5 Tips to Prevent Ostomy Odor

Yes, you can live your life to the fullest even with a medical incapacity. But living with an ostomy can be challenging, demotivating, and may prevent you from enjoying the things you used to do, especially in the beginning. 

You begin to worry about simple things like passing gas or having the ostomy bag emit an odor. You might fear that wearing an ostomy bag will interfere with your social life. It can be intimidating and cause you unnecessary stress and anxiety. Even so, if you worry about gas and odors, here are five tips that can help you deal with the problem. 

The reality is this. Most ostomy bags are made from odor-proof materials, so unless there is a leak, you will only notice a smell when you change or empty the bag. 

 If you find yourself worrying about your pouch emitting gas or odors, here are five simple ways to deal with your concerns.

Empty the Ostomy Bag Often

Empty your ostomy bag before it gets half full. If it fills up too much, the bag will put weight on the stoma and the skin surrounding it. This activity could loosen the seal of the appliance and cause a leak of bodily waste and odor. Please pay attention to the ET nurse's instructions on changing the pouch and be sure to ask with what frequency. 

Usually, you need to change the bag from one to ten times a day, depending on the process you have undergone. If in doubt, ask the nurse at what frequency you should be changing the bag. 

Avoid Certain Foods

Your diet can also affect your output because of digestion, so keep track of what you consume and know what foods cause odors or gas. The foods that can fill up your ostomy bag quicker are those that have soluble fiber or sugar and include: 

• Apples
• Asparagus
• Beans
• Beer
• Broccoli
• Brussel sprouts
• Apricots
• Dairy products
• Mangoes
• Cabbage
• Peaches
• Raisins
• Nuts
• Onions
• Soda

Although the above foods might contribute to odor and gas, they are still healthy foods, and you shouldn't eliminate them entirely, but you can limit their intake when you go out or are in a social setting. Another option is to use odor reduction ostomy bags. 

Avoid Swallowed Air

You swallow air and increase gas production when you use items like gum, drinking through straws, or drinking of carbonated drinks. Smoking can also cause the swallowing of air, so you want to avoid all of these habits. 

Use a Filter on The Ostomy Pouch

Gas can come into the ostomy bag and cause air bubbles. If you don't release the air pressure, the pouch can inflate and a leak can occur. By using pouches with odor reduction filters you release the gas in a safer way. 

Use Products to Eliminate Odors

There are products that get rid of odors without needing to make dietary changes. These products are a great way of eliminating any possible odor and they come in the form of sprays, drops and tablets. 

Deodorizers

There are deodorizes in the form of liquids and gels. You place these in the ostomy bag when you empty or change it. These deodorizers are convenient to use. Some deodorizers are scented, and others eliminate bacteria. 

Room Deodorizers

Whether at home or in public, having a room air deodorizer can eliminate any airborne odors. You can stop the smells and clean the air with sprays that come in scented and unscented forms. 

The Proper Ostomy Bag

Bags come in several shapes and sizes, with small or large stoma caps that are overnight bags. The smaller bag needs to be emptied more often. Besides size, the pouches also come in different styles. 

Choose an ostomy bag that fits your stoma and your bowel movement. If you need to empty the bag several times a day, you may need a larger bag. 

Stay Healthy

For many people who have had an ostomy, noises and smells can seem like a huge and embarrassing problem. You can fix this issue simply by changing your foods and using good stoma care products. 

Impact Of Weather On An Ostomy

The climate and temperature of the area you live in can have a significant impact on the way you use your ostomy appliances. If you are traveling to the region where the temperature is high, you might have to adapt to the new conditions to keep the ostomy appliance’s wear time more consistent.

In this article, we will discuss some general tips on how you can manage your ostomy in extreme weather conditions.

Hot weather

Hot summer days bring with them the charming effect that incites the urge to go for outdoor activities, but the ostomates might not like the way their bodies start rejecting the ostomy appliances. A rise in temperature causes the skin to release extra moisture, which can result in the ostomy appliance’s skin barrier coming off quickly.

Here is how you can manage your stoma during hot weather.

1. Heat causes perspiration, which gets between the peristomal skin and the skin barrier. You may want to talk to your ostomy care nurse to ask about something even stronger. You can consider using an antiperspirant that keeps perspiration from building up.
2. Moisture can cause leaks under the ostomy appliance. You may want to use a stoma paste or Eakin seal to create a tighter and more leak-proof seal.
3. You may not want to use a Karaya rubber-based ostomy appliance in hot conditions. This rubber is great due to its softness and ability to conform, but it doesn’t do well when exposed to hot conditions. Instead, you can use a synthetic ostomy barrier, which is more tolerant of heat.
4. Due to heat and moisture in hot conditions, the skin can be more susceptible to breakdown. You will need to be specifically careful about the area where the ostomy appliance as to sit. You may want to use an ostomy appliance cover to mitigate this risk.
5. You are going to have to drink more fluids to avoid the risk of dehydration.
6. It is the best practice to keep extra ostomy supplies wherever you go. If you engage in sports activities, you will need to keep mini ostomy pouches that adhere well to the skin and are ideal for short-time use.

Cold weather

Cold weather should not be a cause of concern when it comes to the management of your ostomy. Your ostomy appliance will stick well to the peristomal skin because there is no chance of perspiration. You may, however, want to avoid exposure to dry air because it can prove to be problematic for the skin.

Skin dryness actually produces an ideal situation for the skin barrier to make a seal, but excessive dryness on the peristomal skin can be problematic.

If the environment in the indoors is excessively dry, you may want to invest in a low-cost humidifier to maintain an adequate level of moisture in the air. Make sure to avoid having too much moisture because it can cause a lack of adhesion between the skin barrier and the peristomal skin.

For further details, you may want to contact your doctor or ostomy care nurse.

 

Is It Difficult for you to Empty your Ostomy Pouch? Learn and Make it Easy

After the ostomy surgery, the perception of discharging the waste matter gets changed. It needs a lot of encouragement and mental strength to adopt a new style of life with some new appliances. Many ostomates are afraid of changing and emptying their ostomy bags. They worried about leakage, handling, and draining of the pouching system.

Moreover, ostomates need to adopt new habits and routines of cleaning and discharging. After the surgery, the frequency of excretion is not in the hands of the patient. Thus, they need to be psychologically active and strong. If you do not know the right ways of emptying and handling your stoma pouch, it can cause pain, leakage, infections on the peristomal skin, disturbance, annoyance, and mental pressure.

Well, no worries, I am here to teach you some simple tactics to drain your stoma pouch. Read the article and learn the simple process in easy points.

How to Empty the Ostomy Pouch?

Right after the surgery, you should seek professional aid to change, clean, and empty the ostomy pouch. However, you can learn from your nurse and adopt her/his ways of draining and changing the pouching system.

Well, after a few weeks, you need to do it on your own. Thus, you should know about the adhesive, glue, flanges, barrier, fitting techniques, and changing methods.

·         To do it on your own, you should sit in a comfortable position. If you feel relax, you can stand for emptying or changing your pouch.

·         Use a gentle towel or toilet paper and place it around the skin to prevent the splashes.

·         If you are a patient of constipation and you have thick discharge, then add a few drops of water and move your container. It will soften the waster matter within some seconds. It will ease the emptying process.

·         If you want to change the ostomy bag, use wet paper, and remove the adhesive. Moreover, you can use the glue remover to clean the paste.

·         Through gentle hands, you can pull out the stoma pouch. Drain out all the waste matter and wash it through the water. You can use soap after the recommendation of your doctor.

·         However, do not use soap on your stoma or peristomal skin. Wait, until the ostomy pouch gets dry. After a few minutes, apply some adhesive on the corners of the bag and paste it again on the stoma walls.

·         Use hand sanitizers to clean your hand. Moreover, you should use deodorant for your stoma skin and hands.

·         Always use paper sheets or gentle towels for cleaning purposes. Do not press the stoma or stoma bag.

If it seems problematic for you to empty the ostomy pouch. You can use disposal ostomy bags. You can discard them after the one use. When you feel your sack is third full, remove it and throw in the dustbin or toilet. Apply, the new ostomy pouching system.

How Often you Should Empty your Ostomy Pouch?

There is no fixed timing or rule for emptying your ostomy pouch. It depends on the type of ostomy surgery and condition of the patient. However, many doctors suggest that the preferable time of draining your bag is four to five times per day. However, for urostomy patients, the case is different. They need to empty the ostomy bag six to seven times daily. Moreover, for constipation people, they should drain the pouch two times a day.

Moreover, when it comes to changing the ostomy pouch, the general wear time of the system is three to four days. But, it varies from patient to patient and type of stoma.

One of the necessary points for emptying your pouch is, you should drain it when you fell leakage or it is ½ or 1/3 full.

Stoma Paste

I’m sure you already know that ostomy supplies can include many different types of products. Most people think about the ostomy bag or skin barrier when they think about ostomy supplies. While those are vital, there are many other products worth trying. While some are not absolutely necessary, it makes the process and the experience much more enjoyable for many people. Some people may experience leakage with their ostomy. If this is something you think you may be suffering from, you should definitely look into stoma paste.

Ostomy leakage is very common in the early stages of a healing ostomy. It is very common for the ostomy to leak for the first few months. But any time after that, frequent leakage might mean you should be in the market for new supplies. No one wants a leaking stoma for many reasons. One is that the mess is not fun to clean up, by any means. Another reason is self-consciousness. And the whole reason many people have the procedures is to not worry about frequent trips to the bathroom. So running to the bathroom to clean up leakage constantly defeats the whole purpose. Leaking could be a reason to see a doctor, but there are many cases of leakage that can simply be fixed by using the right stoma paste for their individual case.

Stoma paste is a type of adhesive that many patients choose. Unfortunately, some patients experience uneven skin contours around their stoma which makes it difficult for barriers to cling to the skin. The paste makes an even surface so the barrier can easily be placed around the stoma. Barriers become easily dislodged because of insecure placement due to uneven skin. Then when the barrier shifts, leaks will inevitably happen. A paste can last for several days to make sure the adhesive stays intact around the skin.

Another reason to use a stoma paste is if you have a lot of scarring around your stoma. The scarring, just like skin contours, prevent barriers from adhering to the skin properly. It will adhere for a little while, but patients notice having to change their barrier much more often because of leakage. With the paste, patients report being able to wear their barrier for several more days than when they do not use the paste.

Stoma pastes are great because they are alcohol-free and can be used on almost all types of skin. Many people report they cannot use products with alcohol because of skin irritation around the stoma. If you feel like you are someone who can benefit from stoma paste, contact your health provider.

Can you get ostomy gear online?

With 2021 being here and the entire economy changing so must we.  It has been a crazy shift in the whole shopping world to buying online.  Ecommerce is not the only way some people can shop thanks to the totalitarian regimes the United States has become.  WIth all of this craziness happening one question I receive frequently from newcomers to the ostomy world is,  “Where do I buy my stuff?”  They have just been inundated with massive amounts of information from the hospital, ostomy nurses, and surgeons and still don’t know where to buy their gear from.  Honestly, there are more important questions they should be asking and lots of information they should be learning.  But the costs of having a stoma does creep up in their minds and they want to get the best gear for their buck.  Lots of my friends are avid outdoors enthusiasts and let's face it are super gear nerds.  They will research forever and what we most rely on is experience and information.  I usually use large online manufacturers for my gear.  I like the quality and the quick shipping.

This has been a long transition but for many, they must make it now because they have no other options.  I certainly didn’t start purchasing from there in the beginning.  And I usually tell my newly found friends to start where I did, at a pharmacy.  If only to talk to the pharmacist.  Local Pharmacists are usually amazing and very helpful.  This is because they run a business.  Yes, they are there to be profitable and most of the time that means they get the best products for their money that people will repeat purchase.  Repeat buying is huge for pharmacies.  More so than many other businesses so they are more apt to purchase great products.  This also means they have talked to lots and lots of people in the same situation as you and have lots of feedback on ostomy gear! It's a wonderful thing and it is also a great way for newcomers to the ostomy world to talk about their stoma and ask questions and answer them from a stranger.  It sure helps to start with someone that cares instead of having a terrible experience as your first ostomy conversation. 

So there is more now than there ever was 5 years ago.  Now online retailers are a great place to go and before that Youtube is a great resource of information on the subject.  Lots more people will talk about the products they like and the reasons they use them and the situations they use them in.  I learned about the big online industry and from there and what drew me to them is the fact that they offer samples of their products.  It sure does help to try out a specific bag and belt for outdoor use before paying lots of money to buy a pack of them. 

That is why I ended up with that brand.  So be wise, ask lots of questions and watch a few videos and find what works best for you.  I think that you can also get reviews and social media information that can really help in this area as well. Don't leave out the experience of those who are willing to share it with you.  That is worth its weight in gold. 

Spice up the Stoma Look

It may be true that I spend most of my time in the house due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.  But that is no excuse to not look spicy when I go out or end up on a full-body zoom call.  Just because the year has been a little wild doesn't mean I should skimp on my fashion sense.  There is a huge movement that overpowers many people who just get out of surgery.  If you have a stoma, many people simply give up on looking normal and run for the baggy clothing all the time.  The truth is that you don't have to give up on being spicy and feeling the same.  It is really just a state of mind and I have to say that if I had listened to all the talk about looking bad with an ostomy bag I would probably get pretty depressed.  But I didn't give up and you shouldn't either.  I want to walk through my journey of finding out about ostomy fashion and how to keep up with the trends and times without feeling left out due to my stoma. 

 

So I will admit  I am new to having a stoma.  I ended up needing a colostomy later in life and even though I was not really happy about it, it made my life much safer and better.  So I was later determined to not give up my look just because I had a stoma.  My ostomy nurse was great but seemed to really steer me away from looking good and wearing revealing clothing ever again. Bless her heart, but having a stoma is not the end of looking good.  That goes for both guys and the ladies.  So don't give up and simply stop trying to look good.

 

My first idea was to head to the wonderful world of Instagram.  I knew that there had to be more people who had stoma and were dedicated to fashion.  The truth is that I was right.  I found a lot of different people who were dedicated to showing their lives with an ostomy.  I love it and it was a real big motivational boost to me.  Now they mostly all said the same thing in their own different way and that is that we are not all created equal.  We all have different bodies and our stoma's are in different locations.  That is the best information and that helps keep people from having expectations that are false.  Hearing this gave me realistic hope and that is what I needed the most.  This was a great start and from Instagram, I moved to Youtube.

 

I like the ability to follow a channel and see videos of people who are being active and looking good with a stoma.  It allows me to see what really works and I love hearing stories of people who had accidents and how they overcame them.  It is also nice to know what caused it in the first place and that helps me to be able to not make the same mistakes.  Having those lessons available from people who are living lifestyles like mine is really motivational.  It gives me confidence and lets me know that hope is real and looking good and being confident go hand in hand. 

Can You Be in the Woods with a Stoma?

Activity levels and being athletic is something that is not generally tied to having a stoma.  Most people believe that you should be ultra-careful and stop living an active and fun life.  Well, I am not in that boat of thought at all.  When I found out I was going to go into surgery and a stoma would join me on the other side I started to research the extremes. I wanted to know what the worst-case scenario would be and the best case.  Now on the best regular side, most people don't have to change their lifestyles really at all.  That is because you can be as active as you want for the most part with a stoma.  There are so many incredible stories of people doing insane nearly non-human feet with a stoma, and for me, I only wanted to see if I could head to the woods in November.  The truth is that my favorite sport is still in my grasp and I have enjoyed hunting with my stoma for many years.

 

This is the one thing that I love doing and that is being in the woods during the Fall.  When I first heard that I was going to end up with a stoma due to some complications I was a bit worried about me being able to enjoy the great outdoors like I used to do.  But I was happy to find out that I was wrong in that assessment and that the wonderful world of the outdoors was and is still available to me.  I will say that it did not come instantly though.  Going through surgery and knowing that I now have a stoma left me knowing that I was more prone to hernias, ulcers, and abdominal injury.  So I decided to start training and working on my body to be able to rock this new body I found myself in.

 

Now I know that my work in the woods can sometimes be really physical.  When I am lucky if I end up getting a dear in the Fall I may have to be able to drag up to 200 pounds for hundreds of yards.  Or I may have to end up carrying that weight for a long-distance depending on the location.  That means that my body needs to be in shape and my stoma and abs need to be protected.  That meant for me that I had to get into the gym and start working on my body so I wouldn't get any hernias or simply make my stoma worse.  This meant I needed to start slow and build up strength and endurance. I found that using the right ostomy gear during this time was key.  I ended up calling a bunch of companies and talking with my local pharmacist on what might work best for me and what I could do to make my working out comfortable and to forget I had a stoma.  With a lot of trial and error I ended up finding a great setup of gear. It didn't happen overnight and I also consulted countless online websites and social media people to see what they used for active times. 

 

But with lots of help and research, I am happy to be outside and enjoying the great outdoors again.