I'm not tall by any means, but I'm trying to get my point across. I recently had a hernia removal, and my ileostomy was relocated over 4 inches higher than my previous one. I'm having problems finding a bag longer than 12 inches. Any advice is greatly appreciated. I'm at my wit's end. Thank you.
Lokiritz
Jul 26, 2025 4:20 pm
SusanT
Jul 26, 2025 5:59 pm
I am tall-ish with a very high stoma placement. My stomas are roughly 3 inches above my navel, nestled just inside my rib cage.
I know why you want longer bags. My urostomy does fine emptying when standing, but I struggled to empty my colostomy. It is too high to empty while standing, and the bag outlet hits at the top of my legs and gets all over me if I empty while sitting.
Normally, I use a closed-end bag, but that won't work well for an ileostomy. What I ended up doing when I was prepping for a colonoscopy was emptying into a large plastic cup, then dumping and rinsing the cup into the toilet.
Hopefully, someone else will be along with more suggestions.
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Posted by: Karen & Stella
Fay,
I am one of those few people who still have a lot of output at night. However, I suffer from short gut syndrome after seven bowel surgeries that led to the loss of much of my small intestine as well as my large intestine from the initial bowel cancer surgery. It does get better over time as your system adjusts, but an ileostomy can be a challenging adjustment. It's important to connect with a good Enterostomal Nurse - ET nurses who can help you problem-solve over time. It's been five years since my initial surgery, and I had a great visit with a new ET nurse in December. He really helped me with the problem of high output at night. I had been getting up every 90-120 minutes to empty my high output bag because of filling. If I slept for three hours without emptying, I would have problems. My ET nurse helped my husband and me make a nighttime collection system using a Rubbermaid juice container with a handle and my old CPAP hose. This is connected to one of my two-piece high output bags and allows for continual drainage. It isn't pretty, but it has been a real lifesaver. I guess the real message I want to share is to stick with it, find a nurse who you can work with, and together you will find solutions to whatever challenges you face. This website is also an important support for me and others. There is nothing you will go through that others haven't already faced and figured out. There is so much wisdom here. Read the materials they've put together for newbies. There are a lot of great suggestions to use. I hope things get better quickly for you.
Karen
I am one of those few people who still have a lot of output at night. However, I suffer from short gut syndrome after seven bowel surgeries that led to the loss of much of my small intestine as well as my large intestine from the initial bowel cancer surgery. It does get better over time as your system adjusts, but an ileostomy can be a challenging adjustment. It's important to connect with a good Enterostomal Nurse - ET nurses who can help you problem-solve over time. It's been five years since my initial surgery, and I had a great visit with a new ET nurse in December. He really helped me with the problem of high output at night. I had been getting up every 90-120 minutes to empty my high output bag because of filling. If I slept for three hours without emptying, I would have problems. My ET nurse helped my husband and me make a nighttime collection system using a Rubbermaid juice container with a handle and my old CPAP hose. This is connected to one of my two-piece high output bags and allows for continual drainage. It isn't pretty, but it has been a real lifesaver. I guess the real message I want to share is to stick with it, find a nurse who you can work with, and together you will find solutions to whatever challenges you face. This website is also an important support for me and others. There is nothing you will go through that others haven't already faced and figured out. There is so much wisdom here. Read the materials they've put together for newbies. There are a lot of great suggestions to use. I hope things get better quickly for you.
Karen
IGGIE
Jul 27, 2025 12:39 am
G-Day Lokiritz,
If you place a container on a service at the right height, you could empty it that way. Or if you can, kneel in front of the toilet bowl.
Regards, IGGIE
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warrior
Jul 27, 2025 2:22 am
What type or brand of appliance are you using? You can find extra long bags. They are out there. Not sure which suppliers offer them, but Coloplast has a long, large capacity bag for its appliance.
lclark5585
Jul 27, 2025 5:34 am
I've also done that. This also helps on trips. It saves from going into random gas station bathrooms.
My Ostomy Journey: LeeAnne | Hollister
Audrey Warren
Jul 27, 2025 6:19 am
I have a colostomy and also find standing
comfortable. I use a large plastic container in the sink and slowly empty the output into the container and flush that down the toilet. I then rinse the container. I replace it every month.
Bill
Jul 27, 2025 7:16 am
Hello Lokiritz.
Each evening and overnight I use an irrigation sleeve, which I fold up and 'peg' at the top to make a 'bag'.
These sleeves are long enough to reach all the way down to the water in the toilet (whilst still standing upright) so there is no splashback.
They are also very convenient for sliding the end under a tap for rinsing out.
Having used irrigation sleeves from Dansac, Hollister and Coloplast I would say that there is not much to choose between any of them as they all work adequately. I have also used both single use and 2 piece ones, which also work in much the same way.
It might be worth asking for some samples and doing a bit of experimentation.
Best wishes
Bill
xxxltd
Jul 27, 2025 3:07 pm
I am 6' 6" tall with an ileostomy for almost 3 years, and I am very familiar with your issue. I use a rolling medical tray (found on Amazon for about 40 dollars) and a plastic bowl. The table can be adjusted up and down to fit your needs. I pre-fold TP and keep it on the table to keep the end of the pouch clean, then empty it into the toilet. I keep the bowl as clean as possible. When I leave the house, I keep 4 or 5 doggie bags in my pocket (also found on Amazon, Google flushable). These bags are flushable and biodegradable; in all my years, I have never plugged up a toilet. Before emptying the pouch, I fold and prepare TP for use after the pouch is emptied. Empty the pouch into the bag (after emptying, keep the end of the pouch pointed up), drop it in the toilet, clean up, and you are done. Happy to answer questions.