Answer: The production of gas through a stoma depends on two major factors: swallowed air and gas formed by the bacteria in the colon. Gas production is normal and amounts will vary depending on types of foods eaten, how often food is eaten, eating habits and the motility of the bowel.
Filter control
Certain foods – particularly spicy foods, foods that are high in fibre, green vegetables, beans and lentils – can all increase gas, as can carbonated drinks and beer. Understanding what leads to increased levels of gas in the pouch can help you manage how much air is entering the digestive system.
If your current stoma bag has a filter and you are still experiencing ballooning problems, it may be suffering from excess wind. Spicy foods, some particular vegetables (onions, cabbages, peas, and beans) and fizzy drinks have been known to increase wind, so we would recommend avoiding these in your diet.
To reduce gas formation in the gut, be mindful when eating and drinking. Activities where someone may swallow excess air, such as chewing gum and drinking through straws, can contribute to gas formation in the gut. To avoid this, take smaller bites and try not to eat while talking.
Drinking carbonated beverages, smoking, chewing gum, and chewing with your mouth open can all increase the amount of air you swallow. If you are concerned about gas, you can use a pouch with a filter. Some medications or nutritional supplements may make good hygiene a little more challenging.
Many people enjoy leaving their skin uncovered for 15 to 30 minutes after taking their pouching system off. This is called a skin break. Taking a skin break can help with irritation or keep it from happening. You can decide if you want to take a skin break.
Showering and bathing is part of everyone's daily routine and should be still enjoyed even if you have a stoma. You may feel concerned about getting your stoma or skin wet, but normal exposure to water and air will not harm your stoma in any way.
Foods that are reported to help thicken the stoma output include apple sauce, bananas, buttermilk, cheese, marshmallows, jelly babies, (boiled) milk, noodles, smooth creamy peanut butter, rice, tapioca pudding, toast, potatoes and yoghurt.
A colostomy bag is used to collect your poo. How often it needs to be changed depends on which type of bag you use. Closed bags may need changing 1 to 3 times a day. There are also drainable bags that need to be replaced every 2 or 3 days.
You can bathe and shower as normal with your stoma and, unless you have been specifically advised otherwise, you can do so with the stoma bag on or off. It won't fall off in the water if you choose to keep it on and if you bathe with the stoma bag off, soap rinsing over the stoma isn't a problem.
A colostomy is an operation to create an opening (stoma) of the large bowel (colon) onto the surface of the tummy (abdomen). Your poo no longer passes out of your body through your back passage. Instead, it passes out through the stoma. You wear a bag that sticks onto the skin over the stoma to collect your poo.
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 up. So, try to roll onto your side or back before you fall asleep.
If possible, take a short walk or just walk slowly around your house, as long as it's not too painful. Try several different body positions, such as a knee-chest position, or lie on the side of your stoma with knees bent, as it might help move the blockage forward.
Signs of Skin Problems Around a Stoma
The skin around the stoma appears infected and/or is red and "angry" in appearance. There is a pus-like discharge. The skin color suddenly changes. The skin is irritated by the stoma appliance, causing redness, chafing, or a raw or "burned" appearance.
The BBC Radio 1 presenter had a stoma bag, which she refers to as Audrey, fitted last October after being diagnosed with bowel cancer. The operation diverts one end of the colon, which is part of the bowel, through an opening in the abdomen called a stoma.
Sleeping on either side of your body is fine. On the side with your stoma, your mattress will support the bag as it fills. If you sleep on the other side, you can lay next to a pillow to support the weight of your bag.
Clean around the stoma with warm water and a soft washcloth each time you change the pouch. Water does not harm the stoma. You can even take a bath or shower without your pouch if you choose: There are no nerves in the stoma, so there is no feeling.
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.
In a partial bowel obstruction, you may still experience windy output from your stoma.
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.
For instance, many doctors recommend avoiding contact sports because of possible injury to the stoma from a severe blow. But special protection may be able to help prevent these problems. Talk to your health care team about any limitations you may have.