Sleeping with a bag

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ThatGuy2006

ThatGuy2006

Joined
Oct 1, 2008
Messages
156
I need some tips on sleeping with my new bag because I am paranoid I am going to bust it open or spill it in my sleep.
 
I've lain on mine and never had a problem. It's kind of hard to control how you sleep when you're actually asleep...lol I just make sure mine's securely fastened before I lay down.

Sorry this hasn't been more helpful...
 
Sleep has not been an issue for me. I use the Hollister 2 piece and only had one problem in 6 months (I pulled it off in my sleep). I like to have a snack at about 8pm, so my pouch is pretty full in the morning.
If my filter is working, I do very well, if clogged I might wake up at 5am with a balloon pouch.
I mostly sleep on my back or right side with the pouch resting on the bed.
 
I always made sure to stop eating a few hours before bed, and empty the bag out completely before sleeping. Then, I slept on my back. If this is hard for you, maybe put some pillows on either side of you while you sleep to discourage you from rolling over when you are asleep.

No matter what, I always had to wake up at least once a night to empty the bag. This may sound inconvenient, but before the bag I was up several times a night to use the bathroom anyway due to my Crohn's symptoms. It was actually a relief to only have to wake up once, pain free.

Also, my body pretty much woke up when necessary. I never had to set an alarm clock or anything. I don't know if everyone else is that lucky.

Good luck figuring out what is right for you.
 
I've had my bag for about 4 weeks now and my only issue is that I used to sleep on my stomach and I can't now. Idk if it's more bc of the bag or bc of my incision. Either way, no stomach sleeping for me. I tend to sleep on my side cuddled with a pillow to keep the bag from hanging. I usually wake up once or twice a night to empty, depending on what I have eaten or drank. I automatically wake up (even with Ambien). Usually it's bc I have to pee so I go ahead and empty while I'm up. And I always make sure that I empty right before I lay down. Only one time have I woke up and thought my bag was gonig explode. I think that I am so paranoid now that subconciously I wake up frequently to empty.

Good luck with everything :)
 
I have started to sleep on my back and I tend not to eat a few hours before i go to sleep as well. Also I will take two Imodium before i go to bed as well. Also it helps me that I wake up every few hours ( I can empty my bag)
 
i used to try and fall asleep on my back when i had my bag, but would find in the night i would move to 1 side without any problems. Only thing i found was that i would itch around the edge of bag in my sleep and it would come away in the night sometimes, but no major problems.

I used to put down one of those incontinence sheet/pad thingys to not ruin the sheets or mattress.

you'll be fine, dont worry. just see what works best for you.;)
 
I know your feeling and I have been there and done that. Sleeping on belly - NOT good, well for me. I did that a few times and ended up pushing stool behind my wafer. Then there was the time I ate a jar of pickles - WHAT the HELL was I thinking. When I awoke I had a hot air balloon on my belly, SO NOT good I moved and it POPPED.

SO a few things I do, that work for me :

1. Had to train myself NOT to lay on my belly or on the right side (stoma side). I did this by laying on my left side with a pillow under my right side. This way I did not turn in my sleep. Once I was trained I started laying on my back.

2. I wear a belt for night, that holds the bag on and the wafer. This also had a pocket in it to hold your pouch so it does not move. It also has a plastic piece that is a stoma protector, that will pop off if your bag fills with to much gas. It is comfortable and is added protection.

http://www.celebrationostomysupportbelt.com/

3. I try not to eat anything to 4 hours before bed, to minimize the amount of gas. I can only sleep 6 hours and I need to either release the gas or empty the bag. Like others said, if you use a filter bag, this will NOT as much as a concern.

You will get used to this, just takes sometime.

Best of luck to you amd REMEMBER DO NOT eat a full jar of pickles right before bed, NOT GOOD
 
A filter bag is a bag with a charcoal filter in them to let the gas out without stinking the place up...to be blunt...lol

I use them...they're great! I never have to burp my bag at all.
 
Most brands carry them...mine just happen to be Coloplast SenSura. I don't think the part numbers will help you at all, since our stomas are most likely not the same size. But you can give any of the companies a call and they'll be happy to help you pick the right bag for you :)
 
If you call the companies and tell them you would like some samples, they will send you some for free. This way you can try them out, before buying a whole box.

I use convatec autoloc, and for some reason they do not have filers in them. I called and asked why and they could not offer me an explanation other then, some do and some do not.

I know there are some products you can add to bag that all you to release the gas, but I do not understand these. Since you can just break the top seal of a two piece and release the gas. I guess it is more for one-piece designs.

I did like these filters in my old stage bag, but rather have the extra security of the autoloc.
 
Im pretty new to this myself (Nov) but recently found sleeping with a pillow between my legs really helps, i also found it difficult at first adjusting to new sleeping positions but it gets better.... :thumleft:
 
I have found that sleeping with a bag can be difficult. I tend not to eat a big meal to late into to night. I also started sleeping with a pillow on my side to keep me from rolling over onto my bag. I take Imodium right before I go to bed as well to slow the bowl down so my bad does not over fill in the night.
 
I just wanted to throw this into the information that you are getting. If you are worried about you bag leaking or have problems with your bag leaking at night I used a Chux pad while i sleep for the first 6 months after getting my Stoma. makes clean up if there is a leak so easy (you dont have to clean the sheets)
 
I can relate to this thread as well because I am used to sleeping on my side where the stoma and bag now exist. I am afraid to burst the bag or accidentally open it if I'm on my side. I also feel the extra pressure which hurts. I am just lying on my back which is causing bad back and shoulder pain since I am not used to it.
 
I sleep on my right side mainly but usually wake up on my back, I think I subconsciously move position as the bag fills. The bags are pretty secure particularly if you wear a belt so I think sleep anyway that is of comfort to you other than on your stomach. Which is unlikely to be comfortable anyway once the bag fills haha.
 
im 6 weeks into my stoma and 1st 3 weeks were torture,hate sleeping on my back,but had no choice esp in hospital after surgery i could hardly move,since ive been home,i now move freely,can sleep on either side but only sleep on my left side kinda flatter than the side position,i have some stoma guards i should use that way i could go full on tummy mode,only down side is i do wake up most nights with a hot air balloon on my gut,up once ot twice during the night to empty but its way better than up 4 times a night and running like a crazy man down stairs to the loo and nearly shitting myself in the process,
 
Yikes! I couldn't imagine having to run downstairs to the loo. The way my bag fills up at night i wonder how it doesn't just explode sometimes.
 
I sleep with the largest hollister bag I could find at night ( switch to small mini in morning) I bought a bunch of old navy tank tops 2 sizes to small ( so it's snug but not tight across my bag) and I pull tank top over bag. And then pull my pj bottoms up over tank. It keeps my bag from flopping around a bunch and close to my body.
 
countrycoffeehouse said:
I sleep with the largest hollister bag I could find at night ( switch to small mini in morning) I bought a bunch of old navy tank tops 2 sizes to small ( so it's snug but not tight across my bag) and I pull tank top over bag. And then pull my pj bottoms up over tank. It keeps my bag from flopping around a bunch and close to my body.
Click to expand...

Are you throwing away your day and night bag or do you rinse them? Sounds like a lot of bags.
 
I would do that but my bags get so stinky and the waxy stuff from the Eakin ring is all over the bag smudged. I am also scared to remove the bag even for a second since I never know when Mr. Stoma wants to be social.
 
Mine does the same thing with the Eakin ring. I just grab a bunch of toilet paper and wipe it away. I fill the bag with water from my sink and then dump it in the toilet ., I usually rinse it a couple of times. Mine does not stink.
 
I have to pay out of pocket for all my supplies, so I reuse my bags. I just take them off and wash them out with soap and water and hang them to dry. I can get months use out of one bag.
 
Oh I feel sorry for you guys having to pay for your Ostomy supplies.. In Australia it's all free..
 
Ang71 said:
Oh I feel sorry for you guys having to pay for your Ostomy supplies.. In Australia it's all free..
Click to expand...

I was reading some ostomy publications out of Australia and apparently there's a lot of abuse with people ordering way more than they actually need. Someone pays for it in the end. Even though i found an insurance company to cover my supplies, I still shop for the best prices and never get stuff i don't need or can't use within a few months.

Having said that, supplies in Canada are about twice what you'd pay for in the United states :-(
 
I have no guilt ordering supplies. Insurance companies are in the business of screwing people every day. If I can get adhesive removers out of them or something I don't need but want I'll try. None of these are luxury items, I didn't want to have a stoma it's not cosmetic and as such I now need new things to help improve my functioning.
 
I pay for all my supplies out of pocket, it would be nice to be able to have whatever I wanted to try, but alas, I'd be broke if I did that. As it is, I pay almost $400 a month for the basics that I have now. I'm just glad that I'm not on meds too.
 
Nyx said:
I pay for all my supplies out of pocket, it would be nice to be able to have whatever I wanted to try, but alas, I'd be broke if I did that. As it is, I pay almost $400 a month for the basics that I have now. I'm just glad that I'm not on meds too.
Click to expand...

Give Green Shield insurance a call since you are in Canada. They will cover ostomy supplies even if it's a pre existing condition. Im on their Prism Precision plan and after three years you'll get $5000 coverage. Rates are very reasonable.

Good luck.
 
nogutsnoglory said:
I have no guilt ordering supplies. Insurance companies are in the business of screwing people every day. If I can get adhesive removers out of them or something I don't need but want I'll try. None of these are luxury items, I didn't want to have a stoma it's not cosmetic and as such I now need new things to help improve my functioning.
Click to expand...

Nothing wrong with ordering stuff you'd like to try, but it sounds like some people order such an excess amount of supplies that they expire before they can use them. It's not sustainable to do that and it will eventually lead to restrictions on what you are allowed to order. Nobody wins then.
 
Ostomy supplies expire? My thoughts are if you have more than you can use donate to someone who needs them.
 
nogutsnoglory said:
Ostomy supplies expire? My thoughts are if you have more than you can use donate to someone who needs them.
Click to expand...

Yup. Adhesives fail when they are old. Donating is an excellent option if you have more than you can use or if you no longer need a certain product.
 
I know the bags also get lousy if they aren't kept at room temp but not sure they go bad but maybe won't be as effective against odors, leaks etc.
 
nogutsnoglory said:
I know the bags also get lousy if they aren't kept at room temp but not sure they go bad but maybe won't be as effective against odors, leaks etc.
Click to expand...

Depends on the bag too. Some that have an adhesive coupling would be less effective too if they are are expired. I would imagine that stoma powders, pastes, deodorant drops, etc. Have a shelf life too.
 
I think things like that can likely be used for years after any listed expiration date. I have regular skin products I have used for years and nothing happens it's just a little less fragrant or gets a little less moisturizing.
 
I'm so grateful for the NHS. My stoma supplies are all free (as are my prescriptions and all other medical treatments). I'd never thought of washing out a bag and re-using it, but perhaps I'll try that. I'm changing my bag every two days, and while it costs me nothing financially, I have been concerned over the environmental cost with the amount of rubbish I am throwing out - every day a small carrier-bag-sized rubbish bag of babywipes, plus a bag every two days.

As for sleeping - I just lie on my bag. I never thought it might burst. :confused2:
 
VeganOstomy said:
I was reading some ostomy publications out of Australia and apparently there's a lot of abuse with people ordering way more than they actually need. Someone pays for it in the end. Even though i found an insurance company to cover my supplies, I still shop for the best prices and never get stuff i don't need or can't use within a few months.

Having said that, supplies in Canada are about twice what you'd pay for in the United states :-(
Click to expand...

Most likely people abuse the system that's probably why they have limits per month on what u get. But I only order what I need no point getting stuff you don't need.
I also use tissues to wipe the inside of my bag and flush them down the loo I have a septic tank so it gets broken down.
 

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