Managing Gas & Ballooning
My Ostomy
Ever wonder why your pouch balloons so excessively? Gas and ballooning can be due to a multitude of factors. Reasons can range from the nature of your pouching system to the breakfast you ate in the morning. Here are a few ways to help manage gas and ballooning!
Diet
Maintaining an ostomy friendly diet is one of the simplest ways to help manage gas and ballooning. Here are a few tips:
- Avoid spicy food, fatty foods, and carbonation
- Eat frequent meals
- Monitor fiber consumption
- Experiment with cooking methods and portion/food sizes
Ostomy Pouch Choice – Two-piece vs. One-piece
A two-piece system makes it easier to manually “burp” your appliances to release gas, a useful feature when your filters lose effectiveness due to dampening. One-piece systems lose this feature in exchange for a simplified and lower-profile look.
Shop our two-piece pouches here!
Accessories
Beyond your pouch choice, there are many ostomy accessories that may help with gas management and odour control:
- Osto-EZ-vents: Allows you to release trapped gas throughout the day conveniently and discreetly.
- Filtrodor Pouch Filters: Reduces odours while passively releasing gas while in use.
Conclusion, and a word of advice for the self-conscious
Gas is inevitable when it comes to ostomy pouches, but proactivity is the name of the game when it comes to deflating any gas-related concerns. While we can give general tips, your individual situation may vary as all ostomies and ostomates are different. To receive personalized advice for your unique needs, please consulate your local NSWOC for any questions or concerns!
If you have questions about this program or need assistance selecting the right ostomy products, MyOstomy.ca is here to help! (Did we mention we are proudly Canadian owned and operated? 🍁)
