Odor management with an ostomy pouch seems to be a concern in the forefront of many people’s minds. My first year at university was when I became aware of just how potent the odor was when emptying my ostomy pouch. I was living with three roommates at the time, and realized about a week after I moved into the dorm that the bathroom mysteriously became filled with candles and a scented plug in.
I was embarrassed and decided I needed to figure out a way to manage odor when emptying my ostomy pouch. After a lot of research and trial and error I found solutions that worked for me to mask or eliminate the smell.
Diet
I found that certain foods caused worse smelling stool and gas than others. The foods that are known to cause odor are:
- Fish
- Eggs
- Cheese
- Cabbage
- Brussels sprouts
- Onions
- Asparagus
- Broccoli
- Baked beans
This does not mean that you should avoid these foods altogether if you enjoy them. If you do decide to eat odor-causing foods, you can take precautionary measures such as using odor eliminating products.
Products
- Odor Eliminating (Deodorizer) Drops– These scentless drops are put right into your drainable ostomy bag after you empty. It is also useful to put the drops in when you are applying a new pouching system. I usually put in 5-8 drops each time I empty my ostomy pouch. This is a quick and easy way to eliminate odor!
- Odor Eliminator Spray– This deodorizing spray is similar to the deodorizer drops, except you spray it in the air. A few pumps after a bowel movement will successfully eliminate smelly odors.
- Air Freshener– Unlike the eliminating products, air fresheners bought at local stores mask the odor instead of eliminating it, but mini air fresheners are great to carry around just in case you don’t have your drops or spray with you.
- Tic Tacs– Like air freshener, Tic Tacs mask odor. Some people with ostomies put one or two Tic Tacs in the bottom of their drainable bags. The mint covers a bit of the smell.
- Poo-Pourri– Poo-Pourri is newer on the market and is an interesting concept. You spray the product into the toilet before you go to the bathroom. An oily film forms on the top of the water and traps odor-causing particles under the water, which leaves the bathroom smelling clean.
Odor can seem like a big, embarrassing problem with an ostomy, but by limiting odor-producing foods and using products to eliminate or mask smell, odor can be more manageable!
Sources:
For more information, see related ostomy everday ostomy tip articles and ostomy resources here:
- Sleeping with an Ostomy Video
- Dressing with an Ostomy
- How To Exercise with an Ostomy
- Traveling with an Ostomy
- Showering with an Ostomy
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Dear Laura, I wear a two piece ostomy bag. I need help with concealing an ostomy bag. When I move around my shirt hikes up and the tip of the bag peeks out from under my shirt.
