Managing a Colostomy on the Road: Tips for Truckers

Advice for any over the road truckers, or travelers in motor homes

I have some great advice on how to function out here with a colostomy. It took many horrible accidents, and through trial and error I have become accident-free and changing and maintaining my bag is a simple thing. Two things are required...Regular size Ziplock freezer bags, and a box of baby wipes. Don't wait until the bag is full. Keep it as empty as you can. This prevents embarrassing "accidents". In the privacy of your "rig" or motor home, open a Ziplock bag, open the clip on the bottom of your bag, while squeezing the opening, guide the bottom into the Ziplock. Hold the Ziplock in one hand and grab the top of your colostomy bag with the other, squeeze and slide your hand down, like a (pastry frosting bag) slide your hand all the way down until the contents are all into the Ziplock bag. Set the Ziplock aside in a position where it can't spill. Then take a wipe and fold it around the end of your pouch and squeeze any remaining goop off the end. Replace the clip, then take another wipe, and wipe your fingers and then wipe the edge of the clip to clean any remaining residue. Put the wipes in the Ziplock, seal, and dispose of them in a waste container. Voilà!

Great tips to help us negotiate a busy road. Planning and good organization will save the day!
PB

More tips, guys! If you have a big coffee throwaway cup and lid, just empty the contents into that and dispose of it. LOL! It looks kinda like watery coffee anyway. LOL... And yeah, have the zip bags on hand too. Any tip is a step forward to having a happy driving life. A clip for your pouch? Wow, didn't think they even still had those old things. The Velcro is very strong, and as soon as I could, out with the old, in with the new. No clips falling apart or falling down the loo - toilet. Get some samples of your pouch, but with Velcro. Amazing and works fantastic. Maybe keep a clip for those just in case, but I, for sure, would never go back to clips. Also, if you have an ileo, use those eakin granules that soak up all that yucky watery crapola. LOL! Happy driving... Moozaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Great tips, folks. Just don't try them while you're driving and don't ask Mooza to make you a coffee!!!

Doesn't the Velcro get goop on it?

Hmmmmm...now that explains why that cup of coffee I found on the fuel island at Pilot the other day tasted...."funny"

She's right, the only way to go is Velcro! A nurse told me in the hospital to fold the top down the whole way around after opening the pouch and this puts the Velcro underneath so it never gets messy. Best idea since sliced bread!
Nanc

I've been a trucker for 47 years and became an ostomy patient in 2009. Your idea sounds a little extreme to me, and going through the emptying and disposing of a pouch.

I have found the simplest idea is to order a box of closed-end ostomy pouches with filters. And buy several boxes of "Diaper Disposal bags" (these can be found in any 99-cent store for 99 cents). There are 75 bags per box and scented to neutralize odor as well.

No muss, no fuss, and the pouch and diaper disposal bag can be deposited in any garbage can or waste disposal container. Using reusable pouches is antiquated, and disposable pouches are a lot more sanitary. Like you said, just empty or dispose of whatever pouch you use when it is only 1/3 full.

P.S. Most insurance companies and Medicare will allow you 2 boxes of "60 pouches" a month of the disposable pouch, compared to only 1 box of reusable pouches a month.

So there is something to check into if you are using a reusable pouch that you need to empty instead of one that you can just throw away (in a diaper disposal bag or some other plastic bag) in a trash or garbage can.

Unfortunately, 3tooz - there are a lot of us out there whose insurance does not cover supplies or have no insurance at all - so we have to be as economical as we can.

I agree, Jim. I don't have private insurance either, but I do have Social Security and Medicare. And I am enrolled in Care 1st, (a supplemental to Medicare).

But Medicare allows you two boxes of pouches a month if you use the disposable ones, and one box a month of reusable pouches. You may want to check your Medicare and ask.