Let’s face it, sometimes shit happens and our stoma ends up being more of a challenge than it should be.
Fortunately, most of these issues can be fixed with a few adjustments, and this page will highlight some of the most common ways of dealing with them.
Table of Contents
Ostomy 101
Appliance “hacks”
- Adhesive Coupling Hack (for 2pc appliances): use two different brands at once!
- Easy Way to Rotate Your Ostomy Bag (great for those who wear their appliance sideways!; w/ video)
- Getting the Osto EZ-Vent to work on the Coloplast Sensura Mio (w/ video)
- Hollister drainable pouch hack : a fix for those dangling outlets. (w/ video)
- Irrigating Your Ostomy Bag Using the Osto-Ez Vent (w/video)
Blockages
- Dealing with Blockages (prevention and management) w/ video
- Those damn blockages…
- Blockages: Fool me twice, shame on me
Clothing Options
- Dressing with an Ostomy: A Clothing Guide for Women (part 1, intro & accessories)
- Dressing with an Ostomy: A Clothing Guide for Women (part 2, everyday clothing)
- Dressing with an Ostomy: A Clothing Guide for Women (part 3, intimate wear, swimwear, activewear, etc.)
- Dressing with an Ostomy: A Clothing Guide for Women (part 4, bonus dressing tips)
- Dressing with an Ostomy: A Clothing Guide for Men (with video)
- Secrets to Dressing With an Ostomy (a live presentation I gave)
Common Ostomy Issues
- Dealing with pouch odors (w/ video)
- Dealing with liquid output (w/ video)
- Dealing with thick output (w/video)
- Dealing with gas in your ostomy pouch (“ballooning”) (w/ video)
- “Pancaking” : Causes and solutions : deals with ways to manage stool that gets stuck on the top portion of the bag. (w/ video)
- Ostomy Wafer Not Sticking (w/ video)
Daily Living
- A Practical Guide to Ostomy Filter Stickers (w/ video)
- How Often Does an Ostomy Bag Need to Be Emptied? (w/ video)
- How to Burp an Ostomy Bag (w/ video)
- How to Change an Ostomy Appliance (w/ video)
- How to Empty and Clean an Ostomy Bag (w/ video)
- How to Measure Your Stoma (w/ video)
- Living with an Ostomy 101 Webinar: Surviving and Thriving the First Six Months and Beyond (w/ video)
- Sex and Intimacy (w/ video) (w/ video)
- Showering With an Ostomy (w/ video)
- Wearing your appliance sideways? (Frequently Asked Questions, w/ video)
- When to Change Your Ostomy Appliance (w/ video)
- Why Do Stomas Change Size or Shape? (w/ video)
Dietary Concerns
- Ostomy Diet: What to Eat in the First Six Weeks (w/ video)
- Ostomy Diet: Beyond Your Recovery
- Discussing Diet and Ostomies on The IBD & Ostomy Support Show (live Q&A video)
- Keeping Hydrated with an Ostomy (w/ video)
- Building Confidence with an Ostomy (w/ video)
- Recovering from the fear of eating due to pain
- Vitamin B12: Are You Really Getting It?
- Are plant-based diets healthy?
- Enhancing Nutrient Absorption
- Facing the Fear of Food
- Finding a Registered Dietitian
- Hospital Food: Making the Best of It
- IBD/Ostomy Nutrition TIPS
- Protein – the What, Why and How
- Talking About Protein, Anemia, Eating as a Vegan Ostomate and More! (w/ video and audio)
- How to Track Your Nutrient Intake
- Vegan Meal replacement
- Veganism 101 for IBDers and Ostomates – my guest post for The Great Bowel Movement.
Humor
Leaks
- Dealing With Leaks (lots of causes and solutions; video included) (w/ video)
- First major leak – meltdown averted
- Untimely Leaks (w/ video)
Opinions
Ostomy Advocacy
- Accepting a New – but in Some Ways, Better – Normal (my featured story for Crohn’s and Colitis Canada)
- Becoming your own advocate (my video presentation)
- IBD Advocates Unite at P2PEP16: Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA (I gave a few ostomy-related presentations at this event)
- HealtheVoices 2017 (video)
- Healthevoices 2018: Saying Hi to Old Friends for the First Time! (video)
- Talk About Hidden Disabilities
- Talking About My Ostomy: WCET 2016 Presentation (w/ video)
- Talking About Protein, Anemia, Eating as a Vegan Ostomate and More! (My Ostomy Toronto presentation w/ video and audio)
- WEGO Health Awards 2017 winners.
- World Ostomy Day 2014: Celebrating Life
- World Ostomy Day 2015: Attitude = Everything
- World Ostomy Day 2016: How a Simple Word Swap Can Change Your Perspective
- World Ostomy Day 2017: The Path to Accepting Your Ostomy
- World Ostomy Day 2018: Speaking Out Changes Lives
Seasonal
Special Topics
- 1-piece vs. 2-piece appliances (w/ video)
- Are Ostomy Pouch Liners Really Flushable or Biodegradable?
- Canadian Disability Tax Credit (I urge all ostomates living in Canada to apply)
- Colonoscopy Prep (for people who still have their colon, includes colostomates)
- Talking to Your Kids About Ostomy Surgery
- Dealing with Ostomy Product Overload (w/ video)
- Dealing with Ostomy Supply Costs in Canada
- Expired Ostomy Products (how to identify them)
- Finding Ostomy Supplies when you are stuck without them
- Having Fun at an Amusement Park With an Ostomy (with video)
- Hollister ostomy pouches: Clear vs. Ultra-clear (w/ video)
- How a Simple Word Swap Can Change Your Perspective
- Is it an Ostomy Bag or an Ostomy Pouch??
- Mastering Life with an Ostomy Pt1 (w/ video) (a presentation I gave in Reno, NV 2018)
- Mastering Life with an Ostomy Pt2 (w/ video) (focuses on ostomy accessories)
- Mastering Life with an Ostomy Pt3 (w/ video) (tips for caregivers)
- What to expect during an ileoscopy (getting scoped through the stoma)
- Disability Pass: Tip to avoid long lines in amusement parks (with video)
- What to Do with Unused Ostomy Supplies
- 3 Things I Wish I Knew Before Having an Ostomy
- OstomyLife Roundtable Discussion (q&a with several ostomates, including myself)
- Using Technology to Improve Your Quality of Life
- Medication / Supplements and Your Ostomy: What You Should Know (w/ video)
- Universal Studios with an Ostomy or Ibd: Tips (w/ video)
- Walt Disney World Resorts with an Ostomy or IBD: Tips (W/ Video)
- What’s in Your Stoma Powder? (w/ video)
- Why wouldn’t you get a J-Pouch? (w/ video)
Supplies Guide (Articles include videos)
- Adhesives
- Adhesive Removers
- Barrier Rings (for leak prevention)
- Barrier Wipes (to help prevent irritation)
- Gelling Products (to thicken loose output)
- Medical Tape
- Ostomy bags
- Pouch Deodorants
- Pouch Liners
- Protective Sheets
- Skin Cleansers
- Stoma Caps (no video yet)
- Stoma Collars (for leak prevention)
- Stoma Paste (to fill skin gaps and leak protection)
- Stoma Powder (for weepy skin)
- Wafers (the part of the appliance that sticks to your skin)
- Wafer Extenders (reduces edge peeling)
Accessories Guide (Articles include videos)
- Introduction to the Ostomy Accessories Guide
- Accessory Belts
- Hernia Belts
- Disposal Systems
- Pouch Covers
- Support Garments
- Ostomy Wraps
- Seatbelt Protectors/Covers
- Shower Covers
- Stoma Guards
- Undergarments
Travel
- My First Trip with an Ostomy (Cape Town, South Africa)
- My Trip to Reno (2018)
- Toronto to Vancouver (My trip for World Ostomy Day 2016)
- Toronto to Orlando (My trip to the AIBD 2016 conference)
- Toronto to Regina (My trip to the Power of You ostomy education seminar 2018)
- Traveling with an Ostomy: Part 1 (Preparing for your trip; w/ video)
- Traveling with an Ostomy: Part 2 (At the airport and on a plane; w/ video)
- Traveling with an Ostomy: Part 3 (At your destination; w/ video)
Travel Extras
Q&A
- Celebrating Four Years With an Ostomy (live Q&A video)
- Interview with OstomyLIfe (video)
- Discussing Diet and Ostomies on The IBD & Ostomy Support Show (live Q&A Video)
- Ostomy Chat with Amber Wallace (Part 1): The New Patient Experience (Video Q&A)
- Ostomy Chat with Amber Wallace (Part 1): Adapting to Change After Surgery (Video)
- Ostomy Chat with Amber Wallace (Part 3): Answering Questions About Ostomy Life (Video)
- Ostomy Questions Answered: Reversals? Intimacy? Surgical Complications? (video)
- Three Years With an Ostomy (my Q&A)
- General Ostomy Frequently Asked Questions can be found HERE.
- Talking About Protein, Anemia, Eating as a Vegan Ostomate and More! (Q&A from a live talk I gave for Ostomy Toronto; w/ video and audio)
- Talking Veganism, Sex, and Why Men Aren’t Health Advocates (podcast interview for Guts and Glory)
- Ups and Downs of Being an Ostomate (podcast interview for Guts and Glory)
To see all articles that have to do with ostomy related problems, click HERE.
I had problems with leakage around the stoma and no matter one piece or two piece the problem was the same. I tried warming the wafer and different brands but none solved completely solved the problem. Recently I used a one inch pvc connector which fits snugly around the stoma and puts an even pressure on the wafer. I also rotate the coupling several times. The couplings come in different sizes, 1/2, 3/4, 1, 1/2 inch. Mine is one inch and works awesomely.
Hey James,
I’ve used that PVC connector trick many times over the years but never wrote about it!
Your post reminded me to, so I’ll try to put something together for that! Glad it works for you!
Here’s a tip for making sure the skin around your ostomy is completely dry before you apply your appliance: use a small battery-operated hand held-fan. Your skin will dry in seconds.
Thanks, Lucille! I often use a hairdryer to produce the same effect, but a handheld fan sounds like an excellent option, since it’s also quiet and portable!
Do you have any suggestions for eliminating or reducing the amount of condensation inside the pouch. I seem to accumulate alot of condensation which makes the barrier ring swell. I wear a 2 piece Hollister and an osto-ez-vent.
Hi Carole, condensation is normal since your stoma “sweats” to keep it moist. Barrier rings are designed to swell, but you might want to try different brands to see if another one might work better for you.
Also, consider using an extended wear wafer if you find that your wafer breaks down quickly because of the moisture. Hollister calls their extended wafer Flextend.