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Sit, Stand or Kneel?

Susan2

Susan2

This is a question that could only be asked on this Forum but that has intrigued me since I joined.

I have had an ileostomy since 2000 and have my bum sewn up, so my situation will be different from that of some of you. From the beginning, on the advice of my stoma nurse, I have emptied my bag while sitting on the toilet - I sit right back on the seat and empty it straight into the bowl.

From what I gather reading the posts here, many of you kneel, whilst some stand.

I would be very interested to hear from others what they do.
 
Neko76

Neko76

I sit too, I mist admit I thought it was strange the first time I heard of someone kneeling in front of the toilet as that was something that had never crossed my mind. Of course whatever people are comfy doing is totally fine, but what about public washrooms??? Surely no one would kneel on the floor of a public washroom.....

Kat
 
Samboi

Samboi

Location
Australia
Sit back in comfort at home and trusted clean places - like friends places.
Stand in public bathrooms - which has often led to disaster!
I can never empty the bag completely when standing and I have accidentally emptied on my pants a number of times now.
Kneeling - I have no idea how that would work - not to mention - gross in a public bathroom! Ick!
 
bigtruck

bigtruck

Toilet roll in bowl first stand take aim and bombs away! If it's loose pull the chain as it hits the bowl! That's how I roll.
 
Misty-Eyed

Misty-Eyed

Sit! Always. I even sit on the toilet when I just change the bag. You don't have to worry about my stoma getting all active on me because it goes straight into the toilet!!
 
glum chump

glum chump

Count me in on the "sit" side. I've not been able to get my head around the kneeling thing. I don't even trust my own bathroom to kneel on the floor, let alone any other bathroom. In a public bathroom, I semi-stand and empty my bag...kinda like how I pee.

Kismet
 
2thFairy

2thFairy

I kneel. The toilets in my house create major splashback no matter what tricks I have tried to prevent this and sitting therefore becomes a horrible nightmare for me. As for public toilets, no kneeling--EWW! Like glum chump, I semi-stand to empty in public toilets.

As for the kneeling, I have great calluses on my knees now. My husband jokes about my "daytime profession" (I work from home) that has caused this. Hahaha!
 
Susan2

Susan2

My biggest problem was trying to use a squat toilet in Africa and Asia. I can do the squat OK, but I needed three hands - one to hold my clothes out of the way and two to empty the bag. So I devised a system with a cord around my neck with small bulldog clips on each end, to which I attach a doggy bag made from fully recyclable cellulose. I can empty my bag into that while standing up, tie the top and the whole lot can be dropped into the toilet.:cool:
 
Samboi

Samboi

Location
Australia
Thanks for the tip Susan2. I'm off to Cambodia in Sept school holidays.
I hadn't thought the squat toilet thing through - now I will be well equipped!!
 
J

jvc7477

Actually depends on where i'm at. At home i kneel ,public restrooms i stand (well squat as being 6'2" is a little high from the toilet)
 
littlefreebird

littlefreebird

lol can't believe most of you sit- i wouldnt be able to!! the bags are so small the spout wouldnt be long enough to aim into the toilet- do you sit normally?? like as if you were peeing (sorry for personal question- just intrigued lol)

i stand facing the toilet....like a man lol
 
Susan2

Susan2

Hi littlefreebird


I thought that this Forum was all about asking personal questions. :D

I sit a bit further back than I would normally for peeing and, because I need a deeply convex bag and they only come in large with Coloplast Alterna (which I like), it's easy to download into the toilet bowl.
 
P

PattyLynn

Hey Littlefreebird,
You must have very small bags - good for you! I never thought mine weren't that large but maybe they are. Like Susan, I sit a bit farther back on the toilet and just empty the bag between my legs into the toilet. When you stand, doesn't it splash up. Sorry for the graphic image, I've never tried standing so I really have no clue what the splash factor would be. Also, if your bag is too short to reach the toilet from a sitting position isn't it even farther away when you stand?
 
littlefreebird

littlefreebird

either my bags are overly small or my stoma is high? lol no idea.

i aim for a certain spot in toilets so it doesnt splash.....it's a skill lol haha.
 
D

DMac

Location
Hertfordshire, UK
[Crohn'sFor Life;483753]I agree! Emptying an ostomy bag should be an Olympic event!
Click to expand...
Agreed :) Although if it were an event, I certainly wouldn't be winning any medals. I have had numerous accidents.

I kneel at home and tend to half squat in public. I always flush just before emptying so my stuff goes straight down. Surprisingly, it does help reduce splash back. I have had my stoma for almost 13 years and I have always knelt at home. So I do think about the wear and tear that must have on my knees. Can't be good, but I can't stand, hate having to half squat and wouldn't be able to sit.
 
K

kab2020

Hi! My mom has had a colostomy for 19 years and know she has a permanent catheter and she is 86 years old now. She has always kneeled to empty her bag and now it's just getting too hard for her to kneel. She's tried sitting on a stool and sitting on a toilet and it doesn't work for her. I'm thinking that a stool that is higher than the toilet but I'm not sure if that will work either. What do you kneel on? Any help would be greatly appreciated. :ysmile:
 
Terriernut

Terriernut

Moderator
In your mothers case I would definetely call the stoma nurse and have them assist in this matter. It is very difficult for us to 'change our ways' us ostomates!

How we sit is very simple, but she needs to have the right bag to do it. That may be the problem in itself. I do it when I pee personally. I just sit back further on the toilet than a 'normal' person.

But...when I first got my emergency ostomy, they had me empty my bag into a bag in the sink! That may be what she needs to do.

I hope she can get it sorted soon!
 
L

lostpanda

Sometimes solutions come in strange packages. For folks with permanent iliostomys in the home setting, maybe a modified male urinal installed at just the right height might help for folks that need to stand. Personally, I have been sitting sense 06. I use a system from Convatec that when it's unfurled, empties right into the toidy. Lets face it, Thomas Crapper never knew about ilostomies when he envisioned todays modern toilets. Kneeling in a public restroom, I would rather have a tooth ache. We all have the same problem and I like some of the solutions. Flushing just before emptying makes sense to cut back on splashing. A public restroom with plenty of flush power, I layer the surface with floating paper, helps a bit. This forum is a great resource even for folks that have had stomas for awhile.. Bob E
 
annawato

annawato

Moderator
Staff member
kab2020 said:
Hi! My mom has had a colostomy for 19 years and know she has a permanent catheter and she is 86 years old now. She has always kneeled to empty her bag and now it's just getting too hard for her to kneel. She's tried sitting on a stool and sitting on a toilet and it doesn't work for her. I'm thinking that a stool that is higher than the toilet but I'm not sure if that will work either. What do you kneel on? Any help would be greatly appreciated. :ysmile:
Click to expand...
Kab I was wondering if one of those gardening kneeling things would be helpful for you mom. They have a padded kneeling area and arched handles - I've seen them here in Australia so surley they would be available elsewhere.
 
annawato

annawato

Moderator
Staff member
Yep, definitely sit, and yes, further back on toilet than usual. splashback can be a problem depending on the bowl (and bowel) but would imagine it would be whatever the method. As with everything - whatever suits you is best, but I think its great opening up questions/topics like this because so many tips can be picked up.
Little free bird, definitely don't be worried about personal/embarassing remarks questions, thats what we're all here for - though it does feel strange talking about THE most intimate things sometimes. Just got to be careful not to say them off forum - I'm sure I've shocked some people with my openess aboutit all. Que sera sera.
 
robbo87

robbo87

I stand up, I may occasionally sit down but most of the time I'm happy standing, It can go a bit wrong though if you're not careful! especially during the night when I'm half asleep!
 
Snap

Snap

Location
Kirkwood,
:D LOL Littlefreebird! I empty my pouch the exact way that you do---like a dude standing up! And, yep, you can aim and not splash. Maybe our stomas are too high to sit? Plus, my bum needs another scar revision--so sitting and trying to figure out what to do with your legs and trying not to stretch my bum tissue and trying not to splash my other parts is just too complicated! I often wonder though, when in public restrooms, if others notice that my shoes are pointing the wrong way for me to be sitting on the toilet! It's doubtful that I lose any sleep over that--just makes me giggle a bit. Snap:ylol2:
 
2thFairy

2thFairy

Snap said:
I often wonder though, when in public restrooms, if others notice that my shoes are pointing the wrong way for me to be sitting on the toilet! It's doubtful that I lose any sleep over that--just makes me giggle a bit. Snap:ylol2:
Click to expand...
Same here! I kneel at home, but in public I stand. I laugh at myself wondering if anybody notices my feet pointing the wrong way. Hahaha!
 
Jaano711

Jaano711

Location
South Australia
Mine is only new but so far I manage standing better. Couldn't do the whole sit righ back thing with my bum sewn up. Since reading this I have been flushing while emptying and it make way less mess. I also use moist toilet wipes to clean it up. Wa easier than all those bits of toilet paper.
 
2thFairy

2thFairy

I've spent the last few days trying to perfect "the stand".. I can't quite get the hang of this. I end up half squatting and/or straddling the toilet. I *know* I look like a drunk freak! Hahaha!
 
Pointy_ears

Pointy_ears

I get down on bended knee to my toilet bowl! Creates the least splash back and mess for me. Was awkward doing it at first while I was still on a high dose of a Tramadol in the initial post op stages. When I change the bag I sit on the toilet.

Public toilets aren't generally a problem in the UK as I use the disabled loo's the only ones that get cleaned.
 
Samboi

Samboi

Location
Australia
I've just got back from holidays - and doing it the guy standing up way.
It's so nice to back to my usual sitting position.

And thank you to Susan for her patented squat toilet emptying system. I ended up not having to use it - but thanks to her - I was always prepared!!
 
K

katiesue1506

I stand right now but that's cause I still have to measure everything so it gets put in a little beaker first. I dunno what I'll do when I don't have to measure anymore. Probably sit.
 
annawato

annawato

Moderator
Staff member
Hmm, depends where your stoma is situated too, how it behaves and what size and type of bag you use and the consistency of the output. And of course how clean or dirty the loo is!
 
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