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How to control gas output from stoma

J

joshuahoye

hello everyone its been awhile since i last posted anything but i need some help with a question i have.

I have had my ilestomy for 5yrs now, i have always had a problem with the amount of times i need to empty my bag per day, which is somewhere around 20+ times on a good day!!!! but my question is: does anyone know of anything that could quiet everything down?? when anything comes out of the stoma 9 out of 10 times it can be very loud, and i have just gone back to school and its very embarrassing when the class is completely silent and my stoma is doing its thing....
ive even tried to not eat after a certain time at night and skip breakfast in the morning and that doesnt even work.... So is there anything i can do or am i screwed???
 
J

Jeff D.

You definitely should not be emptying your bag that much. is it real liquidy? If it is then take 1 or 2 Imodium as needed to get it to be firmer and less emptying.
 
G

Guest

hi Joshua... i agree with Jeff in that 20+ empties per day is a lot!! i only have to do this around 5 times per day, and very occasionally once during the night.

skipping breakfast and avoiding food for hours at a time is actually going to make the gas situation worse.. the emptier your stomach gets, the more gas will be formed, so that when you do eat and that food eventually reaches your stoma, the first thing it will push out will be the gas.

like Jeff mentions, there are meds for bulking up the output - i'd definitely talk to your doctor about this, and if he prescribes something, start at a low dose and experiment until you get the output you're happy with. also look at your diet - are you possibly eating/drinking something which could be adding to the gas problem, like fizzy drinks, onions, green vegetables?

i would advise eating more often, and try to get foods like potato, rice, pasta, into your diet. also, a probiotic yoghurt every day might help too.
 
A

acg101

Hi Joshua and welcome back. Jeff and dingbat are right as 20+ empties per day is a huge amount, while my average is 4 times per day and occasionally once during the night.

As dingbat said, skipping meals will A. actually going to make the gas situation worse and B. you are taking a risk of putting yourself in harms way by slowing down the Ileum.. the emptier your stomach gets, the more gas will be formed, and this gas eventually reaches your stoma and creates the sounds.

definitely talk to your doctor about meds for bulking up the output. eating probiotic yoghurt can be very helpful also.

Good luck and let us know how you are making out
 
CDDad

CDDad

I've been trying to eat healthier and at work I eat lots of fruit. I have grapes, blue berriers, strawberries, apple, banana, etc. Sometimes all in one day! Anyway, all this fruit makes my output very thick. I know some people can't eat so much fruit, but it seems to agree with me.
 
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