Tips for Managing Nighttime Ostomy Bag Emptying and Diarrhea

I have the same issue, it doesn't matter what it is, not even 20 minutes after I eat it's coming out. What kind of meds do you take that are supposed to help with this issue?

Necro

I take Lomotil 8 tabs @ 2.5 mg a day.

I've never heard of it...

It is a prescription anti-diarrhea med. It's basically the same as Imodium.

Oh, alright.

It will always be watery because it is an ileostomy, like mine. I've had mine for 21 years and it is still watery. You will find that your eating habits won't affect it that much, as when you are asleep your muscles relax. Then you'll find that it will come out more often.

Hi Lee. Sorry, your reversal didn't go well. I had a severe blockage on 13th October, just after my last post here. Ended up having my hernia repaired and my ileostomy reversed as an emergency on the 14th. I have just come home after 3 weeks in the hospital.

The op went well and wounds were healing until I got E-Coli C Diff. Then the hernia wound got infected. My colon is a bit unpredictable but working well. I'm glad I had the reversal so far, fingers crossed. If it had just been the reversal, I would have been healed a lot quicker. The wound for the hernia repair is 8 inches up and down the middle of my tummy and quite painful. Best wishes... Annie.

The first year you have an ileo, you're up at night a lot. Try a high output bag or try something that will drain into something like a foley bag. Get some help where you buy supplies and they know about stuff. I've had mine for 19 years and it still wakes me up or I'll have a blowout. I'm a nurse and you'd think that I would know everything about them, and I've found that ET nurses know less than I do. Other ostomates and companies selling supplies are your best bet. I still have problems and no, I'm not used to it. I'm tired of it. It complicates your life and there's no getting around it. But it beats being sick all the time. My life got so much better after my surgery. You might want to get a stool culture or a stool for C.diff to see what's causing your diarrhea. Drink a lot and keep potassium pills on hand. Somehow, someone else always drinks the orange juice. Good luck to you.

Imodium has a substance like Demerol in it. Narcotics slow down your intestines and that's why it works. Beware. You can end up in rehab from Imodium. I used it when I traveled and realized although I had very little output, I was not myself. I googled it to check for side effects because it made me so irritable and found out about what a bad drug it was. I was really disappointed because it worked so well. I ran around all day eating and drinking with almost no output.

The small bowel is a very adaptable organ. Give it some time. Don't drink right away. Give your small bowel a chance to adapt to your mild dehydration. Sometimes the more you drink, the worse it gets. Just slow down and don't take any of the meds. If I chugged water all day, I'd have problems too. Right now, I'm really thirsty but I'll live with it for a while. It's a really big adjustment. You'll be okay.

Hello Tess,
I have had an ileostomy for 28 years. I had surgery last year and had some small bowel removed. I have always had diarrhea and it became worse after losing more bowel - I have short bowel syndrome.

I used to sleep on my stomach, but couldn't for a long time. I can now, but am used to lying on my side with a snuggle pillow - a long pillow which allows you to sleep halfway between your side and tummy. It may be worth a try.

Regarding your output - I had a talk with my gastroenterologist and he convinced me that getting up 4 or 5 times a night is not normal. I am taking up to 6 Imodium or Gastro Stop a day + 2 codeine tablets 3 times a day. I was reluctant to take codeine with all of my other medications but it has worked. I now sleep through the night. Beware if you have liquid output - it is very likely you won't absorb many medications - particularly slow-release tablets. I used to find my OxyContin tablets in my pouch. I had to switch to a quick-release tablet. I have sometimes found even capsules that have only partly opened. The same thing happened with the contraceptive pill.

I have a Stealth Belt rather than underwear. They are very discreet. They are available from the states - just Google it - and delivery is prompt. I wear it when I'm worried that I might have a leak - it gives me valuable extra minutes to reach a toilet. I'm having fewer leaks as I no longer have such a liquid output. I'm from Australia and applied for the Incontinence Aid allowance, I get $500 a year from the Government and can use it to try these things.
We are very lucky in Australia - we just order what we need and only pay a small membership fee. Almost everything is covered by the Appliance Scheme and it doesn't matter if you have insurance or not.

Good luck with your problems!

Possum

I have had mine for 2 and 1/2 yrs. I sleep on both sides but not on my stomach. I get up once at night around 2/3 am just to pee. I have an overactive bladder all my life.It just depends upon how sleepy I am whether I feel like emptying it or not. I get lazy.I usually do empty it. Last night I didn't and woke up with a very heavy output. I tried eating marshmellows but it doesn't work for me. I ended up taking immodium and that put me into the hospital with a blockage. So I can't take that medicine or the other. I change my appliance at my quiet time around 10 am every 6 to 7 days. I stop eating around 7:30 pm.I have to drink about 60 to 64 oz of fluid a day or I will become dehrdryated.Everyday I try to eat a banana to thicken up my stool.For the afternoon I will have another fruit or a rice cake. Dinner time I eat applesauce. I do not like having a watery stool but don't want my stool to be so thick that it pushes off the wafer because that has happened before.I have to drink 64 oz of water a day because I have a rare kidney disease as I have only have 35/40% of kidney function left. I have tiny micro blood clots in both of my kidneys due to cancer medication. Drinking water does not make my stool watery. Eating too much fruit and vegetables and other foods do that to me. You need to drink water so you do not get dehrdryated. You wouldn't believe how many people on these ostomy sites don't drink enough water.For my overactive bladder I take a medication called Gelnique that comes in gel formula that I apply on my upper arm or abdomen. It really helps me with my bladder urges that come on so strong that I couldn't even hold my urine in. Now I don't have that problem. If I have to go to the bathroom, at least I can hold it now.I have found no matter what time of day or night I drink the water, I still have to get up and go to the bathroom in the middle of the night especially when I wake up from a sleeping position a little signal goes up in my brain saying it is time to pee.

As awful as it sounds, it wasn't too difficult to adjust to. I don't eat or drink after 3pm, with the exception of nightly medications. My stool is 100% liquid, and this reduces the number of times I get up to empty my bag during the night. I have had my ileostomy since 1990. If friends/family complain I can't eat after 3pm, I simply tell them they haven't had to deal with the particular types of health issues I've had to. At best, I will nibble on a cracker. Unless they've had the problem, they won't understand and nothing you can say will faze them.

Hey Mark, I'm in Forster as well. I had my ileo last year!! WT?? I am finding Perform Satches (white in a 60 box) max per month order by EAKIN is the best and always available from our association. Product Code # 839020 if you need extra like I do. Cuppa tea goes in, cuppa tea comes out!! You can get 6 months 1 box extra on Authority from Stoma nurses. Hope this helps and is not too late 'cos your post was a while ago to Mooza.

And thanks Lalu for your info too. Unfortunately, and I don't know why, but your products listed aren't available down under.

Cheers kiddos.

I've been told to take Lomitil or Imodium, but I don't want to!! Just more pills. No thanks.

I find the Stealth Belt works well, and if you need something lighter, the Corselet works well.