have to be taken with food, and sometimes they come out even if taken with food. And to make things even more fun, this doesn’t happen with all my meds. The biggest offender is extended-release Keppra but it’s also happened with non extended-release meds like Onfi and even Tylenol.

Does this happen to anyone else, and if so, any tips?

Back in April, I was in a car crash and ended up with an ileostomy. My leg was also badly injured and I’m unable to fully bend it and can bear zero weight on it. Up until a few days ago, I was in a neck brace and unable to empty my bag. My partner has been doing for me since getting home.

We’re trying to figure out the best way for me to do this on my own. Does anyone have any idea of how to approach this? For a few more weeks, I won’t be able to stand and do it. He currently empties it into a big medical cylinder we swiped from the hospital but I’m afraid it’s too tall and will slip when I do it solo. Should I try emptying it into something else? And should we move where the opening faces? (Currently it faces outward so it’s easier to access but I know most people face the mouth inwards between the legs).

And I’m not sure I’ll be able to change the bag myself. My stoma loves to just keep on producing, even if I haven’t eaten or drank anything in hours. Any tips would be appreciated!