Reusing Closed-End Bags: Safe or Not?

Can you rinse a closed-end bag and reuse it, or is that dangerous and unhealthy?

Hey there, all ostomy bags, open or closed, are not meant to be reused.

Oh, okay. Thank you. I was told the drainable could be rinsed but could weaken the seams.

That's why I asked if anyone rinsed the closed-end ones.

The closed pouch is not designed for cleaning, increasing the risk of bacterial growth and subsequent infections around the stoma area.

Perfect! Thank you.

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Hello

I think there is some confusion here. Some people rinse them after emptying while still attached, then continue on as usual, and then discard the whole bag when it is time to change the whole thing, anywhere between two days to one week in some cases. Rinsing out an attached bag while wearing it won't cause any issues with seams, etc., if that is what you wish to do.

Yes… My nurse even told me it was okay, but now I am scared.

You will be fine; there are always concerns at the beginning. You will find them tougher than they look. I always wear flange extenders, a barrier ring, and the thin elastic belt supplied by the manufacturer if your brand is designed for one.

Thank you

Yeah, if yours is closed, then no need to rinse because you will be changing it after it's full anyhow.

Thank you.

On holiday, I had to rinse a few; no issues. Not something I want to do all the time.

Thank you.

If you want to reuse your bags, why not get drainable bags? That way, you only use one bag until it's time to change your wafer.

Because the flange and barrier that works for me only comes in 12 inches drainable, I am going to order it to use at night. It's just too long to wear during the day for me; it just looks really bulky under my clothes. I am short, so it's really noticeable. I hope that answered your question.
Let me know; I am always open to suggestions.

Hi there, Lady A! I noticed you said you use the closed end because you're short and you don't like the bulky look under your clothes. If you switched to the drainable bag, you can empty it as frequently as you want to keep it flat against your abdomen, and with a snug tank top, it would hardly be noticeable even under a T-shirt. I'm pretty short (5'-2"), but then again, my stoma is placed above my belly button by about 1-1/2", so the bottom of the bag stops at about the bottom of the zipper on my jeans. Did you know you can wear the bag sideways or diagonally? Also, with Coloplast bags anyway, you can secure them folded in half with the little Velcro piece that sits right at the stoma on the opaque bags, keeping its profile small but still drainable. I just wanted to point out some of the versatility I have noticed so that you didn't think you had to use closed end bags - which just seem like a lot of work, not to mention the frequent changing making your skin irritated - to me anyway.

My hubby always tells me when I have picked a particularly good outfit for bag seclusion. But more importantly, recently, I haven't really cared if it shows a little under my clothes. Most of the people I am around don't care; they care about me and if I'm feeling good. And I don't care at all what strangers think, but I realize that's because I'm an old lady now - it's not that easy when you're young.

Anyway, keep trying out the options; before long, you'll be used to all of this!

Hi.. Thank you for the nuggets. My issue with the 12-inch bag is that I am 5' and short-waisted, if I am making sense when I say that. I am suffering from chemo fog at the moment. 😀

The 12-inch bag comes down to my thigh and is really bulky if I roll and tuck. If I turn it sideways, it reaches my other thigh and just feels uncomfortable.

I am not trying the 2-piece bags, so I only change the bags. I am not having leaking like I was with the one piece. My skin is now healing since I am not having to change the flange as much.

I am not comfortable yet in my skin with the new changes in my life. Getting there.

Keep sending me nuggets… by the way, I tried the Coloplast 1-piece shorter length, loved it, but had lots of leaks, and my skin was just raw and painful from having to change so much.

I am also extremely gassy, no matter what I eat. I am taking Beano once a day; maybe I need to use more or eat smaller meals more often. I don't eat after 6-7 PM, just drink liquids: water, cranberry juice, or Gatorade.

Have you tried kid-sized bags?

We hardly realize the amount of air we swallow while we eat. The goal is to minimize the amount of air we swallow while eating food. The quantity of air bubbles ingested considerably increases if you talk while eating. Habits such as smoking, sucking on candies, sipping drinks through a straw, chewing gum, and gulping drinks increase the amount of gas entering the ostomy pouch.

You totally make sense; using what makes you comfortable is like 90% of the battle. You just go ahead and do what you're doing. I'm short-waisted too. I was so lucky that I was able to consult with a stoma nurse before my surgery, and she helped me figure out the best spot for stoma placement. Not everyone gets that option, so I recognize how fortunate I was. We settled on a high placement so the bag wouldn't hang too low. Also, I have a bunch of big, wide stretch marks on my lower belly, and so the skin was in better shape up high. My surgeon thought I wouldn't be happy with it, but I really am. The only thing that gives me a scare is the steering wheel in my Tacoma; it's perfectly in line with my stoma, and since I'm short, I have to sit close to the steering wheel so I can reach the pedals and see! So, I use a stuffed animal and tuck it inside the seatbelt right between the steering wheel and my stoma.

I've been really fortunate with not too much leaking. I have an excellent stoma nurse, and she knows so many good tricks. I'm the opposite of you—the two-piece systems are leaky on me, while the one-piece light convex goes 3-4 days with zero leaks. I haven't tried to go any longer than that; I just do two changes a week and rock on! I am gassy at night; I have to set a 2:15 and 4:30 alarm, and each time my bag is a full balloon, so I tiptoe to the bathroom. I had one blowout while I was walking in the middle of the night, so now I'm way more cautious because that was a freaking mess! Haha. I tried changing my eating/drinking habits, but nothing stopped the middle-of-the-night gas, so now I just set the alarms and move on with life.

I have been just wearing my pouch with the little belt. I don't even bother trying to tuck it in, but I've been getting ready to put the hernia prevention belt into use because I am freaked out and paranoid about getting a hernia. It's just been a long, hot summer, and I'm also at peak menopause, so I am having my share of hot flashes throughout each day, and the thought of having that hernia belt on is just—ugh! But my surgeon told me that with the condition my abdomen is in—as in, not good—the belt is probably necessary until I can work myself up to better health, so I'll be doing that this coming weekend. You have to measure and carefully cut the hole in there for the pouch to come through, and it's a process.

Wow! Keep me posted. I thought about getting a hernia support belt or wrap because I do have a little roll of unwanted fat where my stoma is. I do have another belt, though.

Ha! I wish mine was little(r)! I'll take some pics once I have the belt all situated.

Thank you!

You take beautiful pictures!😊

Thank you

I am always thick, so I have to use a little water to rinse mine out upon emptying. I wear it for the time I can, which I have to every other day, and then when I change, I throw it away. But to rinse, wash, and reuse, no.

Just now seeing this. No, I have not. I will look into that.

Hi, I thought I responded to your message.

Thank you!

No, I have not, but I will look into it. Thank you…

Hi, I am shorter than you by a few inches, and I use the Coloplast Sensura Mio One-Piece Drainable Convex for my colostomy. I was prescribed it by accident (I had also been using a closed-end bag), but with the convex drainable, I get no leaks as it's designed to fit over any bulges and dips in the skin. Also, of course, I can just rinse it out, so it's a lot easier on the skin as you're not pulling it off and on all the time, just rinse and go. I can't imagine how hard it would be to rinse out a closed-end bag; it would be so messy I don't think I could do it. I don't know if this will help or not, but us shorties have to stick together. x