This odor is killing me!

Praying,
I use about 6 drops of peroxide in my bag and I don't think that it matters the percentage. It is not harmful to your bag or your stoma. Before going out you can swish out your bag with water (I use one of those squirt bottles) and put the peroxide in. If you have to use the bathroom, you can bring your favorite body splash with you and spray right before you empty you can also flush as you are emptying. I bought one of those plug in air freshners for my bathroom because the smell got to me in the beginning, now I only notice it when I eat fish (awful smell).

Tbraz, i just tried the peroxide, i will see next change if it works :O)

Amey thats actually a great idea...i usually go empty when i have to tinkle, in which case i'd b freaked about flushing with my bum over the toilet. but i guess if i empty with my pants on that would b ok? I never thought of that. I think im going regularly...i dont know how many times a day to empty is common. I probably couldnt go an 8 hour day at work without emptying right?

I seem to empty a bit more, but the bag starts to pull on my incision making it uncomfortable and it's usually only 1/3 full. At night I've been getting up 2 times I have a lot of air that also will cause the pulling and wakes me up (thank God or else I would probably have an explosion). I also keep a folded sheet on the bed in case I do get a leak so I don't have to wake up my husband to change all the sheets. I didn't empty as much when I had the end ileostomy as I do now with the loop ileostomy, I think it's because everything comes out much faster. I have been taking 4 Imodium a day and I was told that I can take up to 8 so I'm thinking of adding more to thicken things up. I am really worried about my urine output not being enough, the surgeon told me to eat everytime I drink which is very difficult for me right now as I was used to drinking all the time and food just makes you thirstier.

Theresa

at home you can light a match after you empty, that sucks the smell right up! you coudl do that work too, depednign on what they would say there. Those little spray breath freshners, work really good in public, they can fit in your pocket and they have alchol in them, so if the toilet is icky, just spray some on there and it sanitzes! but it's important to spray before you empty. I don't know why but it doesn't work as well if you spray afterwards.
You will get used to the odor, and depending on what you eat, it will change. I have a really really sensitve noise, i can smell everything, (if youare going to have a super sense, smelling is not the one to get!) and at first i thought i was going to die, cause it was so awful! but now, unless i eat certain things, it doesn't bother me at all.

Praying,
What is it that you do for a living? Is it a public bathroom with many stalls or just a single bathroom? Can you get away easily to empty? I have a small makeup bag that I bought to keep in my purse for supplies (bag,wafer,paste,scissors,spray) in case I spring a leak and even bought a bigger purse to make sure I could fit it all. I don't want to have to keep extra clothes as I have a uniform and it would get wrinkled, but I only live 3 minutes from work so I could get home to change if I had to. I remember freaking myself out when I had to use the bathroom at work for the first time (it's a single bathroom) but someone had put body spray in there and everyone seems to use it so it always smells like vanilla and I just took my time and said to myself "no different than home". I work at a local ER registering patients and it's hard to excuse yourself in the middle of a registration so I'm thinking about changing jobs (the stress there doesn't help and everything has to be "right now!") Since you just had your surgery I would think that you still should have about 4-5 weeks off yet? I am supposed to go back the end of February and hope I can do it.

Remember no one is going to be the wiser if you are carrying stuff in the bathroom (most women get periods and take changes into the bathroom).

Theresa

Praying,
Did you tell your work associates why you needed to take medical leave?

M-9.....Get some M-9 made by Hollister. Its a deodorizer. Comes in 8 ounce containers. Works great.

With regard to gas, I don't eat anything that causes it. No carbonated drinks, no asparagus, beans, etc.

Good luck

I'm just gonna throw in my 2 cents here - I use Ostofresh.  Just a couple of drops will do ya.  It is covered as DME, just like my supplies and can be purchased thru your supplier.  If they don't carry it, ask them if they can order it in for you.

I keep saying that I am going to try the peroxide - maybe I will give it a try over the weekend.  Like teaching an old dog new tricks!!!  Just gotta try it.

The peroxide still isn't working and its turning my output to water. Baby powder? Y do I feel like that would make things all cakey and hard 2 get out of the bag?

lol! lucky you Ash! ur my hero!