How can I stop my colostomy bag from smelling?

 

 

 

Check Your diet

Some foods are particularly likely to cause a smell. You could try reducing or cutting out

• Onions
• Cabbage, sprouts and similar vegetables
• Beans
• Strongly spiced foods, or foods with a lot of garlic
• Beer and other gassy drinks
• Very rich or fatty foods

You may need to try out various foods to find which ones cause wind for you.

Use Anti odour products

There are products that can help to mask the smell from a colostomy. They are often liquids, and you use a few drops each time you change your bag. These are a last resort, because you shouldn't have this problem if at all possible. But some people have a lot of difficulty finding the perfect fit from a colostomy bag and these products can then help.

Select Correct Type of colostomy bag

There are many different types of colostomy bag. Different ones suit different people. So you might have to try a few before you find the one that suits you best. Some have charcoal filters built into them. Charcoal is good for absorbing smells and the filter lets gas escape from the bag so that it does not become too full and uncomfortable. If the bag fits properly you should only be aware of the smell when you are changing or emptying the bag.

Stomas are different shapes and sizes. So, some bags may not fit you and others will. If the bag does not fit properly you are likely to have problems with smell and possibly leakage. You could get in touch with a stoma nurse at your hospital. Specialist stoma nurses can get different types of bags for you to try. And they will help you fit them.

 

Antibiotic Side Effects

Antibiotic Side Effects

Many times ostomates who must take powerful antibiotics suddenly find they have itching and
burning under their pouches and have poor pouch adhesion. A side effect of antibiotic therapy can be
a yeast infection on the skin around the stoma. You may hear health professionals call this monilia.

At first it may appear as tiny white pimples, but in a few days it is a red rash. This is caused by the
antibiotic killing some normal bacteria in the body as well as the bacteria causing infection or illness.

At the same time you may also notice sores in your mouth, diarrhea, and a similar rash on the perineal area.

Contact your doctor for a prescription of mycostatin or nystatin powder. Put the powder directly on the irritated area. Apply a coat of silicone skin barrier such as Skin Prep or Bard Pro- tective Skin Barrier,

Let this dry!!! Apply your pouching system as usual. Eating foods such as yogurt or drinking
buttermilk helps to replace some of the normal bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract.

(Edited by B. Brewer, 12/2011 UOAA Update)

Tips on How to Avoid Leakages #2

Too Infrequent Emptying:
Pouches should be emptied before they become half full. If they are allowed to overfill, the weight of
the affluent may break the seal and cause leakage.

Extremely High Temperatures:
Wafer melt-out may cause leakage in warm weather. More frequent changes will prevent this.

Pouch Wear and Tear:
Disposable wafers do wear out. If you are stretching your wear time, leakage may be due to the wafer
wearing out. Change your appliance more frequently.

Improperly Stored Appliance and Ageing Materials:
Store your ostomy supplies in a cool dry place, humidity may affect your pouch adhesive. Appliances don’t last forever. However, you can use expired appliances without damage to the peristomal skin.

Colostomy Friends of the Philippines (Facebook)

Please add us in our new Facebook Page Account, Post po your questions and suggestions to make ostomy advocacy in the Philippines strong. Thank you very much.

People with 2 Colostomy Bags

One of our readers asked why some have 2 colostomy bags:

The following are the possible answers gathered from friends.

Photo courtesy of Phil Esgate (http://philostomate.blogspot.com/)

1. Possibly to rest one stoma for awhile? One may be more for mucous rather than legit output.

2.  They sometimes have two after a difficult surgery with a contaminated abdomen. One will produce only mucus. Or they could have a colostomy/ileostomy and a urostomy. Urostomy would be if urinary bladder was removed due to cancer or trauma.

3. Yes. If there are birth defects/injuries where there is a neurogenic branded such as spinal cord injury or spina bifida. Spina bifida patients usually have a "button" urostomy. So many situations that can lead to it.

4. A double barrel ostomy forms 2 stomas. One is nonfunctioning meaning that no feces is expelled, yet mucous is discharged so sometimes it is called a mucous fistula. Sometimes this is sewn shut and left in abdomen which then expels mucous through there.

Thanks by Clostomy Friends
Please join our National Federation of Ostomates. Email us at colostomyfriends@gmail.com (Jean)

Ostomy Wound Care tips

Caring for a Wound

Special care must always be taken when caring for a wound:

1. Before dressing a wound, clean it thoroughly with sponges and cleansing solution. Do not allow scab to form in the wound which will cause infection. Use a gauze with saline solution to scrub of the wound. In case it bleeds, just put pressure with gauze until bleeding stops.
2. Also, remove any body hair which also contributes to infection.
3. Pat the wound dry with a different, clean sponge.
4. When the wound is clean and dry, apply the dressings appropriate to the severity of the wound.
5. When removing old dressings, always remove one layer at a time, not all at once.

Remember:
Calmoseptine and Desitine is for rashes and allergies while Silver Sulfadiazine is for wound treatment.

You can add anymore tips for ostomy wound care.
Salamat po - Jean Pablo