Irrigation: Increasing water amount and reusing drains?

I learned by watching this video many years ago...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g14kbuw1fU8

Thank you. I'll check it out!

I was really nervous as well, but it turned out to not be bad at all. I also watched a video several times and then did it exactly that way. I used one with a real person doing it in his everyday life, not a nurse giving a step-by-step. I have been at it for about a month now, and I am having success. I went a whole week making it a full 24 hours until I had a bad day yesterday, but overall I think I am through most of the hurdles. You just have to commit to doing it at the same time every day no matter what. Also, the advice I got on this site about eating small amounts several times a day really worked well for me. If I eat big meals, it just goes through me too fast. I know I am going to have to be diligent about my diet because I was never regular before and had loose stools, but it is worth it to me. It has been freeing to get control back again, and for the first time in a year, I think I will be able to teach without too much stress. I'm looking forward to that.  

Thank you, Carol. I appreciate your help. I'm still thinking about it and may give it a try. Thank you!

Hi all, hope all is well with you. I am doing great with the irrigation process now and committed to the same time every day. For the most part, I make it the full 24 hours. Thank you for all the advice, it has helped a lot. My only problem now is that I have stomach aches about an hour after I eat anything (I eat small amounts, several times a day). While if I pass a little gas, it gives some relief, I do not really feel gassy. It feels more like my intestines are tender or irritated and it is just dense, achy pain. I have played with foods and have found some things are worse than others, so I stay away but overall it seems that almost everything gives me this reaction to some degree. I pretty much eat a high protein diet with no fresh veggies and fruit (too much fiber is not a good thing for me as things easily run through me), and sometimes can get away with eating something for a while with minimal pain and then that stops working and starts to cause more pain, for instance eggs. They were my best food for a while and now can't eat at all. Any ideas? Other than this problem, I love irrigation and the freedom it allows me. I appreciate your advice, it has been so helpful. Take care!

Hi Caro5... I'm afraid I don't have any advice, but I do have a question. I am thinking of starting irrigation soon, but I'm concerned about some of the issues you're having becoming my issues. I'm wondering if you ever had reactions to certain foods before irrigation? I can (and do!) eat anything and everything I want and have never had any stomach issues at all since my colostomy in 2014. I want the freedom, but am kinda worried about this type of thing. Thank you! CH

I didn't have any real problems with food before irrigation once I got past the first few months after surgery, however I have always been a little sensitive to food moving through me quickly. I discovered today that I have been using water that is a little cool, so from now on I will check the temperature. I'm hoping that makes a difference. I am also thinking I may see a dietician/nutritionist for advice as irrigation is so much better than before and I want it to work. Not giving up yet, you should definitely try it. From what I can see, everybody is different.

Thank you! I want to try it so much. I'm just nervous about the commitment of having to do it at the same time every or every other day... and I do so well with the bag in terms of eating whatever I want and just managing the bag in general... it's just a big commitment in some ways. I'm really interested in all the pros and cons, so thank you for any advice you may have!

Hello carol. You are so right about everybody being different, which makes it important for people to experiment to see what suits them best. I suppose that goes for life ingeneral as well as dealing with stomas.

Best wishes

Bill

Hello CH.

Your nervousness is understandable but until you try something you will never know if it will work for you. I used to have to watch my diet very closely but since irrigation I eat more or less whatever I like without any adverse side effects, but as stated above we are all different. I'm having difficulty understanding why you would prefer having to tend to your bag during the day when the output can be so unpredicatable. Irrigation could free you from that chore and its associated potential disasters. What I found was that when I calculated the actual time I was spending tending to my bag during the day and night and compared it to the time spent irrigating - there was no contest! The irrigation takes up far less of my overall time, even though it can seem like an age when I'm actually doing it.  I distract myself by finding something else to do (writing) while the irrigation process is taking place which makes it more bearable and it then feels like time well spent.

There's pros and cons in almost everything we do but we don't usually know what they are for us until we have a go.

Best wishes

Bill

Thank you Bill... I'm having a hard time understanding that myself.. haha. I think it's because I don't really spend that much time "tending" to the bag... I have adjusted pretty well to having it (a year and a half) and I think my biggest concern is making sure that I am ready to commit to 45 minutes to an hour every or every other day to the irrigation process. I surely can see the benefits of not wearing a bag so if for no other reason than that I'm willing to try it. I appreciate all the encouragement on here and the more I read the more I know I have to try it... you're right.. if I don't try I'll never know! ;CH

CH.  It reminds me of the tee shirts that seem to be popular at the moment with the caption 'JUST DO IT' emblazoned across the chests.

Best wishes

Bill

"I love irrigation and the freedom it allows me."

What a great quote. It should be posted on all sites... especially for all 'newbies'.

Congratulations, Carol.

V.J.

Haha...yes Bill...just do it...I think Nike made it famous...there's a "slash" (that's not it but you get it) that goes with that...maybe ours could have like an irrigation bag with wings! We should market that...surely we would sell those...haha. I can't say enough for how much I appreciate all of the encouragement...I am going to give it a try...and (fortunately or unfortunately) y'all, you will be some of the first to know how it's going! Thanks again all!

CH

Once again my "emoji" turned out to look like a secret code... that was supposed to be a "Nike slash" that I was describing in my post about JUST DO IT! :) CH

Thank you

Hi.

I usually use the irrigation sleeve for quite a long time, wash it out nicely, and it lasts for a few months. Irrigation has been a lifesaver for me as I do not want to constantly check bags if there is anything in it. I don't use bags anymore - only those bigger bandaids which work great. 97% of the time, I do well, and I usually use 800 ml lukewarm water. That seems to work. However, a few days ago I changed my diet to a high fiber one and boy, that has been bad for my stoma. Yesterday, I had outflow all day, thank God it was Sunday and I did not have to be at work. Today, I am wearing a bag to work, just to know I am safe, and I already had to change it once. I do hope that this will stop as I like high fiber diets as they are healthy, but I hope my colon gets used to that and not output everything so fast. I irrigate once a day at night and have done so over 1.5 years now, and it works great.

Hi.

I usually use the irrigation sleeve for quite a long time, wash it out nicely, and it lasts for a few months. Irrigation has been a lifesaver for me as I do not want to constantly check bags if there is anything in it. I don't use bags anymore - only those bigger bandaids which work great. 97% of the time, I do well, and I usually use 800 ml lukewarm water. That seems to work. However, a few days ago I changed my diet to a high fiber one and boy, that has been bad for my stoma. Yesterday, I had outflow all day, thank God it was Sunday and I did not have to be at work. Today, I am wearing a bag to work, just to know I am safe, and I already had to change it once. I do hope that this will stop as I like high fiber diets as they are healthy, but I hope my colon gets used to that and not output everything so fast. I irrigate once a day at night and have done so over 1.5 years now, and it works great.

Hello Susanne. When I have this sort of problem I take Metamucil last thing at night. It seems to gently help everything get irrigated at the appropriate time.

Best wishes

Bill