Need Advice on Managing Odor from Dad's Colostomy Bag

Hello everyone! My dad is 90, but he is very active and lives alone. He's in great health. He had cancer and now has a colostomy bag. The issue is that his house absolutely smells like an outhouse. All the time. It's so hard to step in there. I finally told him last night, and he said he can't smell it! Oh boy. I've read your post about how you have no smell? I've asked him many times to put deodorizer in his bag, but he just won't. He burps his bag about every 10 minutes, and I don't think he realizes he's doing that. Very unpleasant. I don't think he's getting the seal done right. Help!

This is a hard one. Colostomy shit smell is pretty funky, especially with releasing gas every 10 minutes in the house. If he is doing it throughout the house, there could be minor splashes too.

You might talk to his doctor and find out why he cannot smell the poop. Also, visit his wound care nurse to make sure he is applying the bag correctly. Ask your dad to kindly use deodorant and not release the gas while you are there because the smell is making you sick.

Or visit on the porch or in the backyard. Your dad is very lucky to be 90 and active at home.

Hi. I think there was an answer to this type of situation no less than 72 hours ago.

Unless I'm seeing things.🤔

I can't find that other thread now, but it resembles yours.

My answer there was to be sure it's your dad and not the plumbing first.

Once that is settled, it seems your dad is too stubborn to try a deodorant in his bag. Well...that's on him, not you, to fix. Either you stop visiting him or wear a clothespin to get the point across.

Granted, a loss of smell can happen over time, but immediate? Dunno about that. Still not a good reason to avoid a daughter's suggestion.

There is no reason to be burping back that many times in one day.

If his appliance leaks, he will be complaining of a burning sensation due to poop acid eating his skin.

Do you help him change or monitor his appliance?

Might not be anything wrong with the seal. It's probably more to do with letting all the smell out every ten minutes. I would also guess, since he can't smell it, that there may be a cleanliness issue with him (not keeping the end of the bag clean, getting output on the toilet, leaving old bags in the house, etc.). It's pretty easy to tell if it's a seal issue because there'll be some sort of output under the seal.

How long has he had the ostomy?

Perhaps he needs to use a pouch with a filter. I used to use the Hollister brand pouches and found their filters to be subpar. Now I am using Coloplast Sensura Mio and have found all of their filters to be the best. I never have to burp them! I am now using their Flex line and find them to be odorless. Also, adding a few drops of m9 at each emptying brings it to zero odor!

Words of Encouragement from Ostomy Advocates I Hollister

Hello mbaker69.
Thanks for sharing your dilemma with us, and I hope you will get a few useful replies.
There are several different ways to perceive this problem: One is to see it as a problem for the person emitting/causing the smell. However, if they cannot, or will not, perceive it as a ‘problem’, then alternative perspectives might need to be considered.

Smells of one sort or another can be a very real problem for those who find themselves ‘suffering’ from them.
Personally, the various smells (including faeces) emitted by old people have never adversely affected me much, so I have never bothered to bring up the subject with them. However, I am severely (adversely) affected by certain smells that I need to absent myself from, otherwise I become ‘ill’.
Perfumes, soaps, detergents, spray paints, dust, and some pollens are among the many scents I simply cannot cope with.
(Fortunately, my wife is quite understanding and rarely ever wears perfumes).
On occasions, I have worn masks to try to overcome my aversions/allegies, but most of the cheaper (covid-type) masks simply do not work for smells. I also have some professional masks that do work, but they tend to look as if they are part of a hazmat suit and are not very conducive to personal relationships.
One of ‘my’ most effective resolutions to this problem is to use my portable CPAP machine with an inline hepa filter (sometimes with the addition of some albos oil). This device enables me to excuse the device as being necessary for my own wellbeing (as if it has nothing to do with the external ‘smell’). Most people are used to seeing those few folks who need to use an ‘oxygen’ feed device to keep them alive, so they are not inclined to comment negatively about my ‘mask’.
In my own home, I have an air purification machine that is effective enough to filter out any airborne impurities(including smells) and allows me to live a relatively smell-free‘normal’ life.
Quite a number of older people are among the many humans who cannot smell their own odour. If your dad has reached the ripe old age of 90 years, he has probably become what they usually call ‘nose-blind’ to his own smells.
Sometimes, it is more convenient to get someone outside of the family circle to try to resolve these sorts of problems. A stoma nurse, a home carer, a doctor, or some other professional like a social worker, or friend, might find it easier to persuade your dad to make the changes necessary to diminish the smell. Also, this is not an unusual problem for elderly people, so those organisations who profess to help family carers will undoubtedly have some suggestions in this regard.
Otherwise, it might be something that you need to come to terms with and ‘manage’ in ways that diminish the adverse effect on you.
I realise that this post may not be that much of a ‘practical’ solution to your problem, but sometimes just discussing this sort of thing with others can help ‘sufferers’ to manage and cope with the presenting problems.
Best wishes
Bill

Hello MBaker,

Because anti-odor products aren't covered by insurance in the Netherlands, there aren't many options here. What is available are products that prevent pancaking or products that are highly absorbent and have added deodorants, for example, from Coloplast.

I was advised to eat cottage cheese every day and to put one or two paracetamol tablets in the bag. I thought that was a strange suggestion, but it does work.

There are several products available that your father could use in the bag to break down the odor. The stoma nurse can help you with this and with the seal.

For around the house (trash cans, toilet), I use Nilodor. It's very concentrated. One drop is enough. Neutradol is similar. It destroys bad odors and leaves a light, fresh scent. Perhaps you could use a professional deodorant with a timer? Cheap sprays usually only add scent. Then it smells like poop with flowers. Not practical either. It seems like a difficult situation. On the one hand, you're happy that things are going well and he's still so active. But of course, you want to solve this. Hearing and smell deteriorate significantly with age.

I remember burping my bag and putting the blame on my dog, lol. I can't speak for anyone, but I've had my ileo for almost 40 years and can still smell very well. I have an elderly relative with IBS; it can be smelly at times when I visit, but I know I will get some fresh air once I leave.

Your dad's 90 and set in his ways, just like all of us. Our change can be hard, especially the older we get. Burping the bag will be the problem; it's more air freshener/diffuser in the house that's needed, but if he won't use them, it's just a case of grin and bear it. As long as your dad is as healthy and well cared for, that's all that really matters.

Warrior and I replied in this old thread.

https://www.meetanostomate.org/discussion-forum/viewtopic.php?t=35426

But I'm glad you started a new thread.

With the additional information about him burping the bag so frequently, I think you have identified the source of the problem.

Get him some M9 drops and try to convince him to burp only in the bathroom with the vent fan running.

It is a difficult situation for you. He obviously doesn't realize how uncomfortable it is for you and anyone he is around.

Perhaps you need to read all of these replies to him so he can identify the problem. Make sure he understands that this is done from love and support from you and all of us.

It may be prudent to have a plumber check your drains and wax seals on your toilets. If you take your dad outside, does he smell? I use Adapt lubricant (1 tsp.) and hydrogen peroxide (1 tbsp.) in my bag to help make output slide and kill odor bacteria - it really works to keep anyone else from smelling anything and is inexpensive. If he is using a bag with a filter, it might be an issue. I never tried filter bags, as my brother-in-law said they leaked and didn't really help with smells. If your dad can't burp, look into EZ-vents that you can attach to bags.

Thanks for the replies, everyone. It is tough. He has had this since February, and it's been a trial. He has so many bottles of M9, and he will not put any in the bag. I see him tomorrow, and we have to have a candid conversation. I think he needs his doctor and nurse to help him. This is hard. Thanks again.

I have one more suggestion that I found helped my poop smell just a little bit better - eating yogurt changed the smell to something more normal. I think it was all the antibiotics I had during surgery and recovery that changed the smell to something horrific.