Discovering Ostomy Irrigation and Stoma Caps

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7dragonflies.hm
Jun 29, 2025 3:58 pm

Hey everyone! It's been a while since I've been on here. It's good to see some familiar names and faces. I hope you're all doing really well. I miss you guys.

I wanted to come on and mention something I read yesterday that I had never heard about when I had my colostomy and ileostomy: the ostomy irrigation and ostomy cap. I think it's geared towards colostomies from what I gathered. But apparently, there's something called irrigation that involves putting a small cone-like piece with a tube connected to a bag of warm water into the stoma and flushing it. Then, after some time, usually 15 minutes to an hour, it flushes in liquid form out through the bag. I guess it starts the peristalsis and gets things moving. I think it's meant to help with the predictability of output. Then there's the stoma cap, which is literally like a cap that snaps onto the wafer. It doesn't allow for room for output, so it's made for those who do the irrigation and have that down to a science. It's usually used for swimming and such, but I read some who have mastered the irrigation wear it all the time. There's also mini bags. These two products are much more discreet than the regular bags.

I very well could be talking about stuff everyone already knows about, but I had my ostomies for a year and had never heard of any of this. I always thought irrigation was rinsing my bag after dumping it. There are YouTube videos on irrigation and the stoma caps too.

Anyway, hope it helps someone! I love you guys and think about you all the time.

Heather

SusanT
Jun 29, 2025 4:35 pm

Thanks, Heather! Some of us know about irrigation, but I'm sure there are some who don't.

Just to add, it's restricted to those with descending or sigmoid colostomies and is contraindicated for those with IBS-D or a history of radiation treatment in the pelvis.

If you are interested, get ahold of your surgeon to see if you're qualified, and then get a stoma nurse to help you.

Gray Logo for MeetAnOstoMate

Marjatta

This group has been my go-to during my loneliest hours whenever I've had a "bag blowout" at 3am and there was no one else in the world to talk to.

Because it's a global community, there's always someone here to lend an ear, provide advice, and just hold my hand if that's all I need.

Sure, there's also a lot of camaraderie, fun topics, and laughs, but the main reason I come here is for the total acceptance I get from the members. No one else on the planet could possibly "get" what I'm going through, not even my loving husband or supportive family.

The "Meet an Ostomate" forum is definitely a one-of-a-kind family, which I am very proud to belong to.

M
xo

7dragonflies.hm
Jun 30, 2025 4:04 am

Hey Susan! I had a sigmoid colostomy in 2023 that was replaced with a loop ileostomy before a final reversal in 2024. I didn't know irrigation was a thing to actually do. I don't know that I would have been brave enough to do it, but it sounds nice, being able to kind of influence the going, if you will. If that indeed does that. When I read about it, I immediately wanted to come on and tell everyone in case it could help anybody that might not know.

Now I've got to catch up on some of BeachBoys stories! 🤭

IGGIE
Jun 30, 2025 4:04 am

I hope you find the irrigation suitable for yourself.

Regards, IGGIE

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