I'm having my jpouch removed next month and will rejoin the worldof ostomates. i never tried it while i had my temporary ileostomy but has anyone tried emptying their bag while standing? I would imagine it would be a great benefit when faced with sanitarily challenged public restrooms or port a johns.

I understand your issue with this. I despise public restrooms and even more now since I got my jpouch. When I first got my jpouch and went on vacation with my family, I always had to shower after the day as visiting a public restroom up to 6 times a day at the time made me feel completely grossed out.

Here is what I do to deal with the bathroom situation, although I have never tried standing up to empty my bag when I had it, so I am not sure this is the answer you are looking for. I am also not sure if this will work for you as since I am a female, I always carry a pocketbook (one plus for female jpouchers or ostomates).

When I am in restrooms that have 'neat seats' I do swipe some and carry them with me in my pocketbook. You can fold them up in a pocket or jacket pocket when you are out. I NEVER use a public restroom without putting at least two of these down on the seat which may help ease a little of your discomfort. I am not sure how to handle portalots other than I, myself, would just never enter one. As with learning your jpouch, you will also learn how to handle your food intake etc in the event you are out in public for the day and want to avoid these situations or limit them.

There are also disposable bags, and my dad, who is an ostomate, will just pull it off and empty it (standing up) and clean it out with some tp and them put it back on. He only does this when out as when home he just disposes of the bag and puts a new one on. I am sure this may take some practice and extra TP around your stoma when doing so as not to create a a mess on yourself but he has been doing this successfully for years. I am not sure it is very easy to dispose of a bag discreetly in a public restroom, as well as at someone's home, so this option works for him. He does not like dealing with emptying his bag and that is why he has gone the disposable bag route which works well for him 99% of the time. He has had an ostomy for over 20 years.

Best wishes to you with your surgery and hope you have a very speedy recovery. Please update us as to how you are doing.

sure have. i refuse to sit on a port-a-potty! that's a benefit of having an ostomy for sure. you just have to put some tp down in the water to prevent splashes and sort of squat down to get closer. practice at home, it's pretty easy!