Just wondering why I have so much more output with the colostomy than I did before?
While I realize there will be a bit more since I use more things like Metamucil or Ex-Lax (being extra careful to avoid opioid-induced constipation), there is a LOT more, way more than I eat (and I know poop is more than just food). It seems like a crazy amount most days.
Sorry if this is a totally stupid question.
Hello BoobieZoo.
Thanks for your interesting post. From my perspective, there is no such thing as a stupid question for a site like this.
When I take Metamucil, my output always increases quite a bit. I don't know the precise reason for this but suspect that the process is one where it expands and loosens whatever is already there, which is what it is designed to do.
It doesn't bother me too much because I irrigate so I don't have the hassle of tending to a bag during the day.
I would recommend irrigation to anyone who has that option, as it opens up a whole new world of stoma management that offers much more freedom from the potential drudgery of bags and toilets.
Best wishes
Bill
MeetAnOstoMate is a remarkable community of 41,428 members.
“I mostly read and still feel like I belong.”
“Doctors took notes; they want others to find this website.”
“From midnight blowouts to big wins, there’s always a hand to hold.”
Hi Mike and all. I am not sure how panoramic my perspective really is as my peripheral vision shrinks with each passing year. I can tell you that when I came to this website six years ago I was truly ;impressed by the positive attitudes of so many members, especially the younger folks who refused to let their ostomies define who they were or what they would become. I also came to appreciate that having an ostomy is not the same thing as having a disease. Pardon ;my pun now, but ostomies and cancer don't belong in the same bag. One is a solution, the other is a problem. Celebrating National Ostomy Day ;is also well outside my comfort zone. That's like celebrating National Wheel Chair Day. Come on!
I think there is a ;need for improved ;public awareness of ostomies, but I am not sure how that's best done. There ;remains ;some social stigma attached to our situation, and it's acutely felt among our young. We need to get out of the dark ages on this issue, but not by going 'in your face' to everyone else. I think Bill and NDY are 'spot-on' when it comes to telegraphing the right message to friends and family. People will know how to react when they ;see ;how we accept the cards we were dealt. I also appreciate the contribution some people here are making to this effort through their publications.
On a personal note, my son has been suffering from ulcerative colitis for years just like I did. I am very concerned because people with UC are at a higher risk for colon cancer. Years ago my GI told me to get annual colonoscopies to be on the safe side. I am glad I did because he eventually found pre-cancerous cells which led to several surgeries and my becoming an ostomate. Since then I have always ;conveyed a positive attitude to ;my son about wearing a bag because it has kept me alive to enjoy many more years with my loved ones. I think he got the message. We both go to the same gastroenterologist in NYC and get scoped on the same day. Father and Son moments!
Someone once wrote that our children are the letters we write to the future.
PB
There are really no stupid questions here. If something is bothering you, you might try irrigation.
Hi Bobbie, if you are adding Metamucil to your diet, you are adding psyllium fiber, which will add bulk to your output.
Terry
So, you're saying you have more poop now than before having a bag? Well, yeah, you aren't using the normal muscles to hold the poop in anymore; it comes out when it wants/needs to, not when you decide to go. Also, if you were sick before your bag, you probably weren't eating too well, and now you're eating better… more poop. Add in the Metamucil stuff… even more poop. Poopology 101. 🤓
