Odour control

[poolside]

odour control

Sensitive sniffer here!!!
Which is probably not a good combo with a colostomy! I have been very paranoid and self conscious lately about the smell that I feel surrounds me.
I am changing my bag frequently, just to get a fresh one on there.

Question #1: how often do most of you change your bags (even just leaving flange on and switching to a fresh bag

Question #2: Any tricks to mask odour??? I have tried: boatloads of perfume, roll on deodarant, febreze, and of course the ostomy liquid that you can buy.

Why the heck can I still smell myself??

My wish is that the whole world had stuffed up sinuses lolol. Not you guys of course, you are dealing with enough and you are in the same boat as me!
Help me make my boat not so stinky!!!!!!!!!

 

[Nyx]

I leave my flange on for about a week, and when I change my bag I always clean it up as best as I can (I even run a Q-Tip around the inside of the lip to clean that up). I use liners inside my bag, so I can get away with using the same bag for 3 or 4 days before I need a clean one. But, prior to getting the liners, I used to put a bit of mouthwash inside the bag. It really helped with the smell.

I think we're all sensitive about how we smell; when I first got my colostomy I always thought I was stinky, but my friends and family assured me that I wasn't. I'm not saying that it's all in your head, but maybe it's not as bad as you think it is

Hope this has been helpful!

 

[poolside]

Q-tip, definitely gonna try that!
Mouthwash, wow, I never woulda thought of that! Gonna try that as well!

Do these liners work with coloplast peel and stick 2 piece systems or just the snap together 2 piece systems? I've been meaning to ask that.

Thanks for your input Cindy!

 

[Nyx]

I don't think they'd work with the peel and stick because the mouth of the liner needs to hang out of the bag. I have the snap together coloplast model and they work great...I just take the snap ring off and put the liner in, then put the ring back on so the liner's basically locked into my bag. They work perfectly.

Oh, and on the mouthwash thing..make sure you don't use the antibacterial kind (I found that Scope was pretty much the only one that made a non-antibacterial one). Apparently bacteria in your stoma is a good thing...lol My stoma nurse actually gave the hint about the mouthwash and Q-Tips. She was great...very helpful

 

[Terriernut]

Poolside, are you using bags with built in filters on them? If you are, is the filter clogged?

Also, if you have a wrinkle in the flange, some escaped gas can leak out.

But I'm surprised you think it smells, something's not working right if it does smell. Is there a particular time that it becomes worse for you?

I like Cindy's mouthwash and qtip idea as well. I use the wet toilet paper wipes myself to give it a good clean. Seems to help.

Misty

 

[ameslouise]

I can't smell a thing with my bag, until I empty it!! And trust me, if it smelled, Levi would let me know! He's the one that told me "just because you don't have an asshole doesn't mean you can't smell like ass."

I use a one piece and change it on Wednesdays and Saturdays. By Wed morning, the neck of the bag is starting to get a little funky, but it still doesn't smell.

-Ames

 

[poolside]

-Cindy, thanks for adding that part about antibacterial, I would have probably just bought what was on sale lol. When this abscess heals up that is under my flange (like a hundred years from now at the rate it's going) I'd like to try out the snap closure type systems, but right now that hard piece of plastic would be sitting on top of "Mr. Burns" so I have to stay with the flexibility of the peel and stick.
-Misty, yes they have a filter, they are the 2 piece coloplast midi bags. I don't know if they become clogged or not, how do you tell? I always put the sticker on the little circular opening because I don't trust that hole there. Also, do you mean a wrinkle on the part of the flange that is sticking to my skin? Or are you talking about where the bag sticks to the flange? I can pretty much always smell it. I guess it's worse after I've emptied it out a few times. I really try and clean it out good with water and wet wipes.
-Ames, okay, I know something must be wrong then because I for sure can't go more than a day before my bag stinks....Again, is a worldwide sinus infection too much for a girl to ask??? hehe

Thanks for your input girls!

 

[Nyx]

Silly question, but how do you clean your bags? Do you put soap in them and give them a good scrub? Or just water? Or do you just toss them out when you're done with them?

I turn mine inside out and wash them with soap and water and then air dry them. I just have to remember to keep the filter dry though, they don't work so well after you get soap and water in them...lol I can get 3 months out of one bag (unless the filter goes on me, which has been happening lately but I found out that coloplast has changed them recently...grrrr).

 

[mom2twogr8tkids]

When I had my ileostomy, I really couldn't smell anything unless I was emptying it or it leaked (which it did several times a day). I would always ask my family and friends if they smelled anything just to be sure. lol

 

[Terriernut]

Poolside, I know what system you've got now. Cindy, she cant clean it out and hang it to dry, cause its not clip on, it's an adhesive stick on that she puts on her flange.

I particularly like the system you're using poolside. But I like it because I can quickly change my bag. From a small one for work, to a larger one for nightime. So, I could go thru 2 bags a day.

Your output would be alot thicker than mine though I presume. I also would think that might make it harder to clean??

Yes, I meant that you might have a wrinkle on the actual flange that adheres to your skin. Thats how all my farts escape! (still blaming it on the dogs here)

Can you afford a bag change daily?

Misty

 

[poolside]

I like it too, the bags are smaller, and I'm a tiny person so they are a good fit. I also like the clothlike covering and the velcro closure. I'm just wondering if it's the bag filters that aren't working?? Last night I had a fresh bag on with almost no output and I could smell it.
Or maybe it is the flange? I have slight wrinkles on them but they are fully adhered to the skin even in the wrinkle.
So my next step is to call coloplast and have them send me the larger bags for this system to see if it's the small bag filters that are letting me down...
Also to get rid of "Mr. Burns".

 

[Terriernut]

Ring your stoma nurse as well. It shouldnt be the filter, I wouldnt think. Not that quick.

Misty

 

[meardonna]

i'm still new to this but, I dont like having bag on too long so change roughly 24-36 hours max, I tried two piece system but found it heavy and restrictive, might try it again... I got a tip of a friend, I use open ended for easy emppty rather than closed. i pour a little water in the open end close it give it a good swish then empty, this makes sure you get all the bits and keeps it clean. I also have an osto mist, comes in apple and grapefrruit, (in uk - from ostomart order no dpa1) I spray a little in bag before I put it on, and spray a little into the bag after I've emptied it, it also good to give a quick spay after using public loos

 

[ameslouise]

Wow, now y'all are making me paranoid that I am not being hygienic enough! I use a one-piece and only rinse when stuff is really thick and zesty and gets stuck in the bag and I can't squeeze it out.

I'm totally going to have Levi sniff me out tonight to see if I reek. I am eating Indian food right now so it will be a good test!!

- Ames

 

[meardonna]

I went for an indian with my hubby a few days ago, I had loads of garlic. when I emptied my bag during the night the smell of garlic was intolerable!!! normally I don't smell anything because of the odour neutraliser I use

 

[Terriernut]

I went for an indian with my hubby a few days ago, I had loads of garlic. when I emptied my bag during the night the smell of garlic was intolerable!!! normally I don't smell anything because of the odour neutraliser I use

Snort!! :blush:

 

[Nyx]

I'd be happy if my poop smelled like garlic...I'm sick like that...lol

 

[ameslouise]

I'm sick like that too, Cindy! I think it's kinda funny when I can identify what comes out either by smell or by sight... tonight my dessert had golden raisins in it. As i was eating it I was like, "Yup, gonna see those suckers later!!"

I had dinner with a friend whose Mom had UC and has had an ostomy for 40 years. She's 85 now, healthy as a horse, and living life to the fullest at 85!!! When she first got her ostomy, they didn't even have adhesive bags - it was belts only!!! I, for one, am thankful for the advances in ostomy care!!!

 

[poolside]

Well it's gotta be the wrinkles int he flange then. I think I'm gonna try using tegaderm or something to seal up the edges real good and see if I notice a difference.

Cripes this could get expensive. But I'm desperate to get this smell away!!!
PS, Mr. Burns is hangin on, despite massive amounts of antibiotics. He's a stubborn old geezer that needs to go!

 

[poolside]

The tegaderm is kicking some odour butt!!! Hope I'm not jinxing it! But I smell wonderful! Well, maybe not wonderful but a heck of a lot better than last week...hehe

 

[Nyx]

Yay! Glad it's working for you

 

[Terriernut]

Tegaderm? Like a bandage?

Misty

 

[poolside]

It's a clear thin plastic film like what they use to put over your IV line in the hospital and keep it in place on your arm. I just cut a bunch of them in half and seal up all my edges and so far it's working!!!
Not cheap though, but none of this stuff is, is it?

 

[Nyx]

It is if you know a nurse...lol

 

[poolside]

I keep hounding my bro in law to bring some home, he's a doc. Apparently a little too busy to pilfer for me lol. The nerve of him!

 

[Mountaingem]

First off let me say that I personally don't have an ostomy. But my husband's uncle has Crohn's and has had an ostomy for several years. He swears by adding a tablespoon of mouthwash to the bag when you change or empty it. I have a sensitive sniffer too and I've never noticed any odors on him. Hope this tip helps!