Wearing Your Ostomy Bag Horizontally: FAQ

[@arobersonable]

FINALLY- someone who knows what they're talking about. NOT my nurses/doctors/ "ostomy specialists." They were so incredibly unhelpful. I largely had to figure all this out myself while in pain. No excuses for them- how I wish I'd found you four weeks ago!!!!!! Thank you. Rock on.

[@VeganOstomy]

I'm sorry you had a bad experience, Amy. I think it sometimes comes down to hearing it from someone living through it. Good luck with everything moving forward :)

[@maryreynolds5310]

Hi Amy. So almost 4 yrs later, I will soon be wearing my Ostomy bag sidways..lol I'm getting ready to order one in a minute. So I absolutely go stright to VO's page to hear what he has to say about it. Amy, I don't know how you felt or what you went through after you got you ileostomy, myself I was lost, scared, misserable, depressed and so very clueless about so much! My ostomy nurse Amy (is her name as well) :) told me about Eric, and I started to watch..Amy, he has answered every question and has explained EVERYTHING for me. Its all in his videos. He also has a website that helps us all with everything. He is active still on this website and is always there to help. Its a great community to join so I hope you check it out. Im sure its listed in the description below. Anyway, I just had to share this with you when I read your comment...I've been there. I would tell the world about this guy if I could! Those with ostomys ...Anywho, I seriously don't think I would have made it this far if not for Eric and his information he is so kind to share with us all. Im serious, I dont thinking I would be here. I know thats a horrible thing to say, but it is where i was at back then. So you have a great day 🙂

[@luissaldivar7682]

This is all new to me. Just a couple of months after my colostomy. I just found your videos. I am loving them. Thanks a lot. I am sending you a really big hug all the way from Mexico.

[@VeganOstomy]

You are so welcome! Thanks for watching.

[@katewingham2121]

Just wanted to thank you for all the efforts you put in to all your videos. I’m due to have a urostomy later this year and have them to be really informative.

[@VeganOstomy]

You're welcome, Kate. Thanks for watching and all the best with your surgery. 👍

[@carsonschulte7087]

Just got my ostomy and I’ve had lots of troubles getting used to it and how to live with one. So glad I found your channel thanks for helping!

[@VeganOstomy]

My pleasure. I hope that things get easier for you.👍

[@charlotteechols3035]

I appreciate you doing these videos. I am doing research for my husband and helping him adjust to life after surgery. ALL your videos are helpful and I have learned a lot from you. Thank you.

[@VeganOstomy]

Your husband is lucky to have you, Charlotte! I'm glad the videos have been helpful 😊👍

[@bigfoot060775]

Thank you for all of your helpful tips! I personally don’t have an ostomy, but I am caring for my elderly mom who had to have an ileostomy done back in March. We have gone through Hell with that thing ever since she got home from the hospital! I’m finding your tips as well as tips from others very helpful in caring for someone with an ostomy.

[@VeganOstomy]

Your mom is lucky to have you! I hope things get easier for you both.

[@lukereinhart5387]

I really appreciate you. Your a super hero. Your videos are so helpful and supportive. I can't thank you enough.

[@VeganOstomy]

You're welcome! Thanks for watching 😄

[@amymcmahel6144]

This is the only way I wear my bag ;)!! I'm short waisted, and this is so much more comfortable for me ! If my output is very watery, I sometimes turn it slightly diagonal .. This keeps the filter out of the path of the liquid better . I was started this way after surgery ( I had an open belly with a wound vac for 3 months). I get such a better seal with it sideways. I wear hollister one piece 8331

[@VeganOstomy]

+Amy McMahel Yeah, I've worn the 8331 many times and it does work quite well for this. 😀👍

[@odahalnasier8331]

I suffer from abdominal sweating due to the outside temperature in the weather, which affects the adhesion of the base of the bag with the abdomen, which dislocates the adhesion

[@timtitus6226]

i go diagonally. I think horizontally would the bag twist and go down anyway when it fills too much. not go down as in fall off but i imagine it would pull on the flange more

[@VeganOstomy]

+Vegan Barbarian With proper support, I find that even bags that are really full won't tug on the flange. But diagonally is something that never quite a few people do.

[@ducciboi]

Just started doing this and it's nice that I don't have the bottom of the bag sticking out from the bottom of my shirt every time I'm sitting down It should also make wearing a seat belt easier. Don't really care much for the filter since that thing gets clogged within a day.

[@VeganOstomy]

Awesome! Are you using any particular support accessory to hold your bag?

[@ducciboi]

Nah. There's no reason for me to spend that much since I'm not going to have an ileostomy forever and my bag's flange is in an oval shape so it'd have to have to be custom made which supposedly can take up to 6 weeks.

[@VeganOstomy]

Yeah, that makes sense. Best to you!

[@MateofMine654]

Hello Eric. Congratulations and thanks for all your videos and information. I'm having trouble rotating my Coloplast Sensura Mio Click 90 degrees. Any hints ?

[@VeganOstomy]

I've got a video for that! kzbin.info/www/bejne/aWi3YoBur7J_jtU 😁

[@mekat861]

My 13 year old uses a wheelchair and also is sometimes bed bound. The sideways application helps gravity move the feces away from the stoma and when you drain he is always laying on his back so if it was pointed down to his leg it would be impossible to drain. The nurse at school always does it opposite and I have to remove anything she applies because I can't manage his ostomy that way due to his mobility issues. I actually had a clueless nurse ask if she should stand him up at the toilet to drain his bag. My goodness, I laughed so hard. He can't stand independently and just picturing the stoolmedgedan such a scenario would create was so funny.

[@VeganOstomy]

My appliance was often placed sideways during hospital stays because it does make it easier to empty from a nurse's position. And I hope that clueless nurse received more training after that encounter! Sheesh!

[@LucysLifeInTheBabyAliveWorld]

I'm also in a wheelchair and sometimes bed-bound but I don't wear my bag like THAT

[@LucysLifeInTheBabyAliveWorld]

@@VeganOstomy also I know how it feels to have nurses have absolutely NO idea what they're doing when it comes to ostomy care

[@SuperBlackCat1313]

I wear both of mine horizontal because I am wheelchair bound.

[@VeganOstomy]

Are you using a specific band?

[@lin1038]

Thankyou for such an informative video. I've had my Ileostomy for 32 years now....and haven't changed my style of appliance for years. I was very interested in this, but during the whole video was skeptical that it would work for me. I have a high output stoma. Plus my Convatec two piece system doesn't move. It would help me out with clothing, so may go to the type of appliance that moves, and wear the band during times that I eat very little. Thankyou again!

[@VeganOstomy]

High output stomas might be a challenge with this - but depends on how "high" you're talking about. I empty my bag 7-9 times a day when I'm eating a lot, and it's never really a problem. Liquid output is more challenging with your bag sideways, so a gelling agent is a must. I'll be posting a video on a trick I learned to deal with pouches that don't rotate easily - not sure if it'll work with the Convatec bags, but I'll experiment.

[@lin1038]

Vegan Ostomy thanks so much for your reply...yes, my output is usually very 'liquidy'. Could you please tell me more about a gelling agent. I'm so old school I still use a clip :-) ...tried the Velcro and was so uncomfortable and worried had to switch back. I really enjoy your videos...love how informative you are!

[@VeganOstomy]

+Linda CeeTee I've got you covered 😀 kzbin.info/www/bejne/eISZd6GIhtebmNU Let me know if you've got any other questions.

[@Yorick10314]

I routinely wear my appliance vertically. I have an ileostomy. I have tried the horizontal positioning and found that the stool, which is most often liquid, makes contact with the karaya seal of my appliance, loosens it and I soon develop a leak. This is one of the reasons that I do not like the stealth belt. On the other hand, when the appliance is in the vertical position the gravitational pull keeps the stool away from the karaya and the contact remains firm with no leakage.

[@VeganOstomy]

Have you ever used a gelling product inside of the bag? That would thicken up any liquid output and make it less likely to leak or loosen the Karaya seal.

[@Yorick10314]

@@VeganOstomy I did, some years back. Yes it worked, but had some limitation. Most of all, every time I emptied I had to add more gel. The smallest amount of liquid in the back would cause the gel to harden and in essence be used up. Additional output remained liquid and as a result there was a large clump of gel suspended in the liquid.

[@davidjames1684]

My mom likes her bag sideways cuz the folded part with the velcro doesn't pinch her leg like it does when it is vertical. I tuck it under her adult diapers for support.

[@VeganOstomy]

Yes, those sharp edges across your leg are not fun! That's actually one reason why I recommend pouch covers when wearing a bag vertically.

[@williambrogan4]

Thank you for your very helpful videos. My question regarding horizontal placement of the appliance is: can it be used with a hernia belt? I currently do not use a wrap vertically with the belt. Actually haven’t tried it. I wondered if you can comment. Thanks.

[@VeganOstomy]

Hey William, this question actually came up on my support forum not long ago. One member said that they use a hernia belt + StealthBelt often: www.veganostomy.ca/community/newbie-help/hernia-support-and-stealth-belt/

[@joan9569]

I phoned Hollister about wearing their bag horizontal in Stealth Belt Pro, using 2 drops of oil. They said not to do it. What do you think?

[@VeganOstomy]

I'm sure they would say not to, since they didn't really design them to be worn like that. But there are a lot of people who wear their appliance sideways and have for years without issue, so I think were ok 😉

[@yveism]

do you need to rotate the bag vertically when emptying, or is it possible to empty with it horizontal?

[@VeganOstomy]

I tend to not rotate the bag, and it's not necessary to of you have a "large" bag. Medium/midi sizes bags may be awkward to empty without rotating them.

[@krazy330]

I wear my 2 piece ostomy bag horizontally. when it come to emptying out I just pop it off and pour out the content through the outlet into the toilet. Rinse the bag out with water and snap back in place it takes me 5 minutes. Unlike the 1 piece which takes longer to empty and clean lol.

[@j2andu]

When explaining how to wear your Ostomy bag sideways, would you show us practically how. I'm just wondering how to empty it without making a mess...thank you for your video's as they are very helpful

[@VeganOstomy]

Thank you for your feedback. Yes, I should include a video of emptying the bag when it's sideways for clarity. I will say that for most people, there would be very little difference between emptying the bag when it's sideways and emptying it when it's vertical, since the outlet needs to be pointing down in both cases. For many users who have 2-pc appliances, they can even rotate their bag to the vertical position to empty it. The biggest challenge would be if you are wearing a small or medium size bag, which doesn't give you much ability to point the outlet downwards. Are you asking because you're having difficulty now, or are you interested in learning more before trying to wear the bag sideways?

[@j2andu]

Yes, I need to know how, the first thing I need to make sure is that the appliance I'm buying has the ability to be rotated

[@VeganOstomy]

You're in luck! In one of my review videos I do have a segment showing how you'd empty the bag. It's around the halfway mark on this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oZ-9eoJ_lt6rbpY Let me know if that helps. Of course, you can still rotate a 2pc bag if that's easier. 👍

[@j2andu]

@@VeganOstomy thank you very much, it was very helpful. I'm learning a lot from your videos as I'm new to this.

[@slsawrc]

Would you recommend only using only 2 pc? It seems that it will be harder to empty with one pc? This is why I’ve never tried wearing horizontally.

[@slsawrc]

Thanks for video.

[@VeganOstomy]

2pc offers more advantages, in my opinion, but I've worn 1pc bags horizontally and it works. It's often down to personal preference 👍

[@mad4paws]

Hi, I have a urostomy and I always need to lay down on bed from a few illnesses.So my stoma gets filled with urine,over and over.Do you have any ideas for me? Thanks!

[@VeganOstomy]

Which ostomy appliance are you using? Most of the urostomy bags I've seen have a separation where the urine gets trapped on the bottom of the bag. If possible, I would suggest laying down on an incline, using something like a wedge pillow to support your back. This can help the urine to collect at the bottom of the bag.

[@OscarOmarPosadaSanchez]

thanks for sharing, greetings from Mexico

[@VeganOstomy]

Thanks for watching!

[@cindysancinito7945]

I will do that

[@charlesdurham167]

I am wearing my pouch vertical, lately I have a high output with fluid and also with more paste like texture. The VA doesn't give you any choice on the brand of appliances.

[@VeganOstomy]

Are you using a 2pc or do you have the option to use a 2pc appliance? I don't suggest wearing your appliance sideways if your output is liquid or high-ouput, but it would offer you more flexibility of switching from vertical to horizontal "on the fly".

[@charlesdurham167]

@@VeganOstomy I am using a 2 piece, mostly with a stealthbelt with a pouch cover that attaches to the Hollister belt as a backup.

[@SVDAO]

Can i just wear a sport spandex-like shirt instead of a wrap? Or are those too tight?

[@VeganOstomy]

You can certainly try! These support bands keep the bag from sliding, especially as the bag fills and gets heavy. If you try to get the same support from a shirt, you may end up overcompressing everything, which probably won't be very comfortable.

[@kirstennash]

I tried wearing my stealth belt and my output had nowhere to move since my bag was sideways and built up under the seal and my flange fell off.

[@VeganOstomy]

If you have thick output then you may need to gentle push stool to the "bottom" (which is now the side) of the bag.

[@kirstennash]

Vegan Ostomy that day was a bit thicker than usual but I'll try again. Thank you!(:

[@VeganOstomy]

Thicker output tends to be a problem when wearing any kind of accessory that goes over the stoma, but there are sometimes ways around it. My output is on the thick side and the StealthBelt works really well for me! Good luck 😊

[@RyozakiX]

what position did you sleep when you wear your bag horizontaly !? i wear it horizontaly about 3 time and i didnt like it because i try all day sleeping seting down 😂😂 i cant sleep in my side lol how did you sleep with it herzontaly ? sorry for my bad english btw

[@VeganOstomy]

I can sleep on either side or my back while wearing my bag horizontally. It's never caused any issues and it's comfortable either way.

[@ntdeas]

Why does everybody wear it sideways to the outside instead sideways across the center of your stomach? I would imagine that if you wore it across your stomach instead of off to the outside then when it fills up it might give your belly a more "natural"/uniform appearance to it... I'm thinking that if it was full across the center of my stomach then people might just think that I have an extra fat roll than something odd shaped. I have no idea though just guessing. Hmm, maybe across the center of your stomach might cause the stool to be in contact with your stoma more than off to the outside and shorter wear times. Again no idea and I need to try these, but curious why everyone is wearing it to the side than across the center when wearing it horizontal.

[@VeganOstomy]

Great question! I just added my answer to the written article: www.veganostomy.ca/horizontal-ostomy-bag/#Can_you_wear_your_ostomy_bag_across_the_front_or_only_towards_the_side

[@ntdeas]

Awestomy! thanks!

[@tlayton331]

I am a martial artist. I train in Karate and jujitsu. I wear a stealth belt with a stoma guard. I turn my bag sideways. Less weight on the bag and wafer. Wearing it sideways it’s less likely to pop or tear. Ive been wearing Hollister products just switched to the Mio click. I’ll be using them tomorrow. Im not sure how to switch it from vertical to horizontal without taking the bag off. Im also not sure how to use the filter stickers or if they would work with a filtered bag.

[@ntdeas]

@@tlayton331 I've always really wanted to learn Jujitsu but I've been too afraid to start because of my ostomy bag.

[@jimmyfizzy]

Can you laundry most of the support bands

[@VeganOstomy]

I would highly recommend hand washing them. To dry, I roll them in a towel a few times then hang for a few hours.

[@chinlesswonderkid]

What is your ostomy output like if u wear pouch sideways? I ended up needing to use high-output 1 piece pouches.

[@VeganOstomy]

My output ranges from liquid to a very thick paste, with output in between those consistencies to he the most ideal. If someone's output is mostly liquid, I'd advise against using a filtered bag as the filter will constantly be saturated.

[@Ostomyresolutions4U]

Hi Eric! So, my product, the Ostomy Resolutions Stoma guard being circular in shape is 3 3/4" around, and would protect the stoma as well as give a person their space for things to flow and could be swiveled around the flange and/or weld connection of pouch to skin barrier to be worn sideways if a person desires, my question is this: Will the guard fit inside the Comfort belt to provide the needed space, and is the belt able to be worn tight enough that if a person has a hernia, that it could be used in that capacity? We now offer a low profile guard having approximately a 5/8" clearance for the stoma which may be ideal for ostomates that have a stoma size that is short, flush or recessed. I have not tried this belt myself. Thank you.

[@VeganOstomy]

+Ostomy Resolutions Stoma Guard I'd have to try it. I'm on Florida for AIBD so I won't be able to get back to you until I get back home.

[@jacliff200]

Hi, Eric. I have a question. Every time I wear my Neoprene Stealthbelt sideways, it creates humidity inside the pouch and causes a problem with the filter though I do love wearing it sideways. I wear Coloplast 2-piece pouches which I’m very pleased with. Do you have any suggestion on how to help me with this? I appreciate all your comments and videos. Thank you.

[@VeganOstomy]

Hey Cliff. Great question to a challenging problem. I gave up on bag filteres as I found they simply became too unreliable. Are you using the Coloolay Mio with the larger prefilter or a different 2pc with only the small filter? I can't think of any tips off the top of my head for controlling humidity/moisture inside the bag, unfortunately.

[@jacliff200]

@@VeganOstomy Hi Eric.Thank you for the quick reply. Yes, I’m using the 2-piece SenSura Mio pouch from Coloplast. I will try using the sticker on the filter to reduce the humidity inside the bag when I’m wearing the Neoprene Stealthbelt. I’ll let you know how that works. And thank you so much for giving me such clear, easy to understand answers. You really helped me when I first got my ostomy and continue to do! Really appreciate it!

[@VeganOstomy]

So, who else wears their bag sideways?

[@SuperBlackCat1313]

Vegan Ostomy no cause I have Spinal Bifida and the opening on my back will not let me wear one.

[@MiltonTheTortoise]

Yes, I do. Only when using the Stealthbelt. By the way, the sewing machine oil tip was fantastic. The best ostomy tip/hack by far! Cheers! Phil

[@bigboy7336]

I wear my ostomy appliance sideways all the time. I am high waisted and the normal position was causing issues. I wear an A Frame tee shirt that is about two sizes smaller and fits me snug and that helps hold the pouch in place. They do not make ostomy belts for my size and the tee shirt arrangement works well and gets throw in with the regular laundry.. I highly recommend that everyone try it. Good luck everyone and thank you for the videos.

[@LucysLifeInTheBabyAliveWorld]

Off topic to the video subject, but what would you say is the best response to people pointing out when my pouch is showing or worse, asking me to hide it when it's near impossible for me to do so, and believe me... I've *tried* being nice to people who do that.

[@VeganOstomy]

Family, friends, co-workers, or strangers? It's wrong no matter who's telling you. Do they do this when your bag is under your clothing or actually out in the open? Do you have a clear or opaque bag? Would a pretty pouch cover help to minimize the look of the bag? I would explain to the person that you CAN'T simply "hide" something thats attached to you and you have little control over. I'm sorry you've been experiencing that.

[@LucysLifeInTheBabyAliveWorld]

@@VeganOstomy it's mainly teachers at school who do this, the easiest thing I can do is wear a sweater to cover it up as much as possible but even that doesn't work as well as I'd like, I've tried ostomy covers because I do use clear pouches but for some reason I don't like them.

[@VeganOstomy]

Teachers? That's awful. I don't know what grade you're in, but do you have an option of talking to your guidance counselor or someone you trust? I don't know if your teachers are trying to be mean or are simply not aware of how insensitive they are being, but a discussion may be in order.

[@LucysLifeInTheBabyAliveWorld]

@@VeganOstomy I'm pretty sure that they're just uneducated and misguided and not *necessarily* acting out of malicious intent to embarrass me, although due to recurring health problems I haven't attended school long enough to know if there is a guidance counselor, I have told them that bringing up the fact that my pouch is showing just brings more unnecessary attention towards it which I don't want any more than they do but apparently I was being *"Disrespectful".*

[@VeganOstomy]

If it is a misunderstanding or lack of knowledge about ostomies, then it would offer great insight to have a conversation about it. It's unfortunate that we are in a pandemic, because it would have been a great opportunity for the school to have a presentation on the importance of compassion towards people living with medical conditions or disabilities.

[@annthistleton2930]

Hey Eric how's it going I've got on when you wear your bag side ways does it flop over or will it stay the way you put it. I once but mine on upside down it didn't feel rigjht so i looked then realised what I'd done I just took it of and replaced it. ☺

[@VeganOstomy]

Hey Ann. If you have your bag sideways and are wearing a proper support belt, then it stays flat against your body - no flopping over and no moving around. It's wonderful.

[@cindysancinito7945]

I did watch your video I did get some ideas thanks

[@cindysancinito7945]

I do have problem with pancakeing and it causes pain from pulling

[@VeganOstomy]

Did you watch my video on pancaking? it may give you some ideas to try.

[@JohnSmith-kf4cs]

Just curious I have a urostomy having the bag side ways is that a problem?

[@VeganOstomy]

Hi John, I usually tend to advise against wearing the bag sideways if you have liquid output (regardless of the ostomy type). With liquid output from an ileostomy, we can use gelling products to thicken things up, but those gelling products do not work with urine, so there's a greater chance of leaks. That said, I have heard from urostomates who use the belt and say it hasn't been a problem. depending on how often you'd normally empty your bag, the belt may work just fine.

[@JohnSmith-kf4cs]

@@VeganOstomy Thank you for you answer. .

[@janetwhite2039]

When a man urinates,does it go in the bag too ?

[@VeganOstomy]

If they have a urostomy, then yes. Both a colostomy and ileostomy output stool/fecal matter.

[@michelescaramozza7145]

What about if u have a urostomy. Is wearing it sideways ok

[@VeganOstomy]

Hi Michele, I don't have a urostomy, so my experience wouldn't necessarily reflect what a urostomate would expect. You may be able to find out how appropriate one of these belts are by contacting the manufacturers. I would guess that it may be problematic to wear a urostomy bag horizontally due to the fact that it's liquid and will erode the wafer much faster than a colostomy or ileostomy would.

[@michelescaramozza7145]

Thanks for replying I just thought I would see if you heard anyone else with urostomy used one. I act don’t know anyone else and would love to find some people like me😁 thanks again

[@cathymanchester7640]

Michele Scaramozza hi I have a urostomy and was wondering myself.

[@michelescaramozza7145]

Cathy Manchester do you follow anyone on utube about urostomies

[@Mary-fs6id]

Ciao mi piacerebbe ci fossero i sottotitoli in italiano.Grazie

[@VeganOstomy]

Ciao Mary. KZbin dovrebbe avere un'opzione per la traduzione automatica nei sottotitoli. Per favore, controlla per vedere se funziona.

[@cindysancinito7945]

I did watch your video on pancakeing I think it's what I am eating that's doing it

[@VeganOstomy]

If often is! Start a food diary and see if you can identify problem foods.

[@pamelagettings3746]

I wear my bag sideways and actually that’s how the nurse did it when she was teaching me. I find it comfortable and I tuck it in my underwear.

[@VeganOstomy]

That's a wonderfully forward-thinking nurse! 👏👏

[@susancaulfield6644]

Can you fix an e mail for me mog???

[@VeganOstomy]

??

[@claudioperovic9435]

Vorrei la tradizione in italiano

[@coraricarde7406]

your video has no visual instruction you are just talking,this is difficult to get for first timer.

[@VeganOstomy]

Hi Cora, this video wasn't meant to be instructional - it was more of a FAQ about wearing my bag sideways. If you'd like to see how I rotate my bag, please refer to one of the following videos instead (and thanks for watching!): kzbin.info/www/bejne/aWi3YoBur7J_jtU kzbin.info/www/bejne/oZ-9eoJ_lt6rbpYm30s kzbin.info/www/bejne/jaS3coOlnL-jbdUm23s kzbin.info/www/bejne/p5yUlZ5mftB6epIm38s