Air in bag

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kiwij64

Joined
Jul 5, 2012
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Hi,
Does anybody suffer daily from having excess air in their bag and having to 'burp' it at least up to 10 times per day? I had an emergency ileostomy, was a lot of complications and I nearly died on the table. Yet, here I am!

When I was in hospital I had trouble, still do, with breathlessness which causes me to lose my voice. I have discovered that either at tea-time or around the 9pm mark, I start to accumulate a lot of air in my bag. I don't mind it so much if it's late at night because I'm usually in bed but if it happens at tea time, my bag swells up and literally looks like a balloon coming out of my stomach. I wear a Hollister Opaque bag and I have tried an extra stick on filter but nothing seems to work.

I am going away for the weekend, my first weekend away since my op and am worried about how I will cope if this happens around the tea time if I'm out. I don't want to shut myself away but I don't want this to happen either.

Has anyone experienced anything similar?
Thanks for listening
Kiwij
 
My ileostomy did the same thing. I have a 2 piece appliance which makes burping easier. I find that diet affects the gas. Eggs, dairy, garlic, caffeine and carbonation are the usual suspects :) It varies from person to person, but maybe keep an eye on your intake and output. Sometimes if the bag isn't tightly secured it'll cause some extra air to get inside. I personally prefer convatec moldable barriers. It was trial and error to find a good fit.
 
Hi Thunderstruck,
Thanks for that. I stay away from all of the usual suspects, my diet isn't much different as i was when I was in hospital still. I don't have a two-piece but when I asked my stoma nurse she seemed to think that I wouldn't like them. I have tried Convatec twice but I keep on getting leakages from them and my skin stings under the plastic so I have gone back to Hollister until they can try and find me something else. I think it has something to do with my breathing; they talked about it in hospital and I have to see a voice specialist next month but it's along the lines of I take too much air in. I've tried not to breathe so heavily at night, god knows I've tried everything but still my bag swells up. Such a nuisance.
 
Coloplast Sensura seem to have the best filters that I've found. I also have to say, if you having to stick to a bag for more than a day or two, you are going to have this issue, as the filters cannot cope. Once they get wet, thats it, the filter is useless.

Can you get Ileogel there? When I had a one piece (all beginners are started on them) I added the ileogel capsule to the bag to help with the gas.

And your stoma nurse is wrong to tell you you wouldnt like a two piece! That is stoma nurse speak for she cant be arsed.
 
God Terrienut you are seriously making me hoot with laughter here. That's pretty much what I thought about the stoma nurses' answer too! And it makes perfect sense that once your bag gets wet, the filter is screwed. I have little sticky things I can put over it but it doesn't look like they will be very effective.

Unfortunately in NZ we are only funded for two bags a week so I have to make one last three days and one four days. I think it's really unfair and would like to buck the system but no one here seems to have been up in arms about it. Even if they were like Canada and gave us a bulk allowance to manage our own, that would have been great.

Any ideas on how I can approach the stoma nurse?
 
Your little patch wont help much to keep the filters dry. Its the INSIDE that gets wet and kills off the filters.

I would order samples of the two piece systems from different manufacturers. Then find out what works best for you. Get a prescription for the one you like. I had to argue with my stoma nurse about a two piece as well. I love the Coloplast sensura system. And I found them from recommendations from this very forum. Not from hearing about it from the stoma nurses. (turns out they had an 'agreement' with Dansac. Yours probably has one with Hollister.

I have to say I tried Hollister and found them in the bottom of my favs.

Get the IleoGel if you can. If that doesnt work, try charcoal tablets. You'll have to put them in your bag frequently. From the bottom obviously. (sorry)

Meanwhile, you tell the stoma nurse she needs to be arsed!!
 
Funnily enough I asked for charcoal tablets but they have stopped making them here so I was told by the chemist. It's like being in the 19th century I tell you!!!!

I will actually ring her and ask her to order me some so I can trial it. She seems to reckon that only 'old people' wear two pieces and that it wouldn't suit someone as young as me (I'm 47!) Anyhow, I will certainly try and will also as for the ileogel too. What exactly does it do?

God, I feel so much better after talking with you, I really do. It's like a breath of fresh air blowing in. Did it take you long to cope with things after your op and the trauma that you went through?
 
Old people wear two pieces??? Really? I'm 50. Most of the people on the stoma subforum are 20's and 30's. Humph! Your stoma nurse sounds like a right ijit.

No, it didnt take me long to cope cause I found this forum. If it wasnt for this place I swear I would've lost my mind. I dont have family or anything for support. I also rang the manufacturers direct and they are very helpful as well. Alot of the staff on the phones are ostomates themselves.

Youtube also has alot of info on taking care of stomas and different appliances. You will get there, I promise. We all have hiccups along the way.
 
I am new to this whole ostomy bag stuff, too. I have yet to try a one-piece. I like the 2 piece since it can be burped easily from the top. I'm not able to take full showers yet because of my main incision, but I've been able to keep the bag on for a week at a time. This will probably change once I can shower. So far, I like the Hollister 2-piece, but I haven't tried that many, yet. Good luck in your searches. Also, I find that cereal with milk creates a lot of gas.
 
hey im in nz and i have an ileostomy iam new to it aswell. i have colopast sensura system and it works quite well. i have an air problem aswell esecially when i go to sleep. apparently eating dinner before six reduces air in the bag during sleep.
 
Hi Sam,
Good to meet a fellow kiwi on this site and also that you are a newbie too. O, so you are also wearing the Sensura? I am going to give my stoma nurse a ring this morning and tell her I want to trial it. Thanks for the advice tho re meals. I had heard this but it's hardly practical or family friendly! I'm not much of an eater these days anyway. How are you coping since yours? Hope you're doing ok :ysmile:
 
Terriernut said:
Old people wear two pieces??? Really? I'm 50. Most of the people on the stoma subforum are 20's and 30's. Humph! Your stoma nurse sounds like a right ijit.

No, it didnt take me long to cope cause I found this forum. If it wasnt for this place I swear I would've lost my mind. I dont have family or anything for support. I also rang the manufacturers direct and they are very helpful as well. Alot of the staff on the phones are ostomates themselves.

Youtube also has alot of info on taking care of stomas and different appliances. You will get there, I promise. We all have hiccups along the way.
Click to expand...

God that is SO weird. Actually if she's not going to be that helpful I'll just call manufacturers direct as you do/did. Coming on here has made me open my eyes more but I'm still so confused over so many things and most of you sound like you have it all together! I'm so pleased that you found this a great support, it must be tough for you. I had a quick look at YouTube but when you don't know what you're looking for it just confused the bejesus out of me ha ha :ysmile:
 
Kacy said:
I am new to this whole ostomy bag stuff, too. I have yet to try a one-piece. I like the 2 piece since it can be burped easily from the top. I'm not able to take full showers yet because of my main incision, but I've been able to keep the bag on for a week at a time. This will probably change once I can shower. So far, I like the Hollister 2-piece, but I haven't tried that many, yet. Good luck in your searches. Also, I find that cereal with milk creates a lot of gas.
Click to expand...

Hi Kacy, gosh there are a few of newbies aren't there?! I hope that your op went well and your recovery is going as best as it can be. Interesting that they have a two piece on you straight after surgery. I've decided I'm going to try the two piece, as least I will have a comparison but my stoma nurse seems cagey about the type of bags out there. I want to have just a medium length bag and tried the Coloplast Convex but it leaked out of the bottom and set my skin on fire but she seems to think that there are no medium length bags in the Hollister range although we get the same stuff as it's from the US. So I'm very confused. Anyway, will ring her and see what she says. Thanks for your advice tho, I have knocked the cereal off in the mornings and gone back to toast! Such a shame as i love my cereal :ysmile:
 
Terriernut said:
I love the Coloplast sensura system. And I found them from recommendations from this very forum. Not from hearing about it from the stoma nurses. (turns out they had an 'agreement' with Dansac. Yours probably has one with Hollister.
Click to expand...

Really??? Debbie is always giving me (well gave me, not seen her in months) samples of other bags but I like my dansac too much!! She was convinced I'd like that pelican one that literally feel off after 12 hours of wear lol.

Also, are you going to the stoma meeting thing that I got the info for in the post the other day?
 
Also, I'm 28 and I love two pieces!! I 'burp' mine from the bottom at night and from the top during the day if I don't have much output in my bag. I usually get loads of air when eating or in the evening. I always make sure to wear a new bag when going out as the filter works much better!
 
Misty-Eyed said:
Really??? Debbie is always giving me (well gave me, not seen her in months) samples of other bags but I like my dansac too much!! She was convinced I'd like that pelican one that literally feel off after 12 hours of wear lol.

Also, are you going to the stoma meeting thing that I got the info for in the post the other day?
Click to expand...

Yup, really! I asked them point blank if had an agreement with Dansac, and Debbie said yes they did! But Heather was my visiting stoma nurse. Heather did agree that I should try the two piece, due to the nature of my job finally though. Both of the stoma nurses are really quite good.
Yes, I am going to go to that meeting. I havent been to most because they are on weekends, which I work EVERY one. So yes, I plan on going.

How about you??
 
Hi Misty-Eyed and Terrienut,
Thanks for your message. I spoke to one of the stoma nurses, not my usual one, and mentioned the two piece system so she is going to speak to my regular one and I guess I'll hear this week.

Just to let you know I went away for the weekend (my first time since the op and it was awesome!) and I changed my bag on the friday and the saturday (as you know we are only funded two bags per week in NZ - barbaric I know!) and I didn't suffer anything, no wind, no massive air fluctuations, was able to sleep during the night and I thought this morning it's because Terrienut you said that when the bag gets wet the filter is ruined. I so get that now.

Do you know if there are any products out there that are waterproof and cover your bag when you have a shower? Would be very interested to see if there is anything out there that could help if I have to keep a bag on 3 to 4 days at a time.

Thanks and so nice to meet you both.
Julie
 
Terriernut said:
Yup, really! I asked them point blank if had an agreement with Dansac, and Debbie said yes they did! But Heather was my visiting stoma nurse. Heather did agree that I should try the two piece, due to the nature of my job finally though. Both of the stoma nurses are really quite good.
Yes, I am going to go to that meeting. I havent been to most because they are on weekends, which I work EVERY one. So yes, I plan on going.

How about you??
Click to expand...

Yeah, Debbie has always mainly been up for me trying anything I like. Although I think sometimes she gets offended that I already know stuff and can figure stuff out for myself. Like she told me to try those adhesive wipes to get rid of the marks from where your bag as been and I told her I really liked them. She was all, 'see, what would you do without your stoma nurse???' lol. She's lovely though in the main.

Yes, think I may as well go! Was supposed to have an appointment back in march that never happened and been too busy to make another one!! Oppsss
 
kiwij64 said:
Hi Misty-Eyed and Terrienut,
Thanks for your message. I spoke to one of the stoma nurses, not my usual one, and mentioned the two piece system so she is going to speak to my regular one and I guess I'll hear this week.

Just to let you know I went away for the weekend (my first time since the op and it was awesome!) and I changed my bag on the friday and the saturday (as you know we are only funded two bags per week in NZ - barbaric I know!) and I didn't suffer anything, no wind, no massive air fluctuations, was able to sleep during the night and I thought this morning it's because Terrienut you said that when the bag gets wet the filter is ruined. I so get that now.

Do you know if there are any products out there that are waterproof and cover your bag when you have a shower? Would be very interested to see if there is anything out there that could help if I have to keep a bag on 3 to 4 days at a time.

Thanks and so nice to meet you both.
Julie
Click to expand...

Glad you had a good weekend!!! Just shows how freeing having a bag can be. My dansac bags tend to be waterproof up to a point anyway and bags that aren't tend to have sticky bits to put over the filter. But that's not the issue for me.. My filter stops working when i get output on it from the inside and it gets wet that way. Bit annoying when the filter is just above the stoma so it happens easily!
 
Just a quick note... I get a lot of gas in my appliance and use a two price because of this. However sometimes I have made a mess by burping my bag when out put is really loose. I use these little attachable vents call osto-ez-vent and I find its way safer and easier to vent my bag, it also allows me to uses one price and still be able to vent my bag. Just Google them.....my favorite find so far.

Cheers,

Kat
 
You cant unfortunately keep the filters from getting wet. It's not the showers doing it usually! It's your output inside that is getting the filters knackered. Using a one piece, you'll just have to keep 'burping' it from the bottom. With a two piece you can burp from the top. (only if it's safe!)

I am glad the stoma nurses are listening. I think you will like a two piece!

So glad you had a great weekend. Yay!!
 
Thanks everyone, I guess it makes sense regarding the output knackering the filters, I never thought of that :ysmile: god there is just so much to learn isn'there???!!!!

I had such a good weekend away, it made me feel like a 'normal' person and whilst I didn't have the energy that I used to have, it was still nice to go out and find things that I could eat on menus and just for a little while, feel like the 'old' me.

I'm not sure if the stoma nurses are going to listen properly as they are still steering me away from the two piece system but I'm still going to ask them for a go, so that when I come to make a decision I can be fully informed. I have just found out that this will certainly be a permanent ileostomy as my Crohns is too prevalent everywhere to make a reversal successful. So I want to make sure I can have a quality of life with whatever I choose and given I have to make two bags last a week, it's become really important to do that.

I forgot to tell you Terrienut but I looked at the 'smaller' bags that the stoma nurse gave me and they were the Coloplast Sensura! Unfortunately, the plastic flange doesn't like my skin and makes it itchy and sore and they won't stop leaking even with the stoma paste on, so I am hoping that Hollister might make something similar.

I have some more questions to ask but I'll leave it for when I'm more awake :ysmile: I'm so tired from the last couple of days but it was well worth it so thank you once again for letting me know I'm not alone x
 
Oh yes!!! My bag always is full of air. I look about 4 months pergola on one side:yfaint: also when it's full I feel I can't breathe as well it's weird.
 
I sometimes get Zeppelin bag - usually overnight.
I use a two piece - and just slightly unclip the top and squeak the air out - my own personal fart machine!
I did get a little cocky with my bag burping though. Marching through the city awhile back I decided to burp it whilst walking - thinking I was rather amazing and a bit special ....
Bag came totally unclipped, struggled to get it back on, pooped all over my top ... had to come home and have a shower and wash my clothes.
Oops. Not special nor amazing!
 
Hi Maria, yes I feel the same about the breathing, although I do have breathing issues because I have bad arthritis which has constricted my chest so I only have a 2cm expansion/constriction where everyone has 5cm, so I know what's causing mine. But like you, I feel like I'm getting breathless and try to overcompensate. Are you up at night burping and emptying your bag too? I'm usually up two to three times in the night, real annoying.
 
Samboi, I am sitting here with a cup of tea absolutely laughing my head off, sorry, but the way you described it was so funny! Lesson learned. And I won't copy you, promise!!!! Just trialling a two piece for the first time so still a little scared but I'm going to get the hang of burping it as you will see from my post above, it's a necessity.

Where abouts in Australia are you from? Do you work?
 
Once when my bag was full of air, my husband said to quit trying, his bag would always be bigger. Hahaha!!!
 
Hi 2th Fairy -that's hysterical! Love your quote, I am chuckling away at that one. You had the same op as me it seems. How are you getting on and can I ask what you are using and how you are finding it?
 
Stoma life agrees with me. It was a bit tough getting used to the large amount of water to stay hydrated, but now is no problem. I lost about 15 pounds in the hospital and am slowly getting it back, but I don't mind that part! Hahaha!

I am loving life with a stoma so much that I am now thinking of putting off reversal for as long as possible. I had the ok for reversal to J-pouch several months ago, but I dread starting over with 10+ BMs a day, butt burn, having to watch everything I eat, etc.

I use Coloplast SenSura with the Coloplast Bravo strip paste. Since starting with this combination, I have had no complaints at all. Bob is a farter and speaks his mind quite a bit, but I find this side of him humerous and a comfort in a twisted sort of way!

How about yourself? How are you faring?
 
Hey that's great to hear. And I can understand your reservations about a reversal if you are doing so well with your stoma. i have a 10% chance of a successful reversal so I've pretty much resigned myself to thinking that this is now permanent, however, it's taking an age to adjust as I have Ankylosing Spondilitis (arthritis) which has become very severe and restricted my chest capacity down to 2cm (average woman late 40's is 5cm) so I struggle with excess air in my bag. Still trialling bags too but in NZ my stoma nurses have told me that we're only allowed two to three bags per week and we have to make them last so i'm in a bit of a tussle with them at the moment because I want more due to the excess air so I can have a bit of a quality of life. I tried the Coloplast Sensura one piece but the plastic flange tends to upset my skin a bit and for some reason the Coloplast always leak on me. I am trialling a Hollister two piece at the moment and I'm really liking them a lot. Hopefully, it's going to be onward and upwards from here, here's hoping! I am so pleased to hear that you're adjusting so well though, makes me realise that there's light at the end of the tunnel!
 
Sheesh! You do have some additional worries! Glad you found the Hollisters to be working. Big hugs for you on the anklylosing spondylitis front. That certainly compounds everything else you are dealing with.

Hopefully with a bit more time, the whole stoma situation will become less of a problem and more of a solution. Good luck to you!!!!!
 
Yeah, it's tough, I won't lie but everyday above ground is a good day as my hubby says! Hollister seems to be the winner at the moment so hopefully everything will start to settle down! Thanks for the good wishes, hope everything goes well for you too xxxxx
 
Hi KiwiJ
I'm in Melbs - where we strut and burp our bags on the streets! Lol
I work 3 days part time and 1 day casual (it's usually a half day). My employers are very understanding and I love my work! I'm very lucky!
Sounds like your two piece might be working out which is great.
Good luck with it.
 
Thanks Samboi, I'm hoping it works for me too although I just rang Hollister NZ only to be sort of told off and told that I should go through my stoma nurse and if I wanted to order some they have to inform my stoma nurse so that I don't go ahead and go over my allocation of two bags per week, 10 bags per month. Feel like I'm living in Big Brother being told what to do when to jump etc.

I had to give up work last November, my boss was terrible, threw tantrums etc and getting away from him was not easy so I've been at home ever since after 30 years of working full time and raising kids etc and I have no idea what to do!!!!

Where do you work? Sounds great! And I love Melbourne xxxxx
 

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