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Any Bag Odor Tricks?

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Posted 10/5/2013 10:08 PM (GMT 0)
I'm still learning all the tips with my new bag but was wondering what are some of the things you do for odor? I have a few sample packets of some deodorant gel that I'm supposed to put in the bag that makes it empty easier and fight smell but it doesn't seem to work. I have the hollister two piece bag with the little filter on the top and every so often I can still get a small whif of odor coming from it. Any suggestions? I've read about putting a tablespoon or two of mouthwash in the bag after it's emptied.
Posted 10/5/2013 11:12 PM (GMT 0)
If you are getting a whiff of smell you don't have a good seal.
I never liked mouthwash or peroxide. If I use anything it's M9 drops, or the adapt packets, probably what you have.
Posted 10/5/2013 11:14 PM (GMT 0)
In my experience, nothing that I put in the bag worked. I tried gel, mouth wash, and tic tacs. I recently discovered Devrom, which is a chewable internal deodorant. The stuff is a miracle. If you used the restroom after me, you would never guess I just emptied my bag. You can order it online on the Devrom website. It is FDA approved.
Posted 10/6/2013 12:07 AM (GMT 0)
I've checked my seals when I do get the occasional whif and all seems to be good. it's subtle but if I can smell it I wonder if others can. I have the adapt drops but that's what doesn't seem to do much. I'll look up the Devrom and see how that works.
Posted 10/6/2013 2:04 AM (GMT 0)
I agree with summerstorm- there should be no "whiff" whatsoever, other than the whiff you may get while emptying. I use a few Hollister M9 drops when in public and it works wonders on mine for any concern about smelling up the stall.. But the smell without the drops is not any worse than a normie's poop in my experience.
Posted 10/6/2013 10:36 AM (GMT 0)
I use hydrogen peroxide, and it often takes away all the smell, unless I've eaten something with a lot of garlic or otherwise very pungent,and then it takes away most of it. I like it better than the M9 partly because it's clear (I stained things w/spilling the M9) and it's cheap and available.

Poop does smell, and mine less so than others in my household!
Posted 10/6/2013 2:16 PM (GMT 0)
I will say some things I must eat will cause a smell that will knock you out. I'm starting to see also the colors of things I eat or drink changing the output color. I about freaked yesterday when I saw a lot of red when I emptied my bag and thought it was blood. I realized most of the day I was drinking red Gatorade so hope that was it.
Posted 10/6/2013 2:39 PM (GMT 0)
@Bluegrass- how much hydrogen peroxide do you use? What I like about the M9 is that a few drops or small squirt is all it takes to knockout any odor on the next empty... Are a few drops sufficient too? Or do you swish a tablespoon around inside to coat ghe pouch interir and then let it empty out? (i ask because what I like about the few drops of m9 is that it doesnt add any real liquid to the contents sitting there).
Posted 10/6/2013 5:46 PM (GMT 0)
I've seen several talk about the hydrogen peroxide trick. "A capful" is the most frequent amount.
Posted 10/6/2013 9:50 PM (GMT 0)
I put the hydrogen peroxide in a squeeze bottle (I have them near different bathrooms I use, most are old M9 bottles), and then I just squeeze some in... it's about what I did with the M9 (always took more than a drop or two for me). Often when I'm out and about, I will empty without using anything, and then when I get home, I put in more because it's smellier. In either case, I don't add much liquid... I wouldn't swish and rinse it out... too much work, and the point is to have it in there for the new stuff.

Gordon, eating something red and getting scared is kind of a rite of passage for having an ostomy bag! The worst for me was when I ate something called shirataki noodles .... it's a gluten free noodle type thing, and it just didn't digest much at all .... looked like I had a bag full of white worms. Needless to say, I don't eat those anymore....
Posted 10/6/2013 10:33 PM (GMT 0)
I tried the hydrogen peroxide this last empty I just did, I'll see how that works. I've been "burping" my bag most of the day while watching football, I went outside to let the dog out and when I came back in...whew, it lingered! I could still smell it in the air...gotta be a little more cautious of that in the future lol.
Posted 10/6/2013 10:53 PM (GMT 0)
I call that a "manual fart."
Posted 10/12/2013 9:41 AM (GMT 0)
Try Hollister 2 piece bag without filter.
Posted 10/13/2013 4:24 PM (GMT 0)
blksteed - I agree with the others here, there should be no smells when your wafer/appliance are all put together. If you have a loop illeo, there may be an issue with the wafer seal.
Posted 10/15/2013 12:40 PM (GMT 0)
Hi. I maybe asking a stupid question ,but is hydrogen peroxide, what you bleach your hair with and if it got on to your stoma would it burn it? or am I thinking totally of the wrong thing not really clued up on things like this as I'm still learning too lol!!! x
Posted 10/15/2013 1:23 PM (GMT 0)
I certainly would not use straight peroxide although it would likely be safe if diluted.

I never found anything to really be useful in neutralizing odor. You may use something and think that it works but then again maybe that output didn't stink much to begin with. If it truly works then it should work every single time and I never found anything that worked consistently.


But nowadays I stay away from sugars/carbs, stay away from acid reducers too, take digestive enzymes, slow everything down with immodium...and...no more stinkage than the other 'normal' members of the house which is good enough for me.

Of course a pack of matches in the bathroom at least covers up any odor with acrid smoke smell...

Post Edited (MeanDean) : 10/15/2013 8:39:53 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 10/15/2013 1:50 PM (GMT 0)
Don't use anything stronger than 3% hydrogen peroxide - you can find it in the first aid section of your supermarket. The HP used for bleaching hair is way too strong.

The 3% solution can be used as a mouthwash so it's safe to come in contact with your stoma.
Posted 10/15/2013 2:39 PM (GMT 0)

Shaz032 said...

The 3% solution can be used as a mouthwash so it's safe to come in contact with your stoma.

Actually I have always heard you should dilute it 50/50 to use it even as a mouthwash.

Also, it seems to me that using it once a day for five seconds in your mouth and spitting it out would be quite different than putting it in your ostomy pouch.

My wife is a nurse and I know they still use 3% for initial cleaning of wounds but repeated usage is a no-no due to tissue damage.
Posted 10/21/2013 3:09 PM (GMT 0)
I noticed at the store the other day that the peroxide mouthwash products are 1.5% rather than 3% and all advise spitting the product out.


Also it is thought (according to google) that oxidizing mouthwashes like those with peroxide may contribute to Hairy Tongue syndrome. I would hate to end up with a case of Hairy Stoma... smilewinkgrin


And this is a pic of a peroxide bottle that talks about diluting it for oral debriding
http://images.ddccdn.com/otc/103705/label.jpg
and I would not want to debrid my stoma anyway since it is the removal of dead, damaged, or infected tissue.


So I think I will stand on my recommendation of NOT using peroxide but of course people are welcome to do as they please...doesn't bother me a bit.
Posted 10/21/2013 10:13 PM (GMT 0)
Well, my nurse doesn't like the idea of the hydrogen peroxide either, but I've been using it for a few years, no issues at all.... stoma output is mostly water and the peroxide is mostly in the bottom of the bag, so I don't think the analogy w/mouthwash really holds.... even at night, I sleep on my side, so if the bag is empty, the peroxide is not going to be on my stoma.... and if it's more full, it will be diluted....

But it's fine w/me if you don't want to use it....
Posted 10/22/2013 9:58 AM (GMT 0)

blueglass said...

But it's fine w/me if you don't want to use it....

Fair enough. I actually have no need of it myself. I have been taking immodium along with some recently added pepto and find that my poo has zero stink. But it didn't stink much before either. So I wonder if it is those pills or some of the other supplements I take or simply my diet that provides stink free poo. More experimenting and maybe I will figure it out.

But when I hear someone suggesting peroxide for the pouch I always have to stop and wonder if it is a good idea. I was just saying it wasn't something I will be recommending to others as I am too uncomfortable with the idea. I usually do not recommend my jelly blob metamucil trick, silver nitrate sticks, or fish antibiotics for the same reason, although I feel perfectly fine using them personally.

Personally my pouch is all over the place depending on what activity I am engaged in, so the peroxide would be too. Once again, not something I like the idea of personally....
Posted 11/27/2013 9:07 PM (GMT 0)
There's a good product called x-5000 that you can spray on your bag to get rid of any smell and any bacteria. Here's the link for it-http://x5000sports.com We had to deal with my dad - he had some trouble with smell on his clothes from his bag. This seemed to work even when washing didnt.
Posted 1/16/2014 3:02 AM (GMT 0)
Bostwis1,

Thank you for telling us about the Devrom. It really works. I can burp my bag on the couch and my husband don't even know it. And he has the best smeller ever. Same with emptying my bag, no smell. I chew one tablet at bedtime. Well worth the money.

Love, love love Devrom
Posted 2/7/2014 10:47 PM (GMT 0)
I've been using M9 drops in the bag and taking oral Devrom, and it seemed to work, at least for the week that I've been home from surgery. But yesterday especially, the bag smelled awful! I hadn't changed my diet, except that I had no yogurt. We changed the wafer/bag yesterday morning, so I thought maybe it was my first leak. But I see no sign of one. I guess I will try peroxide next and/or eating yogurt again. My nose is VERY sensitive, and I can't stand such an odor on me. A friend told me to try vanilla extract, so I opened the bag today (1/3 full; I'm still unable to empty/clean it, due to quadriplegia) and poured a few drops of vanilla in. The odor seems reduced by about 50%.
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