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. It is normal for the smell of the bag contents to differ from what you were used to before your surgery because part of the bowel has been removed.
Smell and gas
All modern appliances have air filters with charcoal in them, which neutralises the smell. Most people will be aware of the smell of their colostomy because it's their own body. But someone standing next to you will not be able to smell the stoma.
Use Deodorizing Products.
You can also try ostomy filters that attach to the pouch and reduce gas and odors. Some ostomy pouches come with filters already in the appliance. You can also carry a deodorant spray. If you have to empty your pouch in a public restroom, the spray can mask any odor.
An ostomy bag that's too heavy with output can loosen that seal, which may cause odor and leakage. Talk to your doctor or a WOCN (Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nurse) regarding your personal changing and emptying times.
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.
Most people with stomas may have to go through a stoma infection. However, it is a possibility that anyone with a stoma should know about it. The first sign of a stoma infection may be a pus-like discharge, unusual swelling, increasing redness, or color changes.
Very spicy foods and some vitamin and mineral supplements also cause odours. Try cranberry juice, buttermilk, yogurt, or parsley to help reduce odours. You also can use odour-proof ostomy bags or special deodorants for the bags.
The lining of the bowel will continue to produce mucus after stoma surgery, even though it is not needed anymore. Often people who have had stoma surgery can discover mucus-discharge in their pouch. As the mucus is mixed up with stools it's not always very obvious to see.
You may notice more odor when you empty your pouch after you eat certain foods. Some of these foods are onions, garlic, broccoli, asparagus, cabbage, fish, certain cheeses, eggs, baked beans, Brussels sprouts, and alcohol.
Well, elimination of waste is a major body function and your elimination of waste has changed; in fact you need to wear a prosthetic device (ostomy appliance) to manage this change. You have a record of an impairment of a major body function, therefore you are protected by the provisions of the ADA.
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.
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.
Also, it is normal to smell your ostomy output and gas when you are changing your ostomy bag. As you would if you went to the toilet the standard way to poo, it's natural for it to have a smell... After all, it is waste from your digestive system!
Wash your hands before and after caring for your stoma. The best way to clean the skin around your stoma is to use warm water and a washcloth, or soft paper towels. The use of gauze or gloves is not needed.
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.
In order to loosen your stoma output to prevent pancaking, you can try to drink prune or grapefruit juice. Also, you should limit food that thickens your output like bananas. For more information on dietary suggestions, check our full article here.
Loose, watery stools may cause you to change or empty your stoma bag more often than usual. Diarrhoea may be caused by illness, tummy upset, or even food poisoning. You may find it helpful to wear a drainable stoma bag due to the increased watery output from your stoma.
Key things to keep in mind
Wearing them lets staff know that you have additional needs. While you will receive a more respectful and discreet experience at airport security, having a stoma won't exclude you from having security checks altogether. So you should be prepared for some sort of body search.
It occurs when the blood supply to/ from the stoma is impaired or interrupted, resulting in partial or complete stoma tissue death. As blood flow and tissue perfusion are essential for stoma health, deficient blood flow to the stoma will lead to necrosis.
Skin irritation
This is the most frequently observed complication with all stoma types [2, 7, 12].