Why are you emptying 6 times during an 8hr work day?

Rinsing bag is nice but i rarely do it.  

I like to keep my bag empty, especially with athletic activities, but thats 2-3 times a day, early morning, late afternoon for the most part.

Irrigation doesn't interest me. I value a 1 piece bag more.    Are the you tube irrigation videos not helpful? There seems to be several. 

I second going to UOAA site.  Several people irragate there. There is a dedicated section for irragators as well. 

@joeann 

Welcome to VO!  I wish I could help on this topic, but I have an ileostomy. But if I could do something that would make me go over a day without output, I would definitely look into it!!

@tigerlily is so kind to offer such good advice, and getting the information from someone who actually believes in irrigation and does it, is the best advice you can get!

Good Luck to you!

@dogtalkerer you are very lucky if you only have to empty 2 or 3 times a day. I remember reading something early on that suggested colostomates only have output once a day or maybe every other day, and I thought “On what planet?” Emptying only 6 times a day would be a good day for me. Everyone is an individual with different experiences. 

Laurie

@llholiday Yes I use the liners every day and also the brand name is Ativia and I get them through CanMedical. With he liners I use Bravo lubricating Gel and Deodorant. I work in a busy office and don't have the time to empty and rinse a pouch which I hate doing anyway. Just flush replace and go. I love them. This also cuts down on the wear of my pouch which lasts a week or so.

Posted by: @tigerlily

Emptying only 6 times a day would be a good day for me.

I have an ileostomy, but even before my illness with an intact colon I would have a bowel movement at least after every meal, which is "regular". 

Major factors to frequency of bowel movements include fiber intake, fluid intake, and the bulk/volume of meals.

Here's a rather hilarious video about bowel movement frequency, and it's safe to say that anyone who's has their bowel shortened will have more frequent movement.

I have never been “normal “ bowel movement or otherwise 🙃😂

Posted by: @john68

I have never been “normal “ bowel movement or otherwise 🙃😂

True story! 😉😂

@fred thanks for posting this. I had never considered this before, but it makes perfect sense - always preferable to choose something less intrusive than surgery.  It sounds like you have found the ideal irrigation schedule for you, and it makes me wonder if that might be a good idea for me as well. I have found that irrigation can function as a kind of “reset” when I have GI issues - it gives me a period of calm even after I start having output again. I might just try the weekly irrigation and see how that goes. Thanks for giving me food for thought.

Laurie

@tigerlily Laurie, It works well for me and does gives me a few days of calm. I am planning on taking a trip and was thinking that with the right timing of days it may give me a few days of freedom while traveling. Just a little apprehensive about doing the irrigation outside of my home.

Hope you have good results.

Hi,

Wow, I read all your stories and it's so astonishing to me that irrigation is rarely mentioned as an option for colostomates. That said, not all people with colostomies might be a good candidate for irrigation. However, I don't know what the criteria would be for ostomates.

I'm not an ostomate yet, but I irrigate through my anus daily because of incontinence. Which is exactly why I've asked for a colostomy. I always joke I already have one, just can't stick a bag on it. I am sick and tired of irrigating after almost 30 years of doing that. I do my irrigations in the morning, after breakfast. That's when my bowels are most active. I can do it in about 20 to 30 minutes and it sort of gets me through my day and night. When I don't need to go to work, I do prefer to take more time. However, that does not seem to have an effect on whether it's effective or not. 

I am curious to know how much water you are using, those of you that irrigate your stoma. I am just a little perplexed, reading that it could take up to several hours. Are you irrigating the entire colon (or whatever is left of it)?

I used to put in one litre, but recently cut back to 750ml, due to water retention which leads to hydronephrosis (swelling of the kidney) in my case. Being well hydrated is really important as one of you stated, but there's that one week in the month when I can't seem to get there (would not be an issue for gentlemen I guess. But wonder if any of the ladies recognize this?).

I don't know what it will be like to have a colostomy. Right now, irrigation is a task I hate having to do because it isn't always effective (and then seems like a waste of time I could have spent sleeping a bit longer). With a colostomy, hopefully it becomes more of an option, something I choose to do every once in a while, instead of having to do it daily. 

Anyway, sorry for rambling. 

@cat-momma Hi Cat Momma, welcome to the forum. 
To answer your question, I fill the water bag with about a litre of water, but I’m fairly messy when I irrigate (which is why I stand in the shower or tub🤿) so I know that not all of the water makes it into my stoma. Also, I don’t irrigate regularly, so I’m not very efficient. Sometimes I will add more water to the water bag if I feel that I need to. It’s a very individual process, so what works for me might not work for someone else. My suggestion would be to start off slowly the first time. There is a real sense of trepidation the first time - it’s normal to worry that you might do something wrong that might cause an injury. I believe that’s highly unlikely; you’ll be using a very soft plastic nipple to add water to your colon, and you have control over how fast you add the water. But I think it’s best to start slowly to help get over that worry. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll have more confidence, and will be able to make changes to the process. I’m happy to answer any questions you might have; I know how hard it is to get information about irrigation.

Laurie

Thanks @Laurie. I am used to irrigation through my anus, which doesn't seem very different from irrigation through a colostomy in the way you described it. 

I now use 750 ml and try to be done and over in about 30 to 40 minutes. How long does it take you to irrigate with one litre of water? Do you notice any water retention, or does everything come out?

@cat-momma it takes about three hours for me to feel confident that there will be no “late returns” after irrigation. That’s why I irrigate in the evening. Bear in mind that I don’t irrigate often, so I am not very efficient when I do. I might be adding too much water, but this is how I can go almost two full days with no output. Maybe if I added less water it wouldn’t take as long, but I wouldn’t likely get as long with no output. You sound like you have your own version of irrigating down pat, so you will likely be much better at it right from the beginning. I might be asking you for advice! 

Laurie

@tigerlily Yeah, well, I'm definitely not planning to irrigate once I get my ostomy. Unless I get constipated, I'm totally over irrigation.

What I've found is that more water does not necessarily mean more output or a 'deeper' cleanse, so to speak. For me it's my hydration level and how fast I can get the water in. Dehydration is horrible, as my colon will immediately take as much water as possible to absorb. Meaning the stool stays where it is (and might come out later in the day). When this happens, and I massage my flank, I can actually hear the water just sitting there. Plus, I'd be peeing all morning like it's nobody's business, or my kidney will swell up.

Looking forward to irrigation-free days!

@cat-momma that is an interesting perspective. Maybe I’m adding too much water. I definitely agree about the importance of being hydrated, but I never considered that maybe it’s far more important than how much water I’m adding through my stoma. See? I told you you’d be giving me advice. I will approach irrigation differently now, and I appreciate your perspective. Thanks.

Laurie