Baby oil as a lubricant question

[UnXmas]

This partly follows on from the conversation in this thread about the consistency of ileostomy output: http://www.crohnsforum.com/showthread.php?t=70387

My output is usually perfect consistency, but the trouble is I find that messy when cleaning the outlet after emptying the bag, and I find it sticks to my stoma rather than coming down so it isn't easy to get it out of the bag when I empty.

When I have watery output I find it much easier, but I don't usually have watery output and I'm not sure it would be healthy if I did. Consequently I didn't want to try anything with an actual laxative effect (I've read drinking prune juice, for example, can thin output), so I'm following a tip I found online and put baby oil into the top of my bag before putting the bag on. The baby oil lubricates the bag so output slips downwards and out. I'd already tried a proper lubricating deodorant from my appliance suppliers, buy it just went everywhere and got the outside of the bag sticky too. But the baby oil is helping.

I've put it on the inside of the bag, but does anyone know if it will be a problem to put some on the stoma itself? I don't tend to have any skin reactions to things.

 

[2thFairy]

My concern with putting baby oil directly on the stoma is that it would degrade the baseplate stickiness and run an extra risk of leaking.

 

[glum chump]

My output is pretty thick and yep, leaves a mess around the outlet that takes forever to clean. I keep an small squeeze bottle (travel size shampoo bottle with a small hole) with me filled with water and I swish a bit of the water around my bag and it cleans the bag and the outlet out for me quick-and-easy.

This method, though, wouldn't resolve the issue with the output around the stoma. And I would have the same concerns as 2thFairy about putting oil around the stoma and corroding the baseplate, leading to leaks.

Kismet

 

[UnXmas]

Thanks. I usually change my bag daily and haven't any other factors causing problems with leaks at the moment, so the baseplate might be alright. Though thinking about it, the reason I change bags every day is because the stoma gets so messy, so if I do solve that problem, I hope I'll be able to leave them longer.

glum chump, I've tried using a squirty water spray that my usual ostomy product company offers, but it was useless, such a weak spray came out of it. Is there a particular type of bottle you use? And if you get a significant amount of water up into the outlet, doesn't it get messy when it's running out again, mixed with the output?

 

[2thFairy]

I use a spray bottle as well. This is the kind I use:
http://www.amazon.com/Lavette-Bottle-Perineal-Irrigation-DYND70125H/dp/B000VSXSX2

It's got 4 holes in the top cap.

 

[Grotbags]

I use baby oil, but I squirt it in the outlet, I find it doesn't need to be near my stoma, just being in the bottom of the bag makes everything slide out cleanly.
I use oil in a spray bottle.

 

[BuzzyBee]

I keep a pot of water in the toilet, in which are a couple of splashes of baby oil. When I get pancaking, or even just residue in the convexity of the wafer, I unroll the drain spout and pour in about half a cup of the liquid. Roll up the spout, fasten it, then keep rolling till the water is up around the stoma. Then squish and slosh till everything is afloat and empty the lot. I can rinse and repeat if need be. Leaving a little of the rinsewater in the bag helps keep the next lot from sticking.

One bag goes 4-7 days for me and, in that lifetime, I'd clean out the bag 20-30 times this way. No leaks, no smells and a nice, flat bag most of the time.

 

[Grotbags]

I've often wondered about doing that, might give it a go today.

 

[UnXmas]

I keep a pot of water in the toilet, in which are a couple of splashes of baby oil. When I get pancaking, or even just residue in the convexity of the wafer, I unroll the drain spout and pour in about half a cup of the liquid. Roll up the spout, fasten it, then keep rolling till the water is up around the stoma. Then squish and slosh till everything is afloat and empty the lot. I can rinse and repeat if need be. Leaving a little of the rinsewater in the bag helps keep the next lot from sticking.

One bag goes 4-7 days for me and, in that lifetime, I'd clean out the bag 20-30 times this way. No leaks, no smells and a nice, flat bag most of the time.

I'm definitely going to try this. I'm just worried it may turn out more than a little bit messy when I attempt it....

 

[Grotbags]

I just did it, worked great

 

[UnXmas]

I'm quite pleased with the baby oil. My stoma is so prolapsed now (except when it suddenly retracts completely) that it does a u-turn at the bottom of the bag and curls back on itself, so the output comes out onto the stoma at the top of the bag. The baby oil really is helping the output to slide down from there.