Gas build-up in ileostomy bag - any tips?

Hey guys!

I just have a quick question... I'm still trying to navigate the sodomy and eating after 8 years of depriving myself of almost everything I enjoy because my surgeon said to stay away from them.

Does anyone have trouble with gas build-up in your bag? Are there certain foods that you avoid because of gas? I have noticed that my bag fills up with air whenever I fall asleep. I have a built-in filter but it still fills up. Has anyone found a way to combat that? When mine gets way full, I wake up to a leak in the appliance!

Thanks guys!

Allie

Hi, I had my emergency ileostomy on July 12th. I too have the gas build up in my bag. My stoma nurse showed me how to *burp* the bag. You just open it a little bit at the top and let the air out. You have to be careful so that the contents do not leak out. You can also open the tail if you have the resealable bags and let the air out. Hope this helps. Take care, Pamela Conley

Hi Tink75,

I have the same issue sometimes. Everyone is different, but for me, I find foods with skins or membranes often cause gas for me, such as onions, peas, beans, etc. Onions are easily the worst for me, so I will often avoid having too much onion in my dinner if I can help it, especially if I know I'll be going to bed earlier than usual. I have an alarm set for 3am or 4am every night while I have my ileostomy just to make sure that I at least check that the bag isn't too full with either gas or output, and will often get up during the night to empty it. In my five and a half months of having an ileostomy, I've only ever had the bag leak twice, and one of those times I woke up just before it leaked and managed to get into the shower before it properly came off. I also use bags that have a built-in gas filter, though I question how effective it is sometimes. I was never taught how to burp the bag, and so I have never bothered trying it as I don't want to make a mess.

Having broken sleep can be tiring and frustrating sometimes, but I'd rather that than waking up to the bag having come off during the night. To me, not setting an alarm is like playing with fire. Obviously, this method isn't for everyone, but I'm a very structured person and so I find it very useful to have that safety net in place.

Many hospitals either give you a list of foods that often have certain effects (mine did), or their website will have a list. A quick Google search will yield plenty of results. Here's a link from my state government outlining all sorts of info about food and ileostomies: https://www.health.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0026/152558/gastro_ileostomy.pdf. If you scroll down to the "Will I experience any problems?" section, there's a list of examples of foods that have certain effects, such as gas or odor.

Overall, I don't avoid any specific food other than nuts. Everything in moderation, as they say. Good luck with it. I hope you found out a solution that works for you.

Hamish

Thank you for all of your advice. I read the article... interesting.

I think I asked you in my last email to tell me more about yourself... so tell me all about you!!!

Hi Tink75,

I don't have a full membership, so I can't private message.

I'm an 18-year-old guy from Australia. I had colitis earlier this year that reared its ugly head and took my colon in the space of three or four weeks. I nearly made it through two weeks of my first semester of uni before pulling out because a gastroenterologist called me directly at 7:30 am on 10 March and told me to get to the hospital. I have an ileostomy now, and have had since 17 March (luck of the Irish, maybe? Or maybe not...), so for five and a half months now. I also now have a mucous fistula that was apparently supposed to open my pelvic area incision after two weeks post-op but didn't open until four months post-op. I made the decision to learn to manage two ostomy bags until late November when I'll have surgery for a J-pouch so that I can get a semester of uni done and feel somewhat normal for a little while, and as we all know, feeling normal can be difficult at times. It's hard work, and the mucous fistula is far more difficult to manage than the ostomy as it is extremely unpredictable in how much it will bleed and how much pain it will cause on any given day. I'm studying a Bachelor of Biomedical Science with the hopes of studying a Doctor of Medicine afterwards. The way I see it, assuming that I make it through the next seven or so years of study, the amount of experience I've had as a patient will make me a far better doctor. During my two and a half-week stay in the hospital, I saw both ends of the spectrum in regards to patient-doctor communication. My gastroenterologist was fantastic and would sit down and get to know and understand me, whereas my surgeon sort of did what he needed to do, and not being told that he gave me a mucous fistula that would open up my incision at some point is a perfect example of what a lack of communication looks like. I know what level of patient-doctor communication I'd rather have.

That's pretty much it, in a nutshell. I hope I haven't hijacked your post with this. I think I can reply to direct messages, but can't send them without a full membership. If you have a full membership, feel free to direct message me if you like. I can remove this message if that's the case, so as to not take over your thread.

Thanks,

Hamish

You poor thing!!! I can't believe I have to go through that! I tried to get the I pouch surgery done and it failed, so my ostomy is now a permanent piece of me. I call him Sami because one of my nurses said making it would make it easier to make peace with the fact that you have it. Some days it's easier than others.

Will you be becoming a full member soon? I think I probably will. Do you ever go into the chat area?

Hey there.

I sent you an email and a private message... I tried to get you in chat too. Would you like to continue talking? Reply to one of these and we can talk outside of the forum.