How Often Should I Change My Ostomy Bag?

I am using the Sensura Mio convex bags, which are drainable. At the moment, I am changing them every other day. Is this what most other ostomates do, or how often should I be changing the bags?

Also, I have been using several drops of peppermint or lavender essential oil in the bag each time I empty it to help with odours. Does anyone else have tips on keeping fresh and eliminating odours? I would be grateful for any advice. Thank you.

Hi Janko,

You're in the right place to get plenty of support from our large community. Everyone here is really helpful and full of great advice.

As for changing your ostomy bag, it really depends on your personal comfort and how your skin is reacting. Many people find that every other day works well, but some might change it more or less frequently. It's all about what feels right for you. Regarding odour control, using essential oils is a popular method. Some folks also recommend using deodorizing drops specifically made for ostomy bags, which you might find helpful.

With thousands of members here, you can use the search feature to find others who live nearby or are around your age. It might be comforting to connect with someone in a similar situation. Good luck!

I'm using the same pouches possibly. If you are using their 2-piece system, you might give their 1-piece drainables a try if you can get them to send some samples. I got 3 samples and am currently on my last one.

You shouldn't have to change the pouches that often. I'm getting a week's use from the sample 1-piece. The last bag didn't last more than 24 hours. It had been put through a few miles from the night before when I had spoiled soup 🤦🏼‍♂️

I assume you are changing so often due to the odor? That was the only reason I would change earlier than a week.

Hopefully, you will find a normal pace soon.

It's nice to meet another every-other-day bag changer! Most people on here get several days between bag changes, but I never did.

We all vary when we need to change our bag. All of our output is different, and all of our stomas are different. I am also an every other day as well.

Hi there, I also use the Mio bags. I change it every two or three days and rinse them out every time I empty it. I absolutely do not suggest using any oils in your bag. The oil can interfere with the adhesive around the opening at your stoma. If you are so concerned about odor, Coloplast has a deodorant that works really well.

Do you use the refund blue stickers that come in the Mio box to cover the vent button on the bag when you shower? If not, make sure you start using them. When you shower, the water gets into the bag at the vent button and wrecks the bag's odor ring, which then contributes to your bag expelling odor from the vent button. Just make sure you take it off when the bag is dry so gas can escape. If you forget, you'll know as your bag will quickly fill up with air. If it does and you don't burp the bag, it can build up and cause the bag to leak.

Living with Your Ostomy | Hollister

Hi Janko,

I'm using those bags. I change my bag every fourth day, or if I get very itchy, which usually indicates that I have a slight leak.

I use Brava's lubricating deodorant to help with the stink of my ileostomy, as I tried everything before that, but nothing else worked. It does not take all of the odour away, but it is a definite improvement compared to if I do not use it.

A few drops of mouthwash work for deodorizer too!

I use the same system and started out using the Hollister M9 drops for odor control. Those worked pretty well, but I discovered the Brava Lubricating Deodorant... and it helps keep the inside of the bag lubricated and clean, while it also deodorizes. I'm also relatively new to this, but at first, I was changing bags every day to every other day. I found that using the seal rings worked much better for me than the paste. I sometimes go 4 days without changing the bag but believe it's more important to pay attention to your skin than to worry about how often you are changing the bag... and often change after two.

If changing every other day feels right for you, then yes, it's right. Just carry on doing what you feel is right. Standard practice in the UK for a stoma nurse is to say to change every 2 or 3 days; they can often last much longer. That's just a personal choice if you keep them on longer.

The question to ask is, do you need to change every other day? Or is it by choice? Like Beth said, everyone's timing on when to change is different, and nobody should base their own change intervals on what someone does. Personally, I could probably go a week, but I choose to change every 3-4 days because of how hard I am on my bag/setup, and I don't want to risk having an issue, especially at work.

There are a lot of people who change their bags less often. A lot of people get 7 days between changes. I got to 7 days by adding a day gradually. I mark my calendar for 5 days, and if things are going well without itching, I will add days, assuming no skin irritation. I have never gone more than 7 days.

Odor can be controlled in many ways. Some people have used Altoids. The gold standard for controlling odor is using a small amount of M9, which has been better than Hollister's Adapt in my experience.

I change daily because I have a colostomy, and the smell permeates through the bag after 24 hours. It smells like garbage and poop.

Interesting. Unless I have a leak of some sort, I can never smell anything, and I have a colostomy too.

The smell is real. We are all different. Maybe because it is a sigmoid colostomy?

I wish I could go 3 or 4 days without changing my bags; it would save money. The smell even clings to my pants or underwear close to the bag.

If you are not already using a barrier ring, I would suggest it. With an ileostomy, you may need to change more often than someone with a colostomy, but you should be able to go longer than every other day. A barrier ring will extend your wear time, and because you live in Scotland, you would have access to the 'Salts' brand. Try their aloe rings. They were a game changer for me. I only change my pouch once a week, and I have an ileostomy.

Terry

I usually change my bag every 3 or 4 days. If I am having problems with the skin around the stomach, I change it every 2 days. Nystatin powder really helps heal my skin. I switch back and forth between Nystatin powder and Stoma powder. I think I am allergic to the sticky wafer.

I should have told you that I use a barrier ring to protect the skin, too.

I change bags every 6 to 7 days now thanks to my insurance not understanding ostomies. I used to change every 3 days. But my insurance has decided I can change bags without changing my whole appliance, so I don't need to have enough wafers to change every 3 days. Grrr... but I am doing okay with every 6 days. It is just by luck I think that I haven't had a leak.

I change every other day too. I always have my skin start to itch and get sore if I don't around my base plate. I would rather do a change than be sore; been there, done that. So hi, my fellow other day changers! Each to their own routine, I say. What works for me might not work for everyone. xx

Love this suggestion of using mouthwash - however, I wonder whether it is irritating to the stoma? I suspect not given you are doing so. Thank you for the suggestion. The purchased bag deodorizers can get pricey or don't work at all.

As an aromatherapeutist, I too do not recommend using essential oils in your bag. Very few essential oils should be used "neat" - without dilution. I have major concerns about both the effects on adhesion of the pouch, but more importantly, injury to the skin.

Janko, as others have said, you do you. What “most” ostomates do is basically irrelevant until and unless someone's anecdotal report hits you as something that may be helpful to your situation. None of us is identical to another. But we do seem to ask the same kinds of questions, so be reassured that you're in good company.

Your bag question: If you are getting two good days' wear with no hint of any potential leak or damage to the peristomal skin, you might consider trying 3 days' wear. But only if you want to, not because “most” others are doing something differently.

I had been having unpredictable leaks and blowouts in the Hollister 2-piece I was given post-op and in rehab—lasting only between 2 and 42 hours! The Sensura Mio Soft Convex one-piece pouch and the Brava Ostomy Ring saved me! It wasn't until two months after my ileostomy that a wise and wonderful Ostomy Care Nurse suggested it at my first appointment. Apparently, my roly-poly belly with creases was not letting the flat wafer of the other product get a tight seal. In the 12+ months since the change, I've had only one leak.* Both the OCN and the manufacturer say the optimum wear time is 3 days. When I change, I can see that the ring at the bottom of my stomach has eroded and could leak in a short time, so 3 days is good for me! (*After a couple of good months, OCN suggested trying it without the ring. Oops! That was a 2-day wear and a major eruption!)

About odor control: peppermint oil is an economical and moderately effective choice. My OCN recommended it but cautioned me to use only ONE drop. More can interfere with the seal of the wafer and ring, as well as being an irritant to the skin. I prefer the Brava Lubricating Deodorant for its effectiveness and ease of emptying. However, Medicare limits how many bottles I may have in a four-month period and, trust me, their decision is not based on real experience with ileostomies that need frequent emptying! I now use the Brava only at bedtime or when I might need to empty away from home because I can empty without rinsing. At other times, I use either the peppermint oil or M9 drops. Both control odor, but rinsing the bag is necessary.

With my apologies for blathering on, I hope there's at least a kernel of help in my reply. Come back often and do let us hear what you decide is your best practice for caring for your ostomy!

I have an ileostomy and use Sensura Derp convex 2-piece click. I change my appliance every day. I had to change, and it's not been a month yet, so I play it safe and change every day.

Closed or drainable?

I live in the US, and we can't get salt rings. Wish we could.

Missb, I have tried too. I have also contacted and talked to a manager a couple of times, hoping they would end up coming to the USA, but unfortunately, no such luck.

Hi, if you use Eakin Cohesive Slims (adhesive washer), you will eradicate any form of skin irritation because if your poop gets in contact with your skin, it appears to burn. The washer stops any poop from making contact with your skin when fitted correctly. They can be stretched larger to fit your stoma. The washers are obtainable through COLOPLAST.

I can go 8 to 14 days and just tried an adhesive wipe and went 16 days. I also wear a belt 24/7/365, but it works.

You went 2 weeks without changing the wafer? Not sure how you managed that with an ileo. I don't recommend it. But be careful of infections.

Hi Lib, the only apparent reason why you are getting skin irritation is that your poop is making contact with your skin; it will feel like it is burning your skin, which it is. You need to be more precise about the size of your barrier ring around your stoma; no gaps, otherwise your poop will definitely burn. You may need to consider a convex bag, as I have found the seal much better. I've been using them now for 5 weeks on the suggestion of my nurse, with complete satisfaction. Good luck.