Dealing with Ostomy Odor & Noise: Need Advice!

Hello, I'm new to all of this. I got the ostomy a week and a half ago. I'm still housebound but hope to be able to socialize again soon! My problem is I am a really self-conscious person and my bag is putting off loud toots and very smelly. I fear I will never have confidence in public. Help anyone? TI A

Morning Little Stinker and welcome to our awesome group...

I am and was just like you, hun, but after talking to my ostomy nurse and her suggesting a very simple fix for the toot smell, I now venture out whenever warranted.

Simply place a sticker over your filter on your pouch. This blocks the smellies and reduces ballooning as well. Empty yourself, place the filter, allow a little air in the bag, and this should help. You will see you're comfortable enough to go out....

You got this.

Tracy

If your bag is smelly when you're not emptying it/have it open, you need to change something with your setup. You can add lubricant/deodorant to your bag to reduce/eliminate odors. As far as noise, that's not your bag, that's you. Might need to tweak your diet a bit to eliminate the gas.

Welcome to the group. If your pouch is sealed well and you are using a deodorant made specially for ostomy pouches, there should be no smell. As far as the 'toots' go, you might want to change your diet to eat less gas-causing foods. Good luck.

Chicken salad sandwich from a gas station causes quite a bit of ruckus in an ostomy bag, just an FYI.

Good information to have.

Hiya,

When I first had my ostomy, he was a very active wee tinker, lots of inappropriate noises at the least expected moments. Luckily (or not) I was stuck in the hospital for a month or so after, so it was only medical professionals and the odd cleaner that got blasted with his symphonies. Things did settle down after a short while though, so I guess it was a reaction to the distress my poor ol' gut had gone through. And hospital food.

Nowadays it's not a problem, though I do keep an eye on my diet so as not to provoke belly

As for the stink though, you shouldn't have that. All the bags I've tried have reasonably effective filters that keep the pong at bay, so, I'm wondering if you might want to try getting in touch with other manufacturers, get them to send you some free samples of their wares and see if they suit you better? I use Coloplast Sensura Mio, and it's very very rarely that I have smell issues with them.

Good luck, and welcome to the club!

Rob

Hi, welcome! My stoma was really active and noisy early on, but it calmed down over time. It only makes noise now if I eat anything gassy. If you're talking about the output from your bag being smelly, I use M9 Odor Eliminator Drops by Hollister. They really cut down on the smell coming out of my bag and into the bathroom. So does a really strong exhaust fan!

And is what you consume, certain veggies and fish make you output smell and gassy. Check what you eat and see what makes your output smells.

For me, it is - milk and most milk products result in bubbly eruptions -

Also, noticing that my morning coffee is another country heard from - fortunately, the only one hearing it is my hubby and he wouldn't dare dis me because he's a fart smeller - ah - er - smart feller'

Ewww from a gas station might cause more than gas, Alex T.

That's what I was thinking. LOL

Hey little stinker! First, what a great ostomate name!! Wish I had thought of that!! So you've got lots of good advice. Bear in mind you're freshly ostomated......so things need to settle out. Some folks naturally have more odor than others, and diet can be tailored to help address that, but your odor may just be temporary. Any odor that you can smell when you're not emptying your bag, as mentioned, means something is amiss..........either with your bag's filter (which is a sort of vent) or in how you're applying your barrier/bag. Usually if it's a problem with how your barrier or bag is applied you'll have a leak to show for it. Because if air can get out......so can your "you know what". If no leak.....it's most likely the bag's filter. They make perfumes and such to try to hide the odor, which I doubt really work......so if it persists you may want to try a filterless bag and excuse yourself from your friend's company every so often to go 'burp' your bag, if you have any gas.

Now the loud tooting sounds are a bitch. Had that happen today during a presentation I was giving to our leadership, in a very large quiet conference room. Luckily I was wearing an overshirt, so although it sounded loud to me.......it didn't appear anyone in the audience much noticed. To them it probably sounded like an upset stomach, if that. Being summertime no one wants to wear much clothing, but you have to think of it like you were living in an apartment and didn't want to hear the street noise. Thick drapes dampen sound, so think that way with clothing as well. The thicker the material the less sound will pass through it. You can find bag covers made of almost anything.......try to find one made of something thick.....like corduroy or denim. I'm not well versed in material, so maybe someone can offer up some good material choices. The only other thing to do is make a joke of it if it happens in front of people. Just say something like....man, I really SHOULD have had breakfast!!

Life as an ostomate is so much fun.........isn't it? Hang tight girl, you're in for a wild ride.........the osto-fun is only just starting!!!!

;O)

Bob

Hi stinker

Shouldn't be any smell at all .. ever.

If you can smell it, something isn't secured properly. But in the early days, I was sure I could smell something but it was just my imagination.

As for the noises, you're only a week and a half in, your insides don't know which way is up yet and are trying to process the new configuration, should subside in a few weeks except maybe now and then.

Hi Stinker, lots of good advice from others so I'll chip in my 2 cents worth. A dietician once told me to eat greens as the chlorophyll in it reduces smell. Alternatively, you can go to a vitamin shop and get chlorophyll tablets. Also, stay away from carbonated beverages for a while.

Thank you for the suggestions and the welcome, Homie! I love this group... it is comforting to know there are so many of us! Not that I'd wish this on anyone, lol!

Your comment gives me a chuckle! It is me that is tooting but I just can't figure it out! I have a deodorant I use but it reacts somehow and makes me smell like rotten cabbage! On to another one to try! Thanks for responding!

Thanks for the welcome and advice!

Hi Bob! Loved your response! Makes me chuckle but also realize this is out of my control! Just have to get over the embarrassment! Easier said than done for me! But I will get there! (I hope lol!)

Thanks Ron! I hadn't thought of chlorophyll but it makes sense. When I get farther along in healing, I may try charcoal too!

Ok, so I just started back to work a few months ago. To reduce the fart noises, I wear a Tytex wrap band. It decreases a lot of the noise.
As for the smell, it might be in your head. Ask someone to see if they smell you.

Good day, little stinker.

Like Jimboy stated, you can wear a wrap and use a thick cloth to help muffle the sounds, since our farts are higher than other people's sitting on a chair cushion. Now, as far as your gas problem, you can go get Beano. It helps reduce the gas from foods you eat. I only get the liquid. I take 10 drops under my tongue. The taste isn't bad like Worcestershire sauce. The tablets take too long in my opinion. For the toilet, you can buy Poo-Pourri. It works great when you visit someone's house and have to let a load go. Plus, if money is tight, you can use mouthwash and Tic Tacs in your pouch to help with the odor. Remember, you just got your new friend, so your world is upside down. You have meds still in your system. Also, if you read a lot of the older posts, you will find lots of answers better than the quack. They install them very rarely. You find one that lives with a stoma. Plus, venting on this site is free. It's the best stress relief you can ask for. So, when you're down and not feeling like yourself, think of this little saying: "Suck it up, buttercup. You're on this side of the dirt, not the other." ;p