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How often do you empty??

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Posted 11/4/2008 11:27 PM (GMT 0)
Hi..I was just wondering how often you empty your pouch.  I have ileostomy and I empty about once every hour.  It's not full (about 1/3) but I feel better when I am "empty"...is this about the normal amount of emptying, or would it be because I drink so much water??  Thanks!
Posted 11/5/2008 3:03 AM (GMT 0)
it depends on what and how much i have eaten, probably every three hours or so, or whenever i go pee.
how long have you had yours?
Posted 11/5/2008 3:22 AM (GMT 0)
As Summer said, it depends on how much I've eaten - usually every 3 - 4 hours and yes, it's only whenever I pee anyway.

As time goes on, you will probably get lazier and less aware of your bag and so, leave it for longer before emptying.  Right now you're very conscious of it and so are aware of it filling up - in time that 1/3 full will become 2/3's full before you empty :)

Posted 11/5/2008 5:00 AM (GMT 0)
sometimes i forget about mine! and all of a sudden i am like, oh no i gotta go empty this thing, and it is sooo full, i am suprised it doesnt pop right off, in fact i think it might be like that right now, i have been sitting here busy trying to figure out a stupid credit card thing for the past two hours and forgot all about it until i signed onhere!
Posted 11/5/2008 2:35 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you for your replies!!  Summerstorm, I had my surgery on Sept 23, so it's just about 6 weeks now.  I will try and go longer between empties...it seems like I am forever in the bathroom!!! shocked
Posted 11/5/2008 4:46 PM (GMT 0)
I agree about "forgetting" it's there. I used to empty mine much more often than I do now (and I've only had it for 7 weeks now). I was like you where as soon as it was about 1/3 full I would feel much better if I emptied it. Now, I'm like summerstorm where all of a sudden I go "oh man...how did it get this full??" I also worry about it a lot less at night and only empty once usually.
Posted 11/5/2008 5:50 PM (GMT 0)
only when I pee!!!
Posted 11/5/2008 9:44 PM (GMT 0)
Roddiesgirl-the longer you have had it the less often you will have to empty.
Posted 11/5/2008 10:32 PM (GMT 0)
You guys are great!!  Thanks so much! smilewinkgrin
Posted 11/6/2008 11:21 PM (GMT 0)
only when I pee and once during the night, so it doesn't explode by morning! yeah <--- I think this guy needs a swinging bag! hehehe tongue
Posted 11/7/2008 5:51 AM (GMT 0)
Roddiesgirl,

ileostomy at first is very liquidy. Once your brain and small colon discovers - "Hey! Wait a minute here, what happened to my Big brother (Big Colon)?" And it realizes it's gone, your small colon will start working harder with the food you eat.

You'll notice that your previous snack, lunch will dispell as soon as you eat something new. With me for example, I seemed to go immediately after I eat anything. Apple, sandwich, chocolate bar, anything. And you may even be able to smell the actually food you ate previously. Like fish for example, I can always know when that's moving on out. (holding my nose)

After a few weeks - oh say... maybe after 9 - 10 weeks your stools will become mushier. when this happens you'll go less to empty and you might discover easy ileostomy management at this point. BUT if you get the runs (just like water) - you might visit the toilet bowl 10 - 12 times a day. Eat peanut butter (works for me).

Thanks for your post.

Lonnie
Posted 11/7/2008 3:07 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Lonnie!  I'm learning lots of good stuff on this Forum!! tongue
Posted 11/7/2008 3:08 PM (GMT 0)
YIKES!!  WHAT IS THAT HORRIBLE FACE I POSTED!! I DIDN'T MEAN TO...HA HA..I MEANT TO POST THE THUMBS UP SIGN...OOPS!  SORRY!

Posted 11/7/2008 9:56 PM (GMT 0)
I agree with what everyone else has said. As time goes on you will start to forget about it, not to mention output will start to slow down a bit. I used to have to get up during the night to empty my pouch because it would get so full, now 3 months later I can sleep through the night without worrying about it. I'll usually empty it whenever I go pee (which is a lot more than I used to since I drink way more water now) and before I leave the house. This adds up to be 5-8 times a day although it could be less. A lot of the time when I empty it before I go somewhere the bag is pretty much empty.
Posted 11/9/2008 1:44 AM (GMT 0)
I don't know about you but I hate emptying my bag, it's a pain! But I usually do it every 3-4 hours, when I go to the bathroom. I had my surgery Sept. 20 and so I'm still new to this too. I have a feeling that just when I get this all down it'll be time for the take down (Dec. 15). Can I ask a few questions? I think it will also help Roddiesgirl since we had our surgeries at the same time almost. If it's inappropriate for me to post these questions on this thread, I apologize in advance. Just let me know.

Can the pouch explode if it gets too full or if you are laying on it? (Like at night)
What size/kind pouch do you use?
How often do you change your wafer?

Roddiesgirl, I'm interested in hearing more of your story since we had our surgery so close together! How are you coping? Is yours temporary?
Posted 11/9/2008 1:49 AM (GMT 0)
I've never heard of a pouch exploding, but I think pressure would cause the wafer to pull away from your skin and cause a leak that way.
Posted 11/9/2008 3:06 AM (GMT 0)
I've never heard of a pouch exploading, but when I was in the hospital (due to a complication with steroids, about a month and a half after my surgery) my bag pretty much popped off. They were giving me IV fluids and I had no idea how quickly the bag would fill up when they did that. Well, it started leaking all over the place and the ER nurses were in no hurry to change it, not to mention they had no ostomy bags in the ER or any knowledge on the matter. When they finally tracked down a bag it ended up being a urostomy bag (I think) which was a pain for my skin since they had to take it off once they figured out there's no way to empty it...

I use the Hollister 1 piece convex. It's what they sent me home with and works the best for me out of all the supplies I've tried. The number is 8628 if you wanna look on the website. I also use the adapt rings (pretty sure this is the same think as an eakin ring) and it helps prevent leaks. I can usually get 4 or 5 days with one bag if I'm not having any leaking issues. My wafer doesn't completely stick on the side where my bellybutton is so I wear a bealt to help keep it down, this also helps prevent leaks.
Posted 11/9/2008 3:06 AM (GMT 0)
you can sleep on your tummy, i do. I always turn myself over, somehow, when the bag starts to get full.
I change my whole thing on either wed or thursday, and sunday or monday, but usually it's sunday and thursday.
Posted 11/9/2008 4:44 AM (GMT 0)
I also sleep on my tummy a lot and I find myself on my side or back when I wake up in the morning. So, my body "knows" when it should roll over even when I am sleeping. I know what foods cause it to speed up and what don't.

I use Convatec 2 piece, with Eakin Seals and a convex insert in the flange.

I change my wafer about every 5-7 days.

Ask away, that's what we are here for!

Good luck to you,
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