Easing Colostomy Bag Odor

As a new colostomy user, I'm grateful for all the tips on reducing odor (my main concern), and will try them all.
Any advice on gas? Mine blows up like a balloon, though a bit less now than in the beginning. Can you trace either of these complaints to food eaten? Going off the low-residue diet?
Also I have low-level discomfort from the colostomy site -- feelings of stinging and pulling. Is that customary?
Thanks for this forum, and for any advice.
little c

I have the stinging and pulling as well, only had surgery 7/23. Gas...had a lot to begin with but it went away. Cabbage/brussles sprouts/broccoli seem to make more gas. Noodles in diet when eating these seem to help reduce gas effect.

I have had my colostomy for 2.5 yrs now and still cant find anything for the smell, I feel like ive tried all the above tictacs and so on but no luck the one drop in the toilet works for dumping but not for the air and I hate goin and empty my bag anywhere but home so I feel stuck home again, any other ideas would be awesome and I will try anything

Hi, my husband is almost 4 weeks post temporary colostomy. (emergency colectomy, appendectomy Dec. 19th 2012) He is handling the colostomy well at 38y/o probably because I am a nurse but too just happy to be alive. His biggest issue is the odor problem. I have read a lot of post about, mouth wash and such; however, we are very new to this (and just because I am a nurse, I didn't deal with ostomies at home on an everyday basis) so please excuse my ignorance.
When putting the mouth wash in the bag is it like a drop? please explain? Thank you so much!

I am so surprised that the hospital workers and home nurses taught me way less then what I learned on the internet. Tips that changed everything for me. These seem so simple but have made all the difference. First, when I'm putting on a new bag I always put several drops of baby oil in the bag. Think of baking, you grease the pan and the cookies slide right off. Turn on the exhaust fan and spray the room with deodorizer before sitting on the toilet. Place TP in the toilet to avoid skid marks. If you have enough oil in the bag the waste will auctually slid out so you don't have to "milk" it thud leaving no waste stuck to the bag. I keep a water bottle in my bathroom. After emptying the bag I carefully pour warm water into the the bag, hold the opening closed and swish the water around then carefully lower the opening into the bag and empty. Repeat if necessary. now add more oil into the bag and close it up. For Oder get any natural oil and you add it to the baby oil, a fair amount and a drop or two to the water bottle that your using to wash out the bag. Baby oil is cheap, more is better. I really hope this helps! Hang in there it does get better.

I agree with Tom1.

For me, if I flush my pouch out with water I have to ensure it stays away from my wafer. If I don't I have discovered I am more prone to leakage...

Clo