Summer Stoma Fun

It you are anything like me, you are starting to plan your summer vacations again.  Yes, it is 2020 and we have all be stuck inside for months.  The country is finally starting to open up and the availability of supplies is coming back.  Most of us will admit we were a bit scared because our ostomy care gear was not stacked deep so to speak before this pandemic.  I was not prepared for shipping to take so long or be stopped altogether in some places. I was also not prepared with a  month or so of extra supplies on hand.  This was a bit of a scary time, but I was able to get to the local pharmacy which was considered essential where I live. But good times are here and ostomy care is now second on my list of things to think about and the beach is the first one. So I am planning a few trips and wanted to just go over them.

 

First thing to say is that yes if you have a stoma you should indeed be going on vacations and not shying away from beaches and fun places.  Unless your doctor has told you for a specific reason not to. I find that my life has not changed that much and I can do just about everything I Could before I had a stoma.  So this year my family is planning a few different trips.  The first one I am really excited about.

 

Since I am a little afraid of sharks I admit that I like to swim in water that they don't exist.  For this it is really easy to road trip over to Lake Michigan and enjoy the saltless water of the giant lake.  I have found that the waves can be similar to the ocean although usually nothing like high tide down in the Pacific.  I have experienced some crazy waves especially before a storm and we always go with jet skis and it is so incredibly fun!

  There is almost nothing like ramping a 5 foot wave going 40ish miles an hour.  The thrill I get from it is just breathtaking and well if you miss the next wave and land wrong the impact can also take your breath away!  This is all part of the fun and a little bit of danger to me makes it all worth it! So get to the beach this year or hit the mountains and just enjoy life outside and with others!

A Brief Note On Ostomy Belts

An ostomy bag has to connect to the stoma utilizing a skin barrier, which uses a strong adhesive but can still lose hold of the abdomen due to the weight of a full bag. An ostomy belt can serve as an ideal solution to this problem. This belt wraps around the abdomen to hold the ostomy bag snugly fitted in place. Furthermore, it relieves the flange from being a puller of the ostomy bag while its primary job is to ensure a leak-proof seal around the stoma.

The ability of an ostomy belt to keep the entire ostomy appliance in place makes it ideal for athletes with ostomies. This belt hooks into the small loops on the ostomy bag. Another benefit of an ostomy belt is that it holds the flange snugly, preserving its seal for longer durations.

Nevertheless, the pouching system's ability to adhere to the stoma still holds primary importance. You cannot leave the job of keeping the skin barrier snugly in place entirely onto an ostomy belt. Poor adhesion of a skin barrier can result in it slipping around on the peristomal skin area, whether or not you wear the belt.

Ostomy belts play a supportive role

Ostomy belts are the elastic belts available in different widths and sizes. Most of these belts have one inch of width, while their lengths may vary. The longest one that you can purchase comes in a length of 154 inches. However, you can adjust this belt to shorter lengths. One either side of the belt is a hook that connects to the belt tabs on the bag or barrier.

Advantages of ostomy belts

Ostomy belts offer many benefits. We will talk about a few of them.

• An ostomy belt conceals the ostomy bag remarkably. This belt can support the weight of the bag, relieving the barrier of an extra job of keeping the bag attached to the stoma.
• This belt helps in reduces the noise coming from the bag.
• A bag held tightly secure with the abdomen tends to remain flat. An ostomy belt makes that possible. This way, the bag remains well-concealed.
• Constant use of ostomy appliances can cause mounding on the peristomal skin. You can prevent that mounding by wearing an ostomy belt.
• In conjunction with the skin barrier, an ostomy belt can be helpful in leakage prevention entirely.
• The belt keeps the barrier held tightly against the abdomen, reducing the likelihood of peristomal skin getting strained. That helps prevent skin irritation.
• A belt eliminates the pendulum effect that an ostomy bag can create.

While there are many benefits of using an ostomy belt, you need to make sure that it is not proving to be counterproductive in your case. For that purpose, you need to ask your ostomy care nurse if wearing an ostomy belt can be beneficial for you.

Things You May Want To Know About Ostomy Filters

Ostomates find it quite challenging to control the gas odor released from their ostomy bags. The good news is, they can contain this gas odor with the help of ostomy filters. With the help of these filters, they can prevent inevitable gas accumulation in the pouch. Without a filter, these gasses can emit to cause embarrassment for the ostomates.

People with colostomies face the issue of gas odor more than people with other types of ostomies. The severity of this issue may vary between different types of colostomies. A sigmoid or descending colostomy tends to release more odor than an ascending colostomy. It is mainly due to the odor-causing bacterial accumulation that occurs when the stool passes through the colon.

Furthermore, ileostomies and urostomies come with a much-reduced risk of odor emission unless a health condition is there to cause the foul smell. In many cases, people with ostomies face the issue of extra gas accumulation in their ostomy bags. Allowing the gas to escape from the bag can be a real cause of embarrassment.

Role of foods

Whether or not you end up promoting an extra emission of gas and odor from your ostomy almost entirely depends on your food intake. And what may be more concerning for you is that many healthy foods have the potential to cause the gas issue, which can be disturbing if you have an ostomy. However, it doesn’t mean that you need to cut on the intake of such foods entirely. You can eat them at a time when you are not much concerned about the odor.

That said, let’s now mention the foods that promote odor.

• Garlic
• Fish
• Onions
• Eggs
• Dried beans and peas
• Fried foods
• Asparagus
• Vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli, turnip, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower

Similarly, there are some foods that can help you control gas and odor.

• Parsley
• Buttermilk and yogurt

Apart from the intake of gas-producing foods, another factor that can contribute to gas and odor formation is the way you eat. You can change that to help decrease gas formation.

• Consider chewing your foods well
• Avoid chewing gum
• Avoid using straws for drinking beverages
• Avoid talking while eating

Role of ostomy filters

Apart from the above mentioned odor-controlling measures, you can also employ ostomy filters. Most of these filters use activated charcoal, which has enhanced properties to absorb gas odor. The benefits of an ostomy filter are the following.

• It allows the gas to escape from the bag while containing the odor almost entirely. That helps prevent the distension of the bag.
• With reduced odor, it gives ostomates the peace of mind and confidence to interact with people in their social circles without worrying about embarrassing odor situations.
• Less distension of bag means a higher comfort level.

While all ostomates can use ostomy bags with filters, people with colostomies find it more beneficial due to the type of stomal output they have to manage.

Types of ostomy filters include the ones that come already attached to the bags and the ones that patients themselves have to connect with the bags. You can ask for guidance regarding which type may work well for you from your ostomy care nurse or doctor.