Ok, I knew I was probably a high output type of person, but lately it seems excessive. Curious if anyone else is close to this.

The other day before intubating I decided to try and get an idea of how quickly the mucous would form. I took my stop watch and decided to time it. Ok, I know, this sounds really stupid. No where else I could even think about talking about this. Anyway, after completely blotting the area dry, the first drip came in about 15 seconds. I blotted that dry and the next took about 30 seconds. Blotted that dry and the next took about 15 seconds again. Seems like I have a slow leak. Anybody else even close to having that much output?

Mike S

I have what I consider a high output also.
In fact, even when the cath is in for emptying the mucous is dripping from the stoma.
I have my 1 yr post-op with Dr. Fazio Feb 1 and will ask him about this. I know it's been said some people take anti-histamines to dry things out. It's not something for me though.

i think mine is near the same. i haven't 'measured it' but i've left it uncovered (with a bit of tissue stuffed in my waistband below it to 'catch' anything) and it seems that it's just continually 'drooling' as i like to call it.

and yes, when the catheter is in, occasionally it drools then too.

i just figure it's how it is with it. i mean, i'ts like your mouth right? or some other area where the mucous membrane is...throughout your digestive track. so i just assume that's how it is.

is it causing you trouble? (i.e. too many dressing changes?)

I have my appt. tomorrow with Fazio, I can bring it up if you'd like?

Truthfully, as long as it is clear I'm not going to worry about it.
I will say there are times when I am emptying and there is non-stop"drool" , I wish I had a windshield wiper....

The stoma will always have moister, it's just like any other mucous membrane in your body. In the beginning, I believe I had more drainage. Like Leslie said, if it is clear don't worry about it. Another thing could be allergies or a food sensitivity causing excessive moisture. I know after I empty my pouch, I have more watery drainage probably from the irritation or stimulation from the catheter being inserted and removed. It is your body keeping your intestine moist, healthy and clean. If you had a dry stoma....then I would be more worried because mucous membranes are supposed to be moist.

I do have allergies, so I take anti-histamines from time to time. I guess just change the patch more, maybe try a probiotic too.

I had posted last night to talk about this, but my computer crashed in the middle of typing.

Thanks guys and gals. I guess I am not as outside the norm as I thought. What had brought this latest concern on was my coming off a short antibiotic prescription that Dr. Fazio had prescribed for me. It seems now that I am off, the drool is heavier than before I went on the antibiotics. The other night I slept through the night and woke up ready to do a normal morning catheterization. Upon removing the patch, a bunch of drool spilled out. Normally it is absorbed by the cotton ball, insert, patch combination. For some reason over the last week, this hasnt been doing the job. Not to mention that every day this week the drool has leaked through the pouch and soaked my boxers, tshirt, dress shirt and pants (fortunately it seems to wait until I am ready to head for home). So I guess I just need to learn to change the patch more often than when I intubate.

Mike S

Make sure you take a probiotic, especially since you were on antibiotics. You need to get your good bacteria up, if you aren't taking them already. Live culture yogurt would be a good idea too.

Ok, I know you were talking about this like last week or something, but I have been leaking like it's going out of style. It's driving me nuts, in the day, at night, no matter how much padding I use it soaks through. Its driving me nuts and I dont know if something is wrong. I never used to have that problem.

I only leak a lot after I have had to irrigate due to constipation, otherwise just mucus plugs that can be removed from the dressing and reused. I thought everybody probably had the same situation?
Jeanne

Is the drainage clear? If so, you may have an allergy. Flush the pouch with warm water, take probiotics and see if this helps. You may want to start a food diary, to see if a certain food or drink is causing this. Do you take an antihistamine for allergies? You may have a food allergy.

I always flush my pouch when I am going to the bathroom. What are probiotics are they antibiotics, or are they like the cultures found in yogurts and stuff. I realized, while I was reading these messages yesterday, that I started having more leakage since I havent picked up my allergy medication. I havent Not taken it for this long of a period of time since I started. I think maybe thats the problem. (For me)

Probiotics are the good bacteria, in live culture yogurt. You can also buy them in a health food store, after you open the bottle you have to refrigerate them. It helps keep your digestive system in check so you don't get bacteria overgrowth in the pouch, bad bacteria. Also, when you take an antibiotic, it kills the good and the bad bacteria, so probiotics taken 2 hours after an antibiotic is a good idea. Probiotics are just now becoming more known about and recommended even by the medical profession. I take acidophilus, it is cheap and it works for me. There are alot of different brands at different price ranges.

Sounds like allergies are a big part of your excess drainage problem.

Allergy medicines and or antihistamines (ok, I know I spelled that wrong) are a good way to dry out cavities such as the nostril or for us, the KPouch opening. So if you havent been taking them for awhile, they could very well be the cause of your increased drainage.

Mike S

What are mucuous plugs? If they are some type of plug that keeps everything in I would love to try them. I always just assumed when I saw plug w/ostomies that it was for those that have the bags on the outside or something? Also, I am taking the probiotics, taking my perscription allergy medication and still having a ton more leakage than I ever used to. I don't like it at all. My stoma seals w/toilet paper folded into a square inside, that used to be quite enough to soak all the moisture up, in between each bathroom break (3times per day) 1) in the AM, 2)at lunch and 3) after dinner/before bed.(sounds like I go to private school or something) anyway I now leak through about halfway in between each time. It is not a pleasant smell, I dont know if anybody else notices but I do, I dont know if anybody else has this problem, for me it just started being this way in about jan/early feb. I have had my kpouch since about 96 or 97 and never had so much mucuous. Any thoughts or suggestions on what it may be. I was starting to think my stoma seal was maybe unsealed. I just dont know.