What causes the need to empty the colostomy bag 4 or 5 times a day, without diarrhea.

Question.

High output iliostomy. Me with a colostomy usually once sometimes twice occasionly three times. Depends what you are eating and drinking. Others with an iliostomy will be more helpful.

You empty what you eat....

I have a colostomy not an iliostomy.

This subject could bring many answers. Frequency of emptying your pouch 4 or 5 times isn't at all unusual. Just the other day I emptied my pouch that many times. There was only a small amount each time but I decided to empty becasuse of opportunity and ease of cleanup. If I had waited the number of times could have been reduced. However, if your pouch was so full each time that you felt you had to empty then parhaps your system had accumulated a large amount of material which worked its way through your intestine and was ready to exit. What comes out of you is a result of what you put in. Evaluating your output for appearance and texture is more informative than frequency. (In my opinion). I had my colostomy 25 months ago and now have output in small amounts 3 or 4 times each day which pretty much coincides with the eating habit I've adopted which is small portions 3 or 4 time each day. A portion for me as an example is like a small bowl of cereal with fruit or a good sandwich or a burrito or couple of tacos. And of course I make soups and stews and casseroles and freeze single portions. To fill in I have flavored crackers and fresh cut up vegetables or fruit and to start my day I have 3 homemade peanut butter cookies with 2 cups of coffee. If I overindulge on something my output goes haywire and punishes me. So, see what your output is telling you and enjoy!

(Postscript) On the other end of the output scale I have occasion where there is only one output per day, or even no output. It used to scare me but the system sorts itself out and recovers.

Ok, how full is your bag? What have y.ou been eating? Regular bags or minis? How long have you had your ostomy? Answers to these questions may help you to understand what is going on.

Very good answer!

Mike

I'm not sure who initiate d the first question....emptying a pouch  4-5 times a day with a  colostomy..    Colostomy just tells  you where in the intestinal tract   the opening / stoma was made..    iit could be at t he beginning , close to the rectal stump, which means you have  most of your colon.    Or they could have removed  most of your colon, but brought what was left  onto the abdominal wall.....leaving y ou very little large intestine/ colon to absorb fluid...When I first had s urgery more than 50 years ago, that was referred to as a " wet colostomy" and accounts for the softer, more frequest output...   Those aare questions y ou need to ask your surgeon...   If in fact, you do have most of your colon,   then some people opt to irrigate daily  ( at the same t ime each  day).   That get's you somewhat  regular....and easier to  keep a schedule..   But if  you want to remain as y ou are,   just purchase t he full sized pouches, and treat it  as an ileostomy...   It also has to do whith the type of foods y ou are eating and d rinking..   More fiber, is going to cause more output.....    So  experiment with diet as well, and see if that changes anything...   Best of luck , Marsha