The Lee Collins library

Hints from all over the place

Laguna Hills Chapter, CA (2005)

- If your stoma bleeds during cleaning and appliance change, do not panic. A healthy blood supply is what give’s your “rosebud” a bright red color. Tiny capillaries are easily damaged and just as easily repair themselves. If however bleeding continues long after the appliance has been changed, check with your doctor or ET Nurse.

- Use a hand mirror for a better view of the stoma. It is about the only way you can see under it.

- Sometimes a large teaspoon of bulk gelatin dissolved in water or lemon juice will help firm up a loose stool. It should be taken once a day.

- When ill with a virus and diarrhea, eat pretzels, they are something which can be kept down and salt is good for you to maintain liquid balance.( in most cases)

- If you use washcloths (as opposed to sponges) and you have arthritic hand, substitute thin, inexpensive ones instead. They are easier to wring out. And you can get a better aim at your target.

- Always take your ostomy supplies to the hospital with you. Designate someone else to do this if you cannot. Let this person know where your supplies are. If you have serious medical problems, make up an emergency “bag” to be grabbed at the last minute. When the ambulance arrives is not time to do this.

- For colostomates who irrigate, if you feel that the last of the discharge has not been disposed of after irrigating, blow your nose ten or fifteen times after you think you are through and before putting on your little pad. You will usually get rid of the last troublesome matter.

- A couple of drops of mineral oil or spray of Pam on the inside of the pouch, spread around by rubbing the sides of the pouch together, causes the feces to drop to the bottom of the pouch and not stay around the stoma.

- Ileostomates in need of an antidiarrhea agent would do well to consider IMODIUM rather than Lomotil. Not particularly new, IMODIUM has become more and more the drug of choice in reducing volume of discharge in Ileostomies and colostomies. Its great advantage over Lomotil is that it contains no atropine and anti-cholinergic.

- Urostomates who travel may benefit by using two zip-lock bags (one inside the other) for night-time drainage. A plastic wastebasket may be used to hold the makeshift container by taping the connector tube to the inside of the wastebasket. - - - Rounding off the square edge of a firm wafer , or skin barrier, will decrease the chance of the belt catching on the corners.

- Male ostomates who suffer painful collisions between the pouch tail clip and key organs, should try angling the pouch toward a pants leg instead of pointing it straight down. Wear briefs and pass the pouch through a leg opening in the brief to hold it in place.

- To slow down stoma activity, before changing appliances, eat a tablespoon of creamy peanut butter beforehand or eat four or five marshmallows, about 15 minutes before changing.

- A bit of spearmint vinegar in a glass of water calms the stomach and digestive system. It also relieves gas and adds a tangy zest to iced tea.

- Check your rubbing alcohol if you are cleaning your skit with it. If it contains glycerin, this will prevent securing a good seal of the appliance. Alcohol should only be used occasionally to degrease the skin.

- Stretch away tensions. When a headache begins, STRETCH, it helps ease tense necks, headaches, and lower back pain. Stretching brings needed blood to tight muscles and a feeling of well being. Stretch slowly, hold do not bounce or strain.

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