Eating Agar to Slow Output: Anyone Tried It?

Replies
11
Views
327
meghan.faye
May 18, 2024 3:39 am

Has anyone tried eating agar (seaweed) to slow their output?

Kas
May 18, 2024 12:01 pm

Nope. Just the usual: banana, applesauce, potatoes. Have you tried the seaweed? Does it work?

Kas
May 18, 2024 12:01 pm

Nope. Just the usual: banana, applesauce, potatoes. Have you tried the seaweed? Does it work?

Posted by: Nini4

Well,  I  hit the two year mark. I went back and read my posts from when I first found this site. I was very fortunate in that I stumbled upon it only 4 weeks post op. I have said many times that this community really saved me. The first 2 weeks after my surgery I shut down completely. It wasn't until about the 3rd week that my son came in to my room, flicked on the light and told me I was going to have to get back to living because I was scaring him. I had fallen into such a depression.  He  ticked me off,  but it also made me stop and think- what was I going to do? Feel sorry for myself and sulk, or be grateful I was alive. 

I've re-read my journals from that time and it was after my son kicked my butt, so to speak, I took an honest inventory and had to dig deeper than I've ever had to. I mean, I had survived a pretty nasty divorce, after a pretty crappy marriage and that was tough. But this was different. I felt like I was now a handicapped person who would be limited in their life and be looked at as a freak. My mental state was precarious, at best. 

But then I found this site. I just lurked a bit before posting. I read so many of the other stories and I started to see just how full my life can be, I was not handicapped,  and certainly not a freak! The stories of survival, the sense of humor, the support and compassion was inspiring.  It was then I made myself get out of the dark, and get my sh*t together.  

Not all rainbows and sunshine at first, hardly! But with grace from myself - to myself, and the kindness and willingness of the folks here to be supportive, non judgemental and openly share intimate details about their life circumstances,  l not only survived but thrived. 

I think of all the years I had suffered with such extreme pain, barely functioning,  and the many hospital stays and how that is all behind me now.  (All fingers, toes, and legs crossed that I never have to go near a hospital for myself ever again. I think I'd rather have a fork stuck in my eye. I loathe every about them.)  

So, to everyone who has been a part of this journey with me, to say thank you is not enough. I'm forever grateful to know you all.  My Angels, each one of you. 

 And as the Grateful Dead famously said,

"what a long strange trip it's been!"

Im so happy I'm tripping with you all.


Mysterious Mose
May 18, 2024 5:30 pm

Not something I have tried either. I would much rather have the more palatable things Kas listed. :-)

Daniel

Justbreathe
May 18, 2024 5:55 pm

Ileostomy here…. I have a smoothie in the a.m. in which I put 2 teaspoons of psyllium fiber sugar-free powder as recommended by my surgeon. This slows things a bit and coagulates output for easy path out the spout… I might add that I do add a slight baby oil lining in my pouch 1st thing in the a.m. to keep things slip slidin' away down the shoot.

 

My Ostomy Journey: LeeAnne | Hollister

Play
ahynes111
May 18, 2024 10:45 pm

I always found if my output was thicker, it would blow my wafer...

Mysterious Mose
May 18, 2024 11:02 pm

That's interesting. Do you sleep on your back? Of course, if you did, I suppose liquid output would do the same, only quicker. I just haven't heard that before and am curious as to why.

Daniel

Bluejay
May 19, 2024 8:31 am

No, I never heard of it before. Where do you get it, and does it really work? Right now, I am using Metamucil. If yours works as well, tastes as good, and is cheaper, I will start using it.

aTraveler
May 19, 2024 10:06 am

Thicker, slower output:

• Ileostomy only: Crackers, pasta, rice, ripe bananas, toast, yogurt, milk (preferably boiled), creamy peanut butter, breads, cheeses, and potatoes.

• Applesauce, [unripe] bananas, [boiled] rice, peanut butter, tapioca [toast], white [wheat] bread, [boiled] potatoes, pasta, crackers, milk, chocolate, weak tea, marshmallows, jellybeans, and cheese.

Justbreathe
May 19, 2024 11:50 am

Ditto…

Skeezal
May 19, 2024 12:41 pm

Hey there! Have you tried making your wafer hole just a bit bigger to accommodate the extra girth of your output? I had the same problems when I started thickening my output—would blow out in the middle of the night and create just chaos for me. I drink a little fluid at night, and a very slightly larger pouch hole has helped. Mine was always literally water all day, and the thickeners were working so much at night when I started taking them; those adjustments helped. Good luck, and I hope you get to a place that's manageable for you!❤️

meghan.faye
May 19, 2024 1:17 pm

Concerns as well as application. I know that different cultures use seaweed for all kinds of things. Agar is super mineral-rich as well as hydrating. It's used to thicken; I used to put it in smoothies when I worked at a very high-end health spa. It can come in capsules. I'm going to try and find someone or an Eastern medicine doctor who may have tried.


Login to see image