HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Need advice!

Support Forums
>
Ostomies
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 9/28/2011 4:29 PM (GMT 0)
I'm going on a Women's Retreat to Sanibel Beach this weekend (so excited!) and am sharing a 2 bedroom suite with 3 other women. We'll be spending 2 nights together and will be having coffee and breakfast in the room each morning. My stoma is usually very quiet, except for first thing in the morning when I'm having coffee and breakfast! These ladies don't know that I have an ileostomy, and I'm not sure what to do. Is there anything I can take (like Gas-X, Beano, or Imodium) that would keep my stoma from being so noisy? Or should I just tell them that I'm not "farting", even though it sounds like it, but that it's my ileo making that noise? I'm usually at home when it does it, so it's no big deal, but I thought I'd ask you all if you have any advice.

Thanks! :-)

Cece
Posted 9/28/2011 9:53 PM (GMT 0)
Your trip sounds amazing!! what a lovely thing to do.. :-)

Well.. I would definitely 'tell all' to your new room mates and explain about your stoma and how it might make some strange 'farting' noises. You can bet if you try and keep it quiet or don't tell them, it'll be even more noisy ;-) I'm sure they'll understand and you can all giggle about it over breakfast. Have a lovely time x
Posted 9/29/2011 12:22 AM (GMT 0)
you could try some gasx first thing, or if you could get up a bit earlier and grab a few bites of something.
Posted 9/29/2011 12:31 AM (GMT 0)
Enjoy the retreat....I love Sanibel/Captiva.

To keep your anxiety at bay just tell them...give the Readers' Digest version...lol

Of course you can try to do some things to help keep it quiet but as we know if does have a mind of its own sometimes too.

If you all are sharing the bathroom if there is only one in your unit, then you may want to take some precautions - deodorizer for the pouch, Devrom tabs etc. and obviously avoid foods that you know give you a stronger odor during that time away.

Have a great time!!!
Posted 9/30/2011 1:54 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks for your advice! I think I will take Gas-X and get up early to nibble on some yogurt before anyone wakes up. It's just those first couple minutes when I eat breakfast or drink coffee on an empty stomach that it can be kind of noisy, and then it stops. There is an outdoor patio, so I could sit out there with a cup of coffee, too.

I have no problem telling people that I have an ileostomy, but I prefer to talk about it when it flows naturally in a conversation that has to do with dealing with an illness or having surgery or something like that. I work in a church office and interact with a lot of people, so that type of conversation actually comes up quite a bit.

I'm sharing a bathroom with one person, am definitely bringing the M9 drops, and am not going to eat any fish or onions! lol I'll have my laptop with me and will keep you posted on how it goes.

Thanks again! :-)
Posted 9/30/2011 11:53 PM (GMT 0)
Just tell them then have fun. Rosemary
Posted 10/1/2011 5:44 PM (GMT 0)
I just wanted to let you all know that everything is going so much better than expected! First, I ended up having a private bedroom and bathroom, which has been a wonderful blessing.

Then, the two other ladies who are sharing a room, got up really early, made coffee, and went for a walk. One of them is training for a 3-day, 60 mile walk for breast cancer, so she wanted to get 5 miles in before breakfast.

So, I was able to leisurely get up and have some coffee and yogurt by myself and not worry about my ileo being noisy. By the time they got back, I was already showered and ready to hang out and chat.

So, the three of us are chatting, and would you believe that one of them starting talking about a surgery that she had?!? Then the other one did, too, so I joined in a told them about my surgery. It was perfect!! They were so cool about it and handled it great.

I can't believe I allowed myself to worry. What's funny is the topic this morning was to trust God instead of worrying! Boy, did I need to hear that! smilewinkgrin

Thanks again for your advice! You guys are the BEST! Well, I'm off to go swim in the ocean and then meet up with some ladies for water aerobics at 3pm!

Cece
Posted 10/1/2011 6:36 PM (GMT 0)
i've been away for the holyday. so glad you're having so much fun Cece :):)
Posted 10/1/2011 6:38 PM (GMT 0)
Glad it's working out so well. Enjoy!
Posted 10/1/2011 10:58 PM (GMT 0)
I'm glad it worked out for you!!!!

I myself had my 1st hotel getaway just last weekend. Went out of state for a cycling century. I went with a friend and his coworkers. I had to share a room with 4 other women. So...my worries: I have to share a bed- can't imagine sleeping in bed with a stranger and something happen. I also worried about the stoma noises. Also, how do I clean my pouch, the sink is usually outside of the toilet. I was scared. But....all worked out.

To clean the pouch, I used the public toilet room that was by the check-in. Stoma noises, I'd just blanket. I didn't share a bed, asked for a cot. All went well. When we got up that morning, we were all chatting, getting ready for the race. Illness' came up in conversation and I spoke out. Come to find out, one of the women has a best friend that suffered from UC, went through the jpouch ordeal and the poor girl is still suffering 5 years later.

So, I worried for nothing. They were shocked how I manipulated the entire time. Now I know better.....And I had the BEST time!!!!!!!
Posted 10/3/2011 3:44 AM (GMT 0)
Cece -- that is wonderful...so happy this retreat/vacation worked out so well for you. GREAT!!!
Posted 10/3/2011 3:45 AM (GMT 0)
Windy...also great to hear your getaway worked out so well too!!!
Posted 10/5/2011 12:20 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks you guys, and Windy--I'm so glad you had a great time on your trip, too!! :-)
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply