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Posted 8/20/2007 10:44 PM (GMT 0)
Somewhere on here someone mentioned smell. 

 I know most of the time it's in my head. Seems like once you open that bag no matter how you smell you can't get that smell out of your head.

  But can anything really help?  Where do you put it, in the bag?  Around that area? 

  Most likely stinkin', just not sure.

Posted 8/20/2007 11:46 PM (GMT 0)
I use Odor Eliminator Drops. They seem to work well. I've heard people (on this site) use peroxide or listerine. In a pinch, I've used vinegar--however, if the smell of vinegar offends you then I don't recommend it! It took awhile before I found one that works well. The stuff the ET nurse recommended was useless! Don't you just hate wondering if you smell or it's just all in your head?!?
Posted 8/20/2007 11:47 PM (GMT 0)
Oh--just put it in the bag when you empty.
Posted 8/21/2007 11:11 PM (GMT 0)
Ha  Yes, i keep wanting to ask someone.....'hey, do i stink?'

   I'll give it a try. Most likely it will just make me feel better about it all.   Thank you Jen.

Posted 8/22/2007 3:17 AM (GMT 0)
i get worried about it too, lol. This is what i do when i am home and i think i smell, ya'll go ahead and laugh, i get under the covers and i pull them completely over me, so i am under them all the way, with no air coming in from outside, and then i ball myself up as tight as possible so i am as close to the bag as i cna get, and then i see if i can smell it. I know that's strange, but it makes me feel better
Posted 8/22/2007 9:23 AM (GMT 0)
A squirt of 3% hydrogen peroxide (no stronger) is all I need in my bag and it totally eliminates odour. Won't damage your stoma and is much cheaper than those deodorisers that are aimed esp at the ostomy market.
Posted 8/22/2007 2:09 PM (GMT 0)

The 3% peroxide did it for me.  I learned about it on Shaz'z board 2 years ago.  Nothing else did it for me.  And I make sure when I burp my bag, I don't breathe.

Sandy B

Posted 8/22/2007 6:10 PM (GMT 0)
The peroxide for me didn't work well, nor did the Odor eliminator drops. I like the Hollister Adapt stuff, plus it's not blue! BUT there still is odor, at least to me. Ha! summerstorm, I do the under the cover thing too!
Posted 8/22/2007 7:11 PM (GMT 0)
glad to know i'm not the only one doing that, lol.
Posted 8/22/2007 10:51 PM (GMT 0)

So i guess my next question is how do you go about it?  It's more about when i'm working than anything, so i guess i don't want to be walking into the bathroom with some huge bottle of peroxide in my hands.  Can you put a small amount in a squirt bottle? How much do you actually squirt into the bag?  Can you smell the peroxide?  Then again, can't be any worse i guess.

   Right now if i feel i stink i always have some sort of body spray in the car. So i'll just take a quick spray shower............and end up smelling like mountain rain, or whatever it is. Oh yay.

Posted 8/23/2007 12:44 AM (GMT 0)
mountain rain--LOL!!! I've bought small spray bottles (travel size section of Wal-mart, Walgreens, etc.) and when I use it I just use a couple squirts. However, being a guy, it's not as easy since I assume you do not carry a purse. I've meant to ask for those who have tried listerine, if using those melt-on-your-tongue strips would work....it certainly would be way more convenient and no chance of a bottle leaking.
Posted 8/23/2007 1:50 AM (GMT 0)
i tried mouth wash, and wasn't impressed, but what I did find that worked was those little bottles of spray breath freshner, like bianca or something, i think it's called, you can get it where the mouth wash is, they fit in your pocket. Anyway, i found that if you spray the bathroom FIRST, (that is very important, it doesn't seem to work if you do it afterwards, plus you wouldnt' really want to use it and have it get all germy) that it will help the smell ALOT. You spray it into the air, you have to spray it fairly heavy. It's also good cause it has alchol in it, so if the seat is all icky, you can spray some on there, and get rid of all those germs. They make little bottles of oust, but they are realy really high!
Posted 8/23/2007 1:52 PM (GMT 0)
The Hollister Adapt odor stuff comes in individual packets you can put in your pocket or purse.
Posted 8/24/2007 1:42 AM (GMT 0)
They should make scented pouches.
Posted 8/25/2007 2:39 PM (GMT 0)
Summerstorm

I love the idea of going under the covers! I have tried this several time since your post! This method beats asking my hubby every hour, "Do I smell?" I know he is getting a little annoyed at me.

Also, my bag does not have a strong smell and I do not use anything in my bag. My poop smells like a new baby's bm. There is an odor but it is not offensive. Maybe this is because I am not eating much and I am still on a low residue diet. I mainly eat chicken, mashed potatoes and wheat free toast.
Posted 8/25/2007 4:03 PM (GMT 0)
it changes with what you eat. LIke if you eat alot of tartar sauce it will smell, lol or if you eat bland stuff it doesn't have as strong of a smell
Posted 8/26/2007 12:35 AM (GMT 0)
The peroxide did it for me, I agree with Shaz.  I found out about it on this website and is the best tip I ever got.  Mine used to smell so bad in the mornings and after eating spicy foods or anything not bland.  And the smell drifts and it seems like you can smell it thru the whole house.  It was terrible.  I just pour a small amount in the bag after I empty it.  It is cheap, much cheaper than the products you order special for ostomies.  You can buy a big bottle at Walmart for under a dollar and a smaller bottle for about 48 cents or so, its very cheap and it works for me.  Maybe the people who it does not work for didn' t use enough or have different types of odors, but like I said, mine were bad and the peroxide did the trick for me and has saved me a lot of embarrassment.

Posted 8/26/2007 6:14 PM (GMT 0)
I tend to eat whatever I want (which is something I could never do before) but it does cause ODOR! It sounds like quite a routine, but if I am somewhere where it REALLY makes a difference (i.e. a friends house, public restrooms, tiny bathrooms) I use the M9 spray (I ordered the tiny bottle to keep in my purse once, and just refill it with the big ones) BEFORE I empty, then when I do empty I flush it IMMEDIATELY... THEN clean off the bag, flush again and put some Adapt lubricating odor eliminator in with the premeasured packets. Alittle spray afterwards and it usually works. Yep. If I don't, seemes like its like you said LFW, it permeates through the whole house!
Posted 8/26/2007 7:16 PM (GMT 0)
The Hollister M9 Drops come in 2 separate sizes of smaller bottles on top of the large ones. There's a very small, one shot bottle, and a bottle a little larger. They fit in a purse or pocket or book bag very easily. Just get in the habit of refilling them every morning before you leave. I also keep a large bottle in my car for emergency refills.
Posted 8/26/2007 7:24 PM (GMT 0)
Shaz-One of these days I'll try the peroxide. You seem to like it.

I've been using mouthwash for the last few months , thanks to a suggestion on this forum, and I'm very happy with it. I used the M9 drops for years. It's just too expensive when I know there's a much cheaper alternative.

I find the mouthwash method is way cheaper and I just have to run to the nearest store to get more. And, it gives my ostomy that "just from the dentist" clean feeling, LOL!!!

Posted 8/30/2007 12:33 AM (GMT 0)
Oh man...." just from the dentist". hah

The peroxide works pretty good at night. It doesn't seem to smell as bad in the morning. The breath spray is working out nicely. It was mostly at work that i needed some sort of idea. Can't really carry a bottle of peroxide around with me.
Posted 8/30/2007 12:44 AM (GMT 0)
Slice,
You could put a big bottle of Scope in the men's bathroom at work, and nobody would question it. Except when one of the guys would go to use some, and they'd see poop where they're supposed to put their mouth! nono Things that make you go Hmmmm....
Posted 8/30/2007 2:45 AM (GMT 0)
Slice,
I bought a small travel size container from Wal-Mart and filled it with Peroxide. It was about .47 cents. Now that I think about it, I am not sure this would work for you. You are a guy and you cannot carry a bottle in your purse...or could you? Hey, some men do....but we wont go there. Anyway, here is a tip...point the tail of your bag into the toliet and as it empties flush the toliet. Then everything goes down the drain as it is coming out of your bag. Hence, most of the smell goes down the drain too. Then you can clean up and flush again.

Holiter makes tiny plasic pouches of liquid that you can squirt in your bag. They are small and flat and you can keep them in your pocket. I am sure Holister will send you some free samples to try. You may want to give them a call.
Posted 8/30/2007 3:00 AM (GMT 0)
i tried those packets of stuff and was not impressed, well actually i tried it out of the big bottle, but it's the same thing.  It didnt' do anything, or at least i didn't think so.  I have a pocketbook though, being a girl and all, so i could carry whatever but i just like those little breath freshners cause they also fit in my pocket and noone notices, i just hope noone ever asks to use it!

I did put a can of air freshner in the bathroom at work, i actually put it in there before i had the ostomy, it's always a good idea to have that!  I wish i could figure out a way to keep a little bottle of water to clean it out at work

Posted 8/30/2007 1:55 PM (GMT 0)
Yeah, carrying a purse might be more of a lifestyle change than the bag was. hah I'm all set with the purse deal. The little breath spray bottles seem to work ok. Maybe i will plant some sort of something in the bathroom.
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