Hi Eric, great tip as always. I'm always curious why you choose to wear your bag sideways? At the moment I use a large 12" bag that allows about 1/2 of it to tuck nicely below my belt line. What advantages do find when wearing yours sideways?
Thanks Larry

Hey Larry,

I find there are several advantages. I wrote an entire article about it: https://www.veganostomy.ca/horizontal-ostomy-bag/

Take care,

Eric

Thank you so much for this hack! I have found these tips fit the Osto vent precisely and eliminate the leakage of water. They fit several bottles I had around the house including an empty eyeglass cleaner bottle from Walmart. Not sure why or how to edit the weird emoji by my name.
😉

I found these at my local Joanne’s Fabrics and on their website for slightly less, but couldn’t figure out how to share that link.

Plaid Tip Writers, 30728 (6-Piece) On Amazon
I couldn’t share link because my address was attached.

In reading the comments at Amazon for the Osto EZ Vent, I noticed a suggestion for using a bidet instead of this product for irrigating a colostomy bag since you can purchase one for under $50 (i found one for $25) which is cost effective in the long run. Maybe save the EZ Vent for travel.

Just my 2cents...

Hi Alice, This EZ-Vent method is ideal for people who are already using the EZ-Vent for gas removal, but I can certainly see how using a bidet can also be helpful if it doesn't contaminate the bidet nozzle. I think a bidet might be overkill, to be honest, and an alternative would be to just use a water bottle to rinse the bag from the outlet end.

"Whatever works" is a good motto in this case :)

I just noticed that Amazon is showing that the bottle I use in the video is "frequently bought together" with the Osto-EZ vent! LOL I can't imagine the confusion when people looking for cupcake decorating supplies see ostomy products on the same page. :-D 

New to the ileostomy family (2 weeks!) -- and this is genius. I had my ostomy nurse order me some of the vents right away since I am a gassy person in general. One thing I am finding is that it's hard to get bag lubricant all the way near my stoma, so sometimes my thicker stool will collect up there when sleeping, and it's hard to get out. I found a squeeze bottle at home that fits and tried this out, and it's great! I think this will be part of my morning routine -- start the day out fresh haha.

Hi Stephanie, welcome to the club 😄

Glad this helped👍

Posted by: @Alice Davis

In reading the comments at Amazon for the Osto EZ Vent, I noticed a suggestion for using a bidet instead of this product for irrigating a colostomy bag since you can purchase one for under $50 (i found one for $25) which is cost effective in the long run. Maybe save the EZ Vent for travel.

I've always used a bidet, decades before my ostomy. Rinsing out my bag with it takes seconds and I always end a potty run with a clean bag. Keeping the bidet jets cleat is very important, especially for those in the family also using it who are "normal" poopers!

The cheap units won't likely work though as they have a limited range they can reach. I use a stainless steel, side mounted unit. Sitting slightly sideways on the potty, I can place the end of my bag right over the jets. Start with a VERY low water stream . I could easily damage my stoma if I hit it with full pressure! There is of course a contamination risk to yourself if the jets are not properly cleaned, and if you have well water as I do, there is a chance, though small of picking up a bacterial infection from the water itself. I do have filters on my bidet feed that are supposed to take out pathogens though.

@goatherder I've known so many people who have gone the bidet route and they've all said positive things about it. I wish my family would get on board with the idea so I can install them in our bathrooms, but unless it will benefit everyone, I'm fine without it.

Posted by: @veganostomy

@goatherder I've known so many people who have gone the bidet route and they've all said positive things about it. I wish my family would get on board with the idea so I can install them in our bathrooms, but unless it will benefit everyone, I'm fine without it.

Just install one on the loo you always use. The type I use, swings completely out of the way for those who don't want to use it.  My 91 year old father in law was dead set against having one, until one day he used mine while visiting. I was installing one at his house within days!

I have this exact model. I find it perfect for bag cleaning. Have had it installed in the current house for 16 years, had same model in my last homes going back 40!

Here's the one I use: CLICKY

@goatherder I might just install one and see what happens! LOL 

The instructions for this irrigation seem straightforward and thanks for the info or an irrigation bottle on Amazon. And thank you for this site- like, who else could I discuss these issues with? 
 So I'll try this. I'm new at the whole thing, 10 weeks out from surgery. I've been quite discouraged at ever getting a bag cleaned out. Nothing ever falls out of my bag it has to be squeezed out. this is with several quarts of water, a pint of coffee in the morning and daily stool softener. I tried rinsing out the remains with a hand held shower head and it's impossible to really clean the bag well- lots of residual material sticking to the wall. i have had lots of trial and error blunders but I'm getting the hang of it. 

@shark Thanks for being here.

Do you have a colostomy or ileostomy? When my output is really thick, and I don't use a pouch lubricant, i do tend to add a bit of water to the bag to get things moving. This often happens when I'm emptying it 👍

1. @veganostomy I have a sigmoid colostomy, so it's pretty far down where things are going to be mostly solid. I will try adding water. 
   Also do you know of any info on your site about colostomy irrigation? It didn't come up on the search but this is new to me and I'm bumbling around still. 😜 Thanks for answering so fast.

@shark   ... Hello and welcome to VO! Your in the right place for any kind of tips & tricks & encouragement you might need.  

I know the Colostomy output is different from an ileostomy which I have but we can still deal with pancaking issues. I  use the M9 liquid deoderant and when need be I use / purchase a gel type liquid deoderant to put in my pouch too. I have used the 2 together.  The spreading around of that gel can be done by massaging the sides of the pouch together & moving the gel up to where you need it with the pouch itself for a more slippery express route of its contents. It does have to be reapplied each time & takes very little effort  to use & spread it around up near the top and around your stoma in  the pouch.  It comes in a portable tube like material. I use 1/2  (a tube)   at a time. 

I have 3 small disposable plastic cups from $amma that I pour water 1 at a time into my pouch & hang onto the end squeezing closed & place a square of tissue in the open end to prevent any water from splashing out on me or my clothing.    I then gently shake the pouch around to get the water where I  need it & to loosen output & it works pretty great.  For sticky  output material you can rub the sides of the pouch together to loosen output after the 1st rinse.   I have had to use 3 cups of water at times but rarely because of the mostly always liquid output I have. I do fill 3 disposable cups just incase I need that 2nd or 3rd rinse. If I don't you can be sure I'll need them all! Lol! 

To clean the opening or dry it I wrap a few squares of Tissue around my index finger & push up from the outside 1st cleaning or  drying the outside then into the opening to dry it there.  This has saved a lot of tissue use in the past.  I use 2 or 3 squares & place my finger in the center from a corner, fold up towards the other corner to make like a triangle only with my finger in the center & then wrap it around my index finger holding it in place with my thumb until its in my pouch, work from one side to the other drawing it outwards.    I hope this is helpful!

Posted by: @shark

Also do you know of any info on your site about colostomy irrigation?

We've discussed irrigation a few times on the forum as a few members do irrigate, but there's no official "how-to guide" as this tends to be something you'll want to consult with a stoma nurse on. 

Since you have a sigmoid colostomy, irrigation would definitely be something to look into! 

Hi Eric, Firstly, I want to thank you for your videos. I got my colostomy almost a year ago and had no training in how to manage it. The day I was discharged a wound care nurse in the rehab I was sent to gave me a paper printed from the internet about how to apply a one-piece or two-piece bag. That was my ostomy training! I watched the nurses change my bag (they never emptied it), different ways with each one. I knew I needed more information, so I searched and found your videos. I'm doing very well managing my colostomy because of you. Several months ago I saw your video on the Osto Ez Vent and thought that it would be great for washing out my pouch. I ordered the vents from Amazon to try them out and also bought (and returned) several types of bottles that were too big to fit in the vent's hole. Then I had a brainstorm. I bought 8 oz bottles on Amazon with Luer-Lock caps ( https://amzn.to/3umzpCr ) and other 8 oz perineal bottles that were easier to squeeze ( https://amzn.to/3yEcIfm ) - I don't have a lot of strength in my hands. Then I bought a set of Luer-Lock blunt tip dispensing needles 1" long to try them out and determine which size will fit in the vent ( https://amzn.to/3NP9CK4 ) and 2" long ( https://amzn.to/3P35lDK ). The sizes 10G, 11G (the 2" needles I use), and 12G needles work the best and do a fantastic job cleaning out the pouch. In total, I spent about $40, which is well worth it for the multiple cleanings I need and they'll last me forever. Both types of needles come in multiple sizes - your choice. I use plain tap water in the bottles and a screw to make the hole through the vent - scissors were too hard for me. The great thing about Amazon is that everything can be returned if they don't work out. I hope this helps someone who can't find a bottle to fit in the vent. One more thing, the Osto Ez Vents are covered by Medicare if you qualify.