Inquiring minds want to know

Replies
16
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266
xnine
Oct 22, 2025 10:42 pm

I have a colostomy. My bag balloons quite often. I was just wondering if it is me or the bag contents that create the gas? I do not feel the release of gas, but I am wearing a football.

Georgy Porgy
Oct 23, 2025 12:42 am

I'm not saying I know this is happening, but I swear the bag has its own ecosystem. 🤷‍♂️

AlexT
Oct 23, 2025 2:13 am

It's just you.

Doe1mama

My husband's ostomy nurse recommended the site two years ago. The help and recommendations they have given us is invaluable.

Beachboy
Oct 23, 2025 2:35 am

I say... a little of both.

Intestinal gas is a natural byproduct of digestion. Swallowed air and the breakdown of food by bacteria in the colon cause gas.

Stool remaining in the pouch for a while is probably giving off some gas, aided and abetted by the occasional "toot" from Mr. Stoma.

I've performed a few surreptitious bag burps that brought tears to the eyes of Mrs. B.

IGGIE
Oct 23, 2025 3:25 am

It's you, my friend. And you have a colostomy. A colonoscopy is when they insert a camera up your butt to check your colon.

Regards, IGGIE

 

Staying Hydrated with an Ostomy with LeeAnne Hayden | Hollister

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Night owl
Oct 23, 2025 3:51 am

Likely, diet is the main culprit here. I find that when I eat right (for me), I rarely, if ever, have gas and certainly no balloons! Try eliminating certain food groups to find the culprit, e.g., carbs, sugars, dairy, etc. One at a time for a week, then add it back in and see what happens.

xnine
Oct 23, 2025 4:55 am

I failed spelling in first grade.

Justbreathe
Oct 23, 2025 10:08 am

I agree with Night Owl….

Air-in-bag to Xnine: you are what you eat
Xnine to Air-in-bag: say what?
Air-in-bag to Xnine: although milk is the number one hydrator, it may also be the number one aerator…. as are other foods and drinks

jb here: For me, it's milk, and of course, milk is my number one favorite drink! Then there is that Sea Salt Caramel ice cream….OMG…if hubby is having some, I must have some as well. These two infractions turn out to be a benefit of owning a stoma (in my world, the words benefit and stoma together are an oxymoron). In the old days, these items were trapped in my belly and painful, but today the end result is a balloon bag.

Just sayin' you may want to examine what you are eating and eliminate some favorites….OR be glad that air is trapped where it's not painful…good luck…jb

warrior
Oct 23, 2025 10:21 am

Wait... it is football season, no?🤣

Axl
Oct 23, 2025 12:17 pm

It's you; your body knows you sold your bike.

SusanT
Oct 23, 2025 2:38 pm

Some gas is normal... a football may be excessive. 🤣

Georgy Porgy
Oct 23, 2025 3:22 pm

It depends on whether we're referring to the Patriots. 🤭🏈💨

timhack
Oct 23, 2025 3:25 pm

You might want to switch to a filtered bag if you are not using one already. That is all I use. It prevents odors and prevents the bag from "footballing." Sometimes the filter gets clogged or stops being effective. Change the bag. I am using a two-part system. I don't know what you are using. I decided before I left the hospital after surgery that burping the bag wasn't going to work for me.

TerryLT
Oct 23, 2025 9:07 pm

Yeah, it's definitely you, Xnine. I get lots of gas from my diet, totally self-inflicted, and usually, it's really obvious. I hear it and feel it when it comes out. But sometimes I have 'stealth' gas that I'm not even aware of until I check my pouch and discover some inflation has occurred!

Terry

Dwild-WA
Oct 23, 2025 10:30 pm

I find that while some foods do make a difference in the amount of gas I get in the bag, the process of eating stuff like chips can lead to me inhaling air along with the food, and then I have the football experience. So yes, I'm saying that when I'm snacking on stuff, I seem to also ingest a lot of air; not sure why at all. My bags all have filters, but I find I still need to burp the bag. Not sure if the filter isn't working or what, but at least the filter isn't leaking for me, so there's that!

xnine
Oct 24, 2025 12:15 am

I use a two-piece system with a filter. The filter only works until I have output. Try to change at the halfway point; any more is risky. This happens at night or first thing in the morning.

SusanT
Oct 24, 2025 2:03 am

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣