Preventing Colostomy Bags From Bursting - A Quick Guide

If you’ve ever had a colostomy bag explode or burst you know just how horrible it can be. It’s arguably one of the most uncomfortable feelings you may experience throughout your life, and it happens far too often. Even if you haven’t had it happen to you you’ve probably heard the stories. Forums are full of people describing what many dubs as being their worst nightmare. It really is an ordeal you do not ever want to go through. With all of that in mind, we’ve put together this quick guide in an attempt to lessen your risk of having a colostomy bag burst. Generally, the burst is caused by an excessive amount of gas building up in your body. Below you will find five tips that are sure to lessen gas build-up and prevent colostomy bag explosions.

Stop Consuming Foods Known For Inducing Gas

Generally, the easiest way to prevent a colostomy bag from bursting is to not eat foods that make you gassy! This is typically the most common and most effective way of preventing a burst (although it tends to differ between each patient). At first, people tend to believe that they avoid gas inducing foods on the regular, but that’s actually not true. Sure, most people know about the typical gas inducing goods, but there are actually quite a few sources people may not know about. Regardless, here are the foods you should be avoiding or at least lessening consumption for.

Beans

This is definitely the most obvious example. Beans have always been known to induce gas, so avoiding them would definitely be beneficial. Examples of beans you should avoid include Dried Lima beans and kidney beans.

Dairy Products

This doesn’t apply to all dairy products, just the following few: Yogurt, Ice Cream, Cheese, and other similar products.

Various Vegetables

A lot of people are actually unaware that vegetables can be gas inducing. Fortunately, not all are, just the following few: Asparagus, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, and more. Healthy alternatives that aren’t gas inducing include spinach and kale.

Various Fruits

A lot of people are actually unaware the fruits can be gas inducing. Fortunately, not all are, just the following few: Apples of all kinds, prunes (obviously), peaches, and last but not least, pears. Avoiding these fruits may put you at risk of an antioxidant deficiency, so be sure to choose some healthy alternatives that aren’t gas inducing.

Chewing Gum and Hard Candy

It’s generally a good idea to avoid chewing gum and hard candy because of the chemical sweeteners within them. Not to mention they’re just bad for you in general.

Packaged/Processed Foods

Generally, processed food may cause gas, but you should definitely avoid processed food with lots of lactose and fructose.

Stop Drinking Fluids Known For Inducing Gas

Similarly to food, a select few drinks can also cause gas. This is usually pretty obvious but it’s definitely worth the mention. The drinks you should be avoiding include soda and alcoholic beverages (particularly the carbonated options) and coffee. Coffee is especially bad because it may be responsible for inducing gastritis, which is exactly what you need to avoid.

Change The Way You Eat

And no, we don’t mean your diet (although as we mentioned above that’s very important to). If you eat with your mouth open or simply swallow a lot of air when eating, chances are you’re going to give yourself gas. To make sure you’re eating properly, all you need to do is chew your food fully and do so with your mouth closed. Basic manners! Also, try not to smoke or excessively chew gum as both let air into your stomach.

Preparation Is Key

If you’re planning an exciting trip, be sure to plan ahead. There are things you can do beforehand to make sure you don’t burst your colostomy bag! Check out some of our other articles for more information.

Get a Great Brand!

One of the best ways to prevent a colostomy bag from bursting is to get one from a reputable brand. Each tip on this list will do wonders for you, but they’ll only go so far if you have a lesser quality bag!