Can you still go to the toilet with a stoma bag?

Can you still poop with a colostomy bag? Pooping will be different with a colostomy bag. Immediately after your surgery, your anus may continue to expel poop and other fluids that were left inside. But new poop will now exit through your stoma.

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Do you still urinate with a stoma bag?

About Your Wet Colostomy

After your surgery, your urine (pee) and stool (poop) will leave your body through your wet colostomy stoma. Your stoma will have 2 parts (see Figure 1): A urinary diversion. Your urine will flow from your kidneys, through your ureters, and out of your body through your urinary diversion.

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What can't you do with a stoma bag?

Once home, avoid strenuous activities that could place a strain on your abdomen, such as lifting heavy objects. Your stoma nurse will give you advice about how soon you can go back to normal activities. At first you will pass wind through your stoma and then, usually within 2 or 3 days, you poo through it.

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What to avoid with a stoma bag?

The following foods are known to increase the risk of food blockages, so extra care should be taken:
  • Nuts.
  • Coconut.
  • Celery.
  • Mushrooms.
  • Sweetcorn.
  • Raw fruit skins.
  • Bean sprouts and bamboo shoots.
  • Dried fruit such as currants and raisins.

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How many times a day do you empty a colostomy bag?

If you allow it to get too full, the weight of the stool may pull the pouch away from the skin. A person with an ileostomy will need to empty the pouch about five or six times in a 24-hour period. If you have a colostomy, you will need to empty the pouch two or three times in a 24-hour period.

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How to Empty Your Ostomy Bag

26 related questions found

Can you sleep through the night with a colostomy bag?

It's always a good idea to empty or change your stoma bag before you go to bed as it will help to prevent your bag from filling up too much overnight and disturbing your sleep. A full stoma bag is always at risk of leaking and that's not something you want to experience during the night.

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How often should you poo with a stoma?

After ileoanal pouch surgery is complete, the temporary stoma is closed. Stool and gas will leave your body through your anus, as they did before surgery. At first, you will have more frequent bowel movements, up to 15 per day. You may have mild bowel control problems and may need to wake up from sleep to pass stool.

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Do stoma bags smell?

Many ostomates worry about odour. If the stoma bag fits well there should be no smell except when changing it. If you do notice a smell from your bag, you should check it as there may be a leak under the flange and the bag will need changing.

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What are the disadvantages of stoma?

You may get problems with your stoma, which can include:
  • a parastomal hernia causing swelling under the skin – this may be managed by your stoma nurse or with surgery.
  • the stoma going back into your tummy instead of sticking out (stoma retraction) – different types of bags and accessories can help.

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Can you drive with a stoma bag?

You may feel tired after the operation but you could try gentle exercise, such as a short walk, when you feel ready. Wait until you've recovered from the operation to drive again, usually at least 6 weeks. After that, having an ileostomy will not affect your driving.

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Is living with a stoma difficult?

Living with a stoma is a challenging situation for various reasons including uncontrolled gas passage through it, odor, diarrhea, and leakage around the stoma or appliance. It would take several months for the patients to adjust to this difficult time.

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Is a stoma bag for wee or poo?

A stoma is an opening in the tummy created during surgery. A bag is usually put over it to collect poo (a colostomy) or wee (a urostomy).

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How do you use the bathroom with a stoma?

You'll need to remove the entire unit (pouch and wafer) and replace it, making sure that the wafer is securely attached to your peristomal skin before leaving the restroom. Regardless of if you're using a one-piece or a two-piece pouch, you'll need to put your used ostomy bag into something you can discard it in.

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What living with stoma is like?

Your stoma may be swollen to begin with, but usually reduces in size over time. You shouldn't feel anything in the stoma, and it shouldn't be painful. Over time, bodily waste and gas will pass out through the stoma instead of your anus or urethra. Living with a stoma can seem daunting at first — but you're not alone.

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Can you gain weight with a stoma?

Many people gain unwanted weight following stoma surgery due to changes made to their diet in an effort to control their output.

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Can you wear jeans with a colostomy bag?

Make sure your clothes are not too tight around the bag.

You may need to be careful that waistbands do not rest below the stoma restricting ability to drain into your pouch. Depending on stoma placement, you may feel more comfortable with high- or low-rise waistband items, like underwear, jeans, or activewear.

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Can you drink coffee with a stoma?

Limit or avoid the following foods and drinks. They can cause diarrhea or watery bowel movements, which makes you more likely to become dehydrated. Limit liquids with caffeine (such as caffeinated tea and coffee) and liquids high in fat (such as regular milk) to 1 cup (8 ounces) per day.

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Can you wear normal clothes with a stoma bag?

There are specialist stoma underwear, swimwear and clothing companies that produce clothing for people with stomas but this is not necessary to purchase or wear – your usual clothing should be suitable.

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Are you considered disabled if you have a colostomy bag?

Can a colostomy bag qualify for disability benefits? Yes. As a general rule, if you have a colostomy bag that makes it difficult to work, you'll qualify as disabled. If your colostomy bag is functioning well or if you expect to have it reversed within the year, you probably won't qualify.

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Can you tell if someone has a colostomy bag?

It's common for an ostomy and pouch to go undetected. No one will know that you have an ostomy and pouch unless you tell them. You may choose not to tell many people.

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How should you sleep with a stoma?

The best position to sleep in when you have a stoma is on your back, or on your side. If you prefer to sleep on your stomach, this will be fine at the beginning of the night but increases the chances of leaks as the night progresses and your bag fills.

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How long can you leave a stoma bag on for?

Change your pouch every 5 to 8 days. If you have itching or leakage, change it right away. If you have a pouch system made of 2 pieces (a pouch and a wafer) you can use 2 different pouches during the week. Wash and rinse the pouch not being used, and let it dry well.

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How long can you leave a stoma on?

Most people who need a cancer-related colostomy or ileostomy only need it for a few months while the small or large intestine heals. But some people may need a permanent ostomy. A urostomy is typically a permanent surgery and cannot be reversed.

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What does stoma poo look like?

Your stoma is made from the lining of your intestine. It will be pink or red, moist, and a little shiny. Stool that comes from your ileostomy is thin or thick liquid, or it may be pasty. It is not solid like the stool that comes from your colon.

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