Welcome!

Posted by: @crohn2357

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I read on the Crohn's forum that someone with a stoma controlled the noise by placing their hand over it in a specific way, but I'm not sure if that actually works.

I've done this, and it does work, with a few caveats:

1. Since noise happens when the stoma is passing something (usually gas, but also stool), unless you've already got your hand over your appliance, you'll miss when the sound happens.

2. It's often not convenient to have to use a hand to muffle the stoma, since your hands may already be occupied. Certain clothes also make this awkward.

3. If your stoma is really active with gas output, then muffling with your hand might not be super effective.

I can certainly understand your concern, especially if you're in a quiet place like a library.

Posted by: @crohn2357

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Could irrigation work? Eric, have you written anything about irrigation? Also, could wearing a corset help with this?

I don't have any experience with irrigation, since I have an ileostomy. But if the noise is coming from gas, I'm not sure it would solve the noise concern.

I have seen belts and stoma mufflers (I think one is called the "Stoma Stifler") but I have not personally used them. It's possible that they work better than a hand over the stoma, and would at least take care of caveats #1 and 2.

A corset, or really, anything that's pushed against the stoma, *should* help with noise. But I would balance that against whether it interferes with output.

Now... since you have a colostomy, output frequency may not be too big of an issue. Irrigation would absolutely help with that, too.

So, if output isn't something you're worried about impeding, any of the above options should be helpful.

Do you already have a stoma guard or other appliance like a stoma wrap, StealthBelt, etc.? If so, you may be able to fashion something that works similar to those stoma muffler products.

@veganostomy I can tell you that irrigation won’t prevent noise, if, as you said, it was a result of gas. However if the noise is the result of output, then irrigation will definitely help. And sometimes gas production does decrease after irrigation. It might be worth a try. I can help with some suggestions about irrigation for anyone who wants to try it.

I sometimes will put my purse as well as my hand over my stoma if it’s noisy at an inconvenient time, during live theatre, for example. Sometimes even that doesn’t help.😕 To paraphrase Jaws, I’m gonna need a bigger purse!

Laurie

interesting question VO, if you blow on a kazoo,  it makes a familair sound, does it make a sound if you pour water through it?    ive felt output passing, but never heard it without gas mixed in.

the better answer will come from a person with CD and a colostomy.  1st i ever heard of that condition.

plus, the absolute best answer here will come from trial and error.    i would try a partial colonoscopy prep .   and then see how long it takes, hours/days to produce troublesome gas.

placing a hand over stoma works sometime, tight fitting clothes/wetsuits don't really seem to work.   and sometimes you get no feeling that its about to happen.   all takes practice.

Posted by: @dogtalkerer

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ive felt output passing, but never heard it without gas mixed in.

Without gas, I've experienced noise from output crinkling the bag, which can be muted by putting a hand on it.

But gas, by far, is the biggest culprit.

Thanks for welcoming me and for the replies. I've been paying closer attention to how my corset affects things over the last few days, and I don't think it makes much of a difference. The issue is related to gas, not output. Passing stool doesn't usually make much noise, but air does; the sound from stool is negligible. I know certain medications are used for gas problems, like Gas-X and Beano. Although I haven't researched them thoroughly, I'd like to try more natural alternatives and preventive measures first. Maybe I should cut back on foods like broccoli, for instance. There are also carminative herbal teas (peppermint, ginger, fennel, chamomile, anise) worth experimenting with. Additionally, I read that a few drops of peppermint oil can help, but I haven't tried that yet. There are also products like the Stoma Stifler and Ostomy Noise Mufflers that seem somewhat interesting.

A support belt or wrap can help quiet things down.Some people also just place a hand over pouch when they feel activity starting. If you have colostomy, irrigation might help too but check with your stoma nurse first.

Eric, how do I access my account settings? I read this article, but it seems the forum software has changed since then, or maybe the mobile version is different. I checked “My Profile”, but there’s not much to do there. 

Edit: found it. 

@quietmiso I’d be happy to help with any questions about irrigation. It’s always a good idea to check with a stoma nurse first, but sometimes stoma nurses don’t know very much about irrigation. That was a surprise to me. My own stoma nurse, who has an ileostomy, admitted that she didn’t have much experience with ostomates who wanted to irrigate. She gave me some articles to read, but the best information I found was on YouTube. I am very grateful to people who posted about this process on YouTube. It was so helpful.

Laurie

@tigerlily Is there a particular video you could recommend?

@crohn2357 I looked for one that I found very helpful years ago, but I can’t find it now. It was an ostomate from Australia; if you ever come across it, it’s worth watching. Here’s a video put out by Coloplast. Although it’s animated, it still gives the general idea of the process. I use the Coloplast irrigation system, but I prefer to use the Hollister irrigation sleeve with it. There are some things in the video I disagree with:

1. It is absolutely not necessary to irrigate on any regular schedule. I only irrigate every few weeks - whenever I need a block of time with fewer bathroom visits, like an overseas flight, for example.

2. I find it takes much longer for the process to finish completely than they suggest here. I usually allow for 3 hours so I catch any “late returns”. If I don’t, I’ll end up having to change the stoma cap soon after. When most of my output is out, and I’m just waiting for late returns, I rinse the sleeve with a dedicated plastic cup, then I tuck the bottom of the sleeve in my belt, put on my yoga pants and venture out of the bathroom. Over the next hour or so, any output should flow into the sleeve, and I just head back to the bathroom to flush it down the toilet. When I’m fairly sure I’m done, I’ll put the stoma cap on, and I’m ready to face the world.

3. I don’t use a baseplate at all when I irrigate, but that’s my preference. I just use the sleeve held on by an ostomy belt. I close the bottom of the sleeve with a plastic clip (if it doesn’t come with the kit, use a plastic food bag clip) and I tuck the bottom into the belt between “returns”. 

4. I start with 2 litres of water in the irrigation bag, not half a litre! I know that some of it (well, sometimes a lot) will end up being spilled. That’s why I do this in a shower stall! 

I always do this standing in a shower stall, and I always put an old shower curtain on the floor in case of accidents. I always do this in the evening so that I have the whole day to make sure I’m completely hydrated before I start. If I don’t, my colon will “steal” the water I insert in my stoma, which defeats the purpose. I usually get 2 days (sometimes 3 days) with no output. When I start to get output, it usually starts slowly, so I have time to change to a regular pouch system.

Please feel free to ask me any questions. Irrigation has been a real game changer for me. Hope this is helpful.

Laurie

Posted by: @crohn2357

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Eric, how do I access my account settings? I read this article, but it seems the forum software has changed since then, or maybe the mobile version is different. I checked “My Profile”, but there’s not much to do there. 

Edit: found it. 

There was a moderation setting that blocks very new users from editing their profile (or accessing the accounts page), as I would find that spam accounts would fill their profiles with horrific spam, links, etc.

I've just the barrier to entry, so I'm glad you found it!

@tigerlily Thank you for taking the time to write this detailed post.