Shy Stoma

Replies
42
Views
1276
Redondo
Sep 10, 2023 8:54 pm

Just wondering if anyone has the same problem that I do. When I change my pouch, nothing flows out for hours. It's like the stoma is shy and everything stopped working. I always change first thing in the morning and within a half hour I have a light breakfast as always. But nothing seems to come out for hours. I don't know if the air gets to it or what happens?

Beachboy
Sep 10, 2023 9:39 pm

What you describe is exactly how my stoma works. I have a colostomy, and use a 2-piece Hollister system. I change the wafer every 7 days (change bags every couple of days). I changed the wafer this morning at 7:00 am. It's now 2:20 pm, the bag is empty, the stoma is looking clean and red. Sometimes nothing comes out for 1 1/2 days. It's been like this for 8 months. It does not seem to matter what I eat or when.

At first, I freaked out a little... thought I had a blockage. But had no pain, stoma looked good, so I waited to see what would happen. The next morning, output returned to normal.

Stomas are "shape-shifting" fickle little beasts. After a shower, my little jewel will sometimes grow a big bump near the tip. Other times it shrinks, exposing another bump area at the base. Hours later.... All is back to normal.

As long as your stoma is red and looks shiny, you should be OK. Any unexplained pain or different color, see a Stoma nurse or doctor right away.

Cheers,

Dan

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gentlejohn
Sep 10, 2023 10:54 pm

Sounds like you have an ileostomy. I have noticed the same thing. It might be hours before it functions sometimes. Other times it will function quickly. Ileostomies function whenever they want to sometimes.

Beachboy
Sep 11, 2023 12:28 am

It's now 5:30.... Still no output. Business as usual.

Mysterious Mose
Sep 11, 2023 12:35 am
Reply to gentlejohn

Egads! Hours, you say? I wish! 😰

Daniel

 

Words of Encouragement from Ostomy Advocates I Hollister

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Beachboy
Sep 11, 2023 2:37 am

7:36... All quiet on the stoma front. Wish my bag looked new like this all the time.

AlexT
Sep 11, 2023 3:47 pm

Enjoy the time with no output and relax. Mine is like that too. I go a little bit here or there, then I'll get a lot of output at once. Then, nothing for up to 2 days.

Mysterious Mose
Sep 11, 2023 4:03 pm
Reply to AlexT

I can understand how that can be with a colostomy. I did not think that an ileostomy would act that way. My output is constant. I'm sure that is related to my lifelong habit of grazing, rather than eating regular meals. But even if I limit my eating to regular meals, I still get at least a modicum of output between getting rid of a meal and waiting for the next one to erupt. The gap is never hours, much less days. I would be interested in understanding the eating habits of people with ileostomies that go for hours with no output.

Daniel

Beachboy
Sep 11, 2023 7:28 pm

It's 12:30 now in California.

Stoma still silent, bag still looking new. But like magma waiting to erupt... I'm gonna have a mini stoma volcano soon.

TerryLT
Sep 11, 2023 8:03 pm
Reply to Mysterious Mose

I'm like you, Daniel. I don't just eat three meals a day and probably don't go more than four hours without eating something. Plus, I have an ileo, so my stoma is pretty active all day and night. I tend to eat late at night, not a great thing I know, but so be it. The price I pay is having to empty two to four times in the night. Changing my pouch is always a bit stressful, as I know I have a fairly small window of time before things start working. Most times, my timing is pretty close. I'll get my new pouch on, and within a couple of minutes, it starts to erupt. Whew!

Terry

TerryLT
Sep 11, 2023 8:06 pm

High Redondo, your profile doesn't say whether you have a colostomy or an ileostomy. It is common to go for hours without any output if you have a colostomy. As others have said, as long as you are comfortable and your stoma looks healthy, nothing to worry about.

Terry

Mysterious Mose
Sep 11, 2023 8:22 pm
Reply to TerryLT

I also tend to eat late at night and have to deal with burps and/or emptying during the night. This does not bother me, as I am up anyway, due to an aging bladder/prostate and arthritis pain. Adding the one task is no big deal. Just have to be extra careful if I am on the groggy side. :-)

I also try to curtail my night eating before appliance changing mornings. Am not always successful with that, but I try...

Daniel

 

infinitycastle52777
Sep 13, 2023 1:32 am

I have the opposite problem. When I change my bag, my stoma can't wait to dirty the new bag and make itself all dirty again. A lot of times when I press the wafer down, it squirts then too before I can get the bag on. LOL

What's your secret?

Lee

Beachboy
Sep 13, 2023 4:12 am

Finally at 9:00 am or so (Tuesday), my little volcano became active again. Had to empty my plastic containment device (AKA...bag) twice in one hour.

So to recap: Changed wafer Sunday morning, no output until Tuesday morning, even though I ate quite a bit.

This mirrors my routine before I was graced with an ostomy. Usually BM every 2-3 days.

AlexT
Sep 13, 2023 4:25 pm
Reply to Beachboy

Pretty much how mine works. I'll get a little here or there but most comes out all at once and then I'm pretty much done for another 1-2 days.

IGGIE
Sep 15, 2023 5:40 am
Reply to infinitycastle52777

If you eat a big volume of food, you will have a big volume of shit.

AlexT
Sep 16, 2023 3:45 pm
Reply to IGGIE

All depends on what kind of food you eat and how well it gets absorbed.

Redondo
Sep 17, 2023 9:32 pm
Reply to gentlejohn

Yes, I have an ileostomy. Normally, within a half hour to an hour after I eat, I have to empty it. Stoma looks good so I'm not worried. Actually, I think it's best it doesn't flow for a while after I change to give more time for the new pouch to adhere.

Thanks for sharing your info.

Redondo
Sep 17, 2023 9:36 pm
Reply to Mysterious Mose

I usually have output quite regularly and at least 1/2 hour to an hour after eating. But, I'm trying to eat low calories and not eat too late at night so that I don't have to wake in the middle of the night to empty. I don't eat very many vegetables or fiber because I'm concerned about blockage which has happened to me when I do that.

Redondo
Sep 17, 2023 9:37 pm
Reply to TerryLT

I have an ileostomy. Everything looks healthy. I was just wondering if others are the same way.

Redondo
Sep 17, 2023 9:39 pm

Thank you everyone for sharing your info. It was very helpful. Even though everything is healthy, I was just curious if others had the same experience.

Doe1mama
Sep 18, 2023 1:44 pm
Reply to Mysterious Mose

My husband doesn't want any output from his ileostomy when he goes to the gym (3 days a week) or if we're going out for linner (3:30 meal). So in the AM he only has OJ, coffee, and an Ensure shake. This works for him.

But when he's just eating normal meals, it's kind of willy-nilly. Sometimes we feel like it rules our lives. There are times we think we have timing figured out and all at once it will start up during an appliance change. His ileostomy is certainly an adventure for us.

Mom2Sons
Sep 18, 2023 3:00 pm

I have an ileostomy and my output is constant. My stoma is healthy and I feel I am as well. I've become accustomed to emptying my bag as often as I can just to prevent a bulging look under my clothes and I seem to feel cleaner without having anything much in it. It doesn't matter too much what I eat or how much…this little thing is a busy bug 😜.

IGGIE
Sep 19, 2023 1:31 pm
Reply to AlexT

I am not talking about what you eat and how you eat it, but the volume you eat. You eat big, you shit big.

Mysterious Mose
Sep 19, 2023 2:26 pm
Reply to IGGIE

Eat big
Shit big

Would fit nicely on a t-shirt! Where do we send the royalty check? :-))

Daniel

Beachboy
Sep 19, 2023 3:16 pm

Overheard at work this year:

Shit happens

I don't give a shit

Shit-faced

Shit for brains

Dumb shit

Stupid shit

 

And shit's poopy derivatives:

Asswipe 

Shit ass

Stupid ass

Tight ass

And my all-time favorite...

Asshole.

 

 

Justbreathe
Sep 19, 2023 3:24 pm
Reply to Mysterious Mose

Me too... jb

TerryLT
Sep 19, 2023 8:11 pm
Reply to Mysterious Mose

LOL! Sign me up for one of them.

IGGIE
Sep 20, 2023 2:28 pm
Reply to Mysterious Mose

Consider it paid in full. Regards, IGGIE

marshallkerry189
Sep 22, 2023 5:30 pm
Reply to TerryLT

Mine is the same. It is only non-active if I don't eat at all. But even when I drink, it comes out. I have two, one on the right side and the left one is the poop stoma, and the other is my ileostomy. It just has mucus in my dressing.