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Posted 10/15/2016 3:47 PM (GMT 0)
Hey all, since I got my ostomy I need to empty the bag one time during the night, usually around 4:00am. I've been having a lot of trouble getting into a deep sleep over the past several months. There are multiple issues going on, but I'm wondering if one of them is that I'm too nervous to settle into a deep sleep because I know I have to wake up and empty, and I'm afraid of having a blowout if I don't. How does everyone else handle this? How well do you sleep and do you have to empty during the night?
Posted 10/15/2016 8:46 PM (GMT 0)
I used to empty once every night. Now most of the time I don't. I sleep through the night 75 % of the time and the other 25% get up once usually between 3-4 am.

For me my body always wakes me up if I need to empty. I can't explain it. Even in the beginning the nurse told me to set an alarm for 3 am to prevent a blow out but most of the time if I needed to empty my body woke me up before that. Maybe for this reason I never worry about it?

But I also don't worry about a blow out. So I wake up and have to strip the sheets and shower right away, oh well. But this has only happened once so that makes it easy not to worry.

A few things that have helped me are diet. I find the less sugar or refined carbs I eat the better my stom behaves that night. I don't follow low carb and eat plenty of healthy carbs I just really watch added sugars. It makes a lot less volume for me.

Also yoga recently has really helped my sleep. I have been doing water and air yoga but also a pose called legs up a wall. I do that pose when I get home from work to revive and relax me and I have been sleeping like a rock! I usually try to do 15 minutes a day.
Posted 10/16/2016 2:37 PM (GMT 0)
I often have trouble sleeping too, but the ostomy plays no part. My output is most heavy thruout the night- it's weird, I wake up with a full bag, & then only empty 3-4x thruout the day. I have had a blowout at night, but only 1 or 2x, in 2 1/2 years. And always with the stupid Mio's! I'm back to my trusty Hollister 24/7. I usually empty befor I go to bed for the night, around 8:30ish. I'm up at 5:00 daily, & empty then. If I sleep later on the wknds, I generally wake around 5:00ish anyway, sometimes empty, sometimes not. Have you had night blowouts often? If not, I'd try not to worry about them- if it happens, no big deal, really. It's a drag to change a bed in the middle of the night, but that's the worst of it. You could always try a sleep aid, like Ambien or Unisom, see if that helps. Or even an herbal tea, some of the Valerian ones really work. Unless you're plagued by night blowouts, don't sweat it. Good luck!
Posted 10/17/2016 4:13 AM (GMT 0)
Have any of you tried immodium before bed, as a jpoucher it makes a huge difference.

Personally I was at my wits end with lack of sleep to the point I decided to try medical marijuana as a sleep aid, let me tell you, one of the best decision I've ever made! And let me tell you, if I do get up in the middle of the night 2-4 amish, I have a couple puffs and back off to lala land.

L-tryptophan also seems very good on sleep quality/quantity for myself.

"L-tryptophan is an amino acid, a protein building block that can be found in many plant and animal proteins. L-tryptophan is called an “essential” amino acid because the body can’t make it. It must be acquired from food.

L-tryptophan is used for insomnia, sleep apnea, depression, anxiety, facial pain, a severe form of premenstrual syndrome called premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), smoking cessation, grinding teeth during sleep (bruxism), attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Tourette's syndrome, and to improve athletic performance."

Post Edited (Virdent) : 10/16/2016 10:25:23 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 10/17/2016 12:35 PM (GMT 0)
If you're worried about blowouts if you take a sleeping aid then you could get some samples of the larger ostomy bags from your supplier. When I had my loop ileo I couldn't sleep at night because of the high output, I eventually switched to the magnum bags for night time use and it made a big difference for my sleep quality.
Posted 10/17/2016 2:05 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the responses. I've only had 1 night blowout in the 2 1/2 years I've had the ostomy. I looked to see if they had the magnum size bags for the Coloplast Mio, which is what i use, and they do not. The Imodium is a good idea, and I actually have been trying that for the past several days. Someone suggested I try magnesium supplements to help with sleep, but magnesium can function as a laxative so I've been taking magnesium and Imodium together before bed. Neither my sleep nor my output has changed so I don't know what's going on with that. Apparently nothing.

I've tried things like Benadryl and Melatonin in the past but haven't gotten good results. I'm too nervous to try more hard-core things like Ambien, as I'm concerned about both dependency and sleeping through needing to empty. I'm trying to get into meditation; maybe that'll help.
Posted 10/17/2016 5:35 PM (GMT 0)
Bania,

There is tincture of Opium that would help with both slowing down your GI tract and helping you sleep better, the only problem is that it is a narcotic and can become addictive. You can take it in very low doses since it is a liquid.

Benadryl and Melatonin do not work for me either, they sometimes put me to sleep but never keep me asleep. Ambien isn't that effective for me but my best sleep is always the night after I've exercised.

Good luck, I'm a lifelong bad sleeper.
Posted 10/17/2016 10:10 PM (GMT 0)
If you are contemplating meditation I would really encourage the legs up a wall pose. It has really improved my sleep. If you Google it you can find helpful tips on how to do it and being the most comfortable. It is similar to meditation, while I lay there I just concentrate on my breathing. Just make sure you do it at least a few hours before bed as it can revive and relax. The one time I did it right before bed I was very relaxed but couldn't sleep.
Posted 10/18/2016 4:36 PM (GMT 0)
I have to agree with cupcakespinkgirl...I think the food consumed during the day affects your stoma's performance (during day and at night) as well as the importance of exercise to help sleep. It's weird, too, that my body wakes me up when I do have to empty...I can also count on one hand the blowouts I've had in 16 years.

I try not to eat processed foods and can sleep through the night without having to empty. When I do eat a processed food I can guarantee that I'll be up during the night. Some other things that can cause a night time empty can be caffeine, alcohol, drinking with a straw, overeating, sugar and sugar substitutes. Breathing through your mouth can cause a lot of air, too, which can make you have to empty more.

I know everyone's body reacts to food differently and what works for one doesn't necessarily work for another. I was a slave to Imodium and other drugs for a long time before I figured out a healthier way to help my body. You might want to keep a food log for a week or so. You may be surprised to see what might be causing you to empty at night! Then you and can make a conscience decision when putting a "bad" food in your mouth.

I hope you can find relief and get some sleep!!
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