Red Solo Cup: A Game-Changer for Ostomy Bag Changes

Yup, I said it, RED SOLO CUP!! Grab that solo cup while rolling when changing and fill her up and HAVE A PARTY!! So I have an ileo and I literally never have a quiet time. So bag changes are super fun, lol not really but hey, that's ostomy life, takes me anywhere from 2-3 hours and after that a very short window of about 5 mins to slap on a bag. So while sitting there for over an hour trying to catch my output with a million gauze pads clumped in my hand... I grabbed a red solo cup and boom y'all, works freaking great!

Here's another possible way to do it:  identify that time of day when your ostomy is at its least active and change then.  For me, that's early in the morning when I first arise.  It's around 3:30 to 4 AM and I haven't eaten anything since about 5 to 6 PM the day before.  I prepare for the eventuality of having to deal with discharge, but it almost never happens.  It takes me about ten minutes to prepare and lay everything out, then about ten minutes with it off, then the new bag is on and I'm done.  I'm guessing that I have some minimal discharge perhaps once in ten changes.  You don't have to get up at an early hour like I do, but just don't ingest anything for about 8 - 10 hours prior to changing.  I change every fourth day and I also don't eat anything that'd make me run the day before, such as ice cream or other milk products.  

And what goes in the red Solo Cup?

Not anything you want to drink ... 

So, no beer pong?

Here you go, Beth. Handle and reusable....

Guess where Beth lives....

Sorry, Beth. Sometimes I have issues controlling myself.

Hey, now that's the size I need. Lol

Lol, every change day I sure do... Hahah, these are awesome. As the song would go... Red solo cup, I fill you up, let's have a party, oh let's have a party!!

I just bought red and blue for the 4th and have the 'spring/summer' colors pack if you ever want to change up colors, Beth.

Try eating a few marshmallows half an hour before change time. They tend to slow things down. I also change first thing in the morning. Good luck.

Lol, you know, I think I will... Now, if you ever come across a leopard or zebra print one, let me know.

Hey there,

I appreciate you taking the time and suggestions. Unfortunately, I can't eat marshmallows. I wish I could, lol. And honestly, I truly don't ever have a quiet time, not any part of the day or evening or middle of the night. I can wait 4 hours after eating and she still rolls. She rolls even after 10 hours. She likes the air, lol. Every time I think I got a window, as soon as she gets out in the open, boom, lol. I just got a feisty stoma... I do appreciate you trying to help. Thank you.

Ooooo, I love those. Now I'm wondering if they do have any specialty versions like that.

Just get the variety pack....

I'm gonna make one

Alex, oh yes!! Wait, wait, it's too small. Lol, I'll fill that up in 2 seconds and paper... ooooo that will disintegrate. Hahhhaa...

Do it! And picture please.

Duct tape?

No, not duct tape. Something else in mind. When I get it finished, I will send a picture.

You have me curious now...

Lol, hopefully it comes out right...

This is a pretty entertaining thread.

Relatively speaking, you are still kind of a newbie, and I expect that things will change over time for the better. They have changed for the better for me. I'm not sure why, but my stoma seems to have gotten with the program over time.

Hang in there. There is certainly a chance it will get better over time. Mine is kind of like our dogs. We never were able to do a good job of training them, but over time they eventually got the idea.

I have tried every way literally possible.. none of it works.. like I had said she doesn't ever stop moving and never has a quiet time I can go 12 hours without eating or drink and she still rolls.. I've tried every time of the day .when I say no quiet time I literally mean no quiet time. And I run thick with an ileo so you think it would be a bit easier to change but nope.. lol she beats to her own drum

Lol, I just post real-life shit. It just happens to be real life in a red solo cup.

Almost a year and a half in, lol, but on my 5th stoma and 3 different locations. She's been pretty set in her ways, lol, and she moves like a helicopter, hahaha, round in circles, left to right, front and lifts back like an elephant trunk... in and out and every which way... she's a circus show. My stoma's problem is she loves to be free!!!! She will look quiet and as soon as that air hits BOOM, lol, haha, red solo cup time.

Just change in the shower ??

Lol, I've tried that way too.

Tip. Eat marshmallows, maybe a handful. Wait 30-45 minutes. Changing your bag will be so much easier. Stops output. Drink water after to get things moving. It's really the only way I change my bag. I'm a week. See if this helps? Good luck buddy. Try it.

Hi there,

Like I had posted above, although I appreciate you trying to help, but I can't eat marshmallows for other medical conditions. And if it wasn't for that, I still couldn't eat marshmallows. I run very thick no matter what I eat or drink or how much. I would get a massive blockage. I have tried everything else under the sun. My stoma is what it is, unfortunately and fortunately I got a leaky faucet, lol.

I'm the same!