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SERIOUSLY Need help with stinky bag!

Okay so... First my bag has been leaking tons, now it's okay and kinda sorted.. but my bag is seriously stinky.. I Know people say get over it it's all in your head, but this seriously isn't. All I smell all day is crap. I've tried all different deodorisers, last few days I tried vanilla essence ... Just made me smell poo and vanilla all day.. Trying peppermint essence at the mo and I just smell like poo and peppermint. I was sitting and I lifted up my top to check my bag for leaks and my boyfriend (who I might add has terrible sense of smell) went "woah! Poo!".
In nz we can't change our bags daily, unless we pay for them ourselves..which is a piss me off sandwich.. So I just have to freak out about getting within a certain range of people. And smell like poo.

Does anyone have any advice on the smell? I am thinking these bags may just have crap filters as it never was THIS bad.

I need something that neutralizes the odor, and doesn't just make it smell like lolly poo.

Lol thanks heaps :)
 
Could you not try a different brand of bag? How long have you had this problem for? Ie, could it be down to a faulty batch of bags?
 
I'm wondering if you've changed your diet recently and whether that's adding to the smell?

One product that a lot of ostomy folks swear by is a chewable tablet called Devrom. I'm not sure of its availability in NZ, but people chew a couple of tablets and find that it almost totally reduces the odor.

Are you using a seal with your appliance (like Eakin seal or Adapt Barrier Rings)?

Kismet
 

PsychoJane

Moderator
When I was using convatec bag with filter, I was often under the impression that I was smelling poo... No matter what I did, certain days were ok, certain were not... Eventually I switched to coloplast, and since, I never dealt with that problem again.

It seems that the bag material is not equivalent from one brand to another and some retain the smell much better than other. Also, I found out that when I would use soap to wash my bag (from the inside) it seemed to alter it's property to hold the smell. I too have to keep my bags for more than a day so now I rinse them thoroughly with water.

Also, what type of appliance do you use? I assume a two piece and that you have a bag that you can empty?
Personally I gave up upon the drainable bags, I only use the closed bag that I empty by the top. It can seem messy at first but I find it more appropriate because I find easier to wipe anything from the plastic rim than cleaning the opening of the bag. I have that impression it smells less that way too, when I use the open bag it's like if there is always a little bit that leaks and triggers (without being a poo smell) some sort of "sour" smell that I don't like. I do keep my bag for a few days even though they are meant to be thrown after use or something like that. The filter last the first day, then once it get wet it does not work anymore (the bag will bubble up) but it does not allowed the smell to go out as I have observed with some other brands.

Just to make sure, it is a colostomy or ileostomy that you have?
 

PsychoJane

Moderator
Also, do you like and can you stand coffee?
I find that drinking coffee helps quite a bit at reducing the smell. I think someone mentioned something about cranberry juice (I never tried it for that matter so could not speak for myself). It would made some sort of sense since it helps with UTI, maybe it has some effect on gut bacteria too, who knows?

I was just looking up for that out of curiosity (cranberry) and I found out on livestrong that eating yogurt,parsley or drinking buttermilk could also help reduce the smell...
 
The other thing I meant to mention is whether you might have an infection of some sort. The only reason I ask is because I know someone who had CDiff and the odor from her bag/poop was a bit out of this world. It was serious professional strength odor. Or it might be some other kind of infection?

As Michelle says, it could also be something to do with your bag. Perhaps you got a faulty batch where there is a defect in the barrier film? Especially since it sounds like the smell is permeating THROUGH your bag? I had tried Convatec at one point, and didn't like them because they seemed less able to withstand the ileostomy output and the lining would wear out quicker.

I hope you're able to get stuff resolved quickly!

Kismet

Edited: PsychoJane is on the ball quicker than I am!
 

PsychoJane

Moderator
I had tried Convatec at one point, and didn't like them because they seemed less able to withstand the ileostomy output and the lining would wear out quicker.
Glad to see I was not the only one =]
 

PsychoJane

Moderator
I will add here that when I was a teen, I had those smelly bags... and I remember that our desks would be grouped up so we were in nucleus of 4 and closer to each other than in regular classes (rows). I remember one day, my teammate was looking around and searching why it was smelling poo... I got out of it blaming it on the rendering plant next to the school... :roflanim:

Ok, now I laugh, back then at 15 I was not finding that as funny...
 
the adapt lubricating gel/deodorizer seems to help some,
and the M9 drops (blue colored)

I use both together, and I did take the advice given to me about drinking cranberry juice and I guess it helps, lol

I will try the coffee too, I drink coffee now and then :)

I use the hollister two piece bag with the flange,(lock n roll)
the velcro ones have the carbon filter at the top of the bag which I liked because it vents the air out.. with the lock n roll bag, when it fills with air I worry about blowing a gasket, (the seal where the bag connects with the flange)

im constantly venting the lock n roll ... when I re-order im going back to the velcro bag with the filters lol
 

Terriernut

Moderator
Our Nyx uses disposal bags she puts IN her bags. Would that do the trick? The bags are specially made for ostomates, and supposed to be flushable. This enables her to use her bags for alot longer, and no smells!
 
Hey. Thanks guys for all your advice! I think I might just go back to disposable two piece bags. I have a colostomy and am supposed to be using them but just preferred not having to throw out my bags twice a day. It probably seems the way to go though, even though I empty more than twice a day..
I have tried many different bags, hollister being the only one that seems to adhere properly to my skin. It may have to do with the tape around the edges. Their filters suck though! I am really interested to find out about those flushable bags? Sounds like a good bet.
 

Nyx

Moderator
lotte, I messaged you privately, but I'll post here too for anyone else who wants the info...

I have a colostomy so my stool is really firm. I use the colomajic liners in my bag. They're a disposable liner that you put inside your bag and whip them out and flush them when they get full (or whenever!). They're not good for those with loose or liquid stool as the liquid would just seep through them. But for me, they're a life saver. I have to pay for my bags out of pocket, so it's great not having to wash them out every day and ruining the filters on them. Here's the site for those interested...

www.colomajic .com
 
Okay so... First my bag has been leaking tons, now it's okay and kinda sorted.. but my bag is seriously stinky.. I Know people say get over it it's all in your head, but this seriously isn't. All I smell all day is crap. I've tried all different deodorisers, last few days I tried vanilla essence ... Just made me smell poo and vanilla all day.. Trying peppermint essence at the mo and I just smell like poo and peppermint. I was sitting and I lifted up my top to check my bag for leaks and my boyfriend (who I might add has terrible sense of smell) went "woah! Poo!".
In nz we can't change our bags daily, unless we pay for them ourselves..which is a piss me off sandwich.. So I just have to freak out about getting within a certain range of people. And smell like poo.

Does anyone have any advice on the smell? I am thinking these bags may just have crap filters as it never was THIS bad.

I need something that neutralizes the odor, and doesn't just make it smell like lolly poo.

Lol thanks heaps :)
On my Discharge instructions from surgery (2nd surgury) it says to report any real smelly stool to the DR, Had I did this before, he may have been able to catch the prolapsing issue before it got as bad as it did.
 
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