Mucus buildup causing pain and discomfort - seeking advice

So I've had this colostomy bag since I was 4 and I'm 20 now, and for the past 3/4 years, mucus has been a problem in the bottom. It seems to just mount up for months and then start putting a type of pressure and a type of burning feeling before it comes out. It's as if the mucus builds into a ball and decides it's time to release it. It smells pretty bad and affects me for a few weeks. Now I'm still in college, and when it does decide to come out when I'm in the building, it's like I'm on the toilet for hours because of the pain of not being able to stand. I've been told to take suppositories, but when you do take them, it seems to just last as long as it does once the pain disappears on its own. It just doesn't seem to go away.

Now I have heard about the bottom being sewed up and this just stops, but that means surgery, and now since I was 4, I had around 60 operations, so that's a line I don't find I want to cross going into an operation which may have its risks.

If anyone has any tips on this, please drop a message.

Kind regards - Stay safe

Hello Victorialouise.
Thanks for your post and I am sorry that you are having this problem.
I replied to a post yesterday about the same sort of issue so I will copy that for you here.
For me, the first year or two was the worst in that during the initial wave of healing there was lots of dark brown discharge, where the blood and scabs were dislodging; This was followed by months /years of excess yellowy (& various other coloured) hardened mucus, which I eventually had to dislodge by irrigation. After what seemed an eternity, the mucus began to turn into a clear semi-liquid, which was much easier to pass out of the anal canal and catch on an incontinence pad. It has carried on like this ever since and the pains of the earlier time have subsided and no longer bother me.
The irrigation I refer to was via a device/devices, I needed to make for myself by adapting two anal irrigating catheters working separately under pressure. One flushed the internal end section of the anus and the other flushed the sides. All that hardened mucus was dislodged and I had some relief. I had to stand/squat in the bath to do this procedure and the mucus would simply wash out into the tub.
Now! There is a serious caveat to my story and that is, the catheters were not widely available because several patients had previously perforated their bowels in the process. I had already been using these devices successfully for some time before my stoma operation so I was relatively skilled in the technique, and the medics were persuaded that I could use them sensibly and safely.
The medical fraternity would much prefer us to use the stoma cones for irrigation as these problems do not arise with such a short insertion. I could not irrigate with the cones because my peristomal hernia simply did not allow the water to penetrate past it.
As stated above, gradually the problem eased and the mucus turned to clear and relatively runny. Hence, no more hardening and the mucus freed itself without my intervention.
I do hope others on here have some more effective and practical solutions to your problem as I know how frustrating and irritating it can be.
Best wishes
Bill

Thank you firstly.

Secondly, I have irrigated but my body can't hold the amount of water anymore, so I stopped altogether.  

Once the pressure goes, the mucus runs out anytime of the day for around 1/2 weeks but stinks vile.

I have Crohn's disease, but still have my rectum. Whenever my disease is active, the mucus becomes very smelly... horrible smell... and more mucus. At this point in time, Humeria keeps the disease under control.

I am so sorry you have gone through Crohn's. I had my bottom in the wrong place, but the hole was repositioned. However, I have a colostomy bag as it doesn't work. It's like the muscles are too weak to control the feces coming from the bottom area. But I've not had my bottom stitched up, so it's an ongoing problem and it smells at the most random times.

I hope you get better.

Much love - stay safe.

Living with Your Ostomy | Hollister

Hey Victoria, did you find a solution to the mucus? I'm struggling with it right now.

No, I have not. Sorry. I find it helps when the feeling is there too, try to squeeze it kind of back up until the sensation passes, but I probably cause more issues by keeping it up there. I only just saw this reply as well. Sorry. I hope you're doing better.