If you’re someone who deals with ostomy odors and complications, you may wonder if there is anything you can do. The same question may be after you get one, and you wonder I there is anything that you can do better. You may wonder how you can stop these embarrassing smells and odors. Well, you’re in luck, because here we’ll discuss how you can make sure that you have less ostomy odors as well.
The appliance matters
You want to make sure you’ve got the best ostomy supplies that fit. Something that sits snugly against the stoma does reduce leaks and odors as well. Whenever you do change form one appliance to another, check to ensure that there aren’t any other skin irritations and the like, and make sure that there isn’t. You have a lot that you can use, so don’t be afraid to try out a few things to help you figure out what’s best.
Empty the Pouch a Lot
This may seem obvious, but the more you have in the pouch, the more likely it will have odors, or it may leak due to how much that you have in there. Don’t be afraid to empty it whenever you can, and usually, don’t let it get over halfway through for best results.
Deodorize it
If you’re worried about it smelling while you’re out in public, you should get those Deodorizing tablets and drops to help make sure that your ostomy pouch doesn’t smell. This can help to eliminate odors too. There are some pouches that come with the filters too right before you put it on. You can also have a deodorant spray as well, which you can spray in there to hide the odors as well.
Avoid Certain foods
If you know that there are foods that make you gassy, try to eliminate them. This can include fibrous foods, since this also causes gas as well. Sugar also can cause this too. You also should avoid certain smelly foods such as cabbage, broccoli, apples, beans, nuts, beer, eggs dairy products, alcohol, and also soda too.
That doesn’t mean you can never have them again. You totally can. But make sure the pouch is emptied a lot, and you use a deodorizer after you eat them to help with making sure that the smells aren’t there. There are some veggies and fruits that’ll cause fewer smells, so if you make sure that you want to eliminate that, have more of those. Water and yogurt usually are also good for helping to keep odors at bay. Probiotics can also be a good and helpful addition.
Talk About Medications
If you notice that you still can’t get rid of the odors that are there try to ask doctors about medications to help reduce this. There are some medications that can help to get rid of smells from the waste you excrete along with flatulence too, so for those gassy people, this could be what you’re looking for. You should ask your doctor, however, about any of the side effects that come with this, and of course any of the other drugs that may be there.
When it comes to reducing odors and whatnot, it’s important to make sure that you’re mindful of these. Taking care of this in the long haul and making sure that you get the most out of this is important, and you can always ask for more and more help too if you need it, so you can keep all of the odors at bay, and to do it quite fast as well.
