Trust Your Instincts: Emptying Your Bag at Night

As far as getting up to empty your bag in the middle of the night, if you feel like you have the urge to do so, you should get up. Personally, I sleep with one hand placed on my bag and feel if I am starting to balloon; I just get up. Of course, every night is a new adventure with each bag that I have on, depending on what I have to eat that day. The bottom line is, if you feel like you should get up, you probably need to empty.

Mine seems to wake me up automatically to empty.

Yes, you're right; any newbies that don't listen to your advice and get up will soon learn the hard way. I'm lucky it's only my other end I need to get up in the night for, old age and a prostate that's seen better days.

I often wake up with a pretty tight balloon stuck to my belly, and I often wonder just how close I've come to it being too late. Fingers crossed that never happens.

Terry

G-Day cjotl2019,

I find it's like a second sense that I seem to wake up just as I need to empty.

Never ignore it.

Regards, IGGIE

My Ostomy Journey: April | Hollister

I'm glad I read this. The human brain is an interesting and amazing thing. I believe that as we feel the pressure of the gas or effluent putting pressure on our abdomen, we are awakened. That our brains rewrite and adapt like this is… well, amazing.

There are advantages to having to get up and urinate during the night. My ileostomy, so far, has not been too full and usually needs to be emptied.

I set an alarm for midnight and 5 a.m. and get up and empty. I can usually get back to sleep after midnight, but for the 5 a.m. one, I am usually awake, just laying in bed until 6 or 7 a.m. when I decide to get up.