Shit stinks. That’s a fact. And the fact I have an ileosotmy makes me even more aware of this non-negotiable truth of life. But I do believe that ever problem in the world has a solution. I’ve found three solutions for controlling and even eliminating my ostomy odor > I use a three prong strategy of eating certain foods and avoiding others, and having with me at all times, a biological odor eliminator spray and biological eliminator drops.
1. Parsley, green leafy veggies, sweet potatoes, and Tea
Food has become almost an obsession in my life. Food is truly an amazing tool for health and for specifically for odor control. Parsley is my number one food for controlling odor. I’ve even sat in a Publix parking lot (before I started boycotting them) stuffing my face full of parsley because I was meeting a woman for dinner. That day at work my output was atrocious and I didn’t have my drops with me. My diet was basically Chickfila and Zaxbys back then so its not surprising I was having issues. I had to drive an hour through Atlanta traffic to meet her and by the time we sat down to eat the parsley was already doing its job. After I had a full bag the odor was completely neutral. Now if you do try this I must warn you that it took me a good ten minutes to get all the small parsley bits out from in between my teeth.
http://www.naturalnews.com/035599_parsley_superfood_blood.html
Now my diet is much better. I follow mostly the Primal diet and have become a Primal Health Coach this year. By avoiding sugar, wheat, vegetable oils, and fried foods I have less issues with output odor. I do still have issues on certain days and by eating green leafy veggies, sweet potatoes and herbs, especially parsley, I’m able to control it to a large degree. I have also had a great deal of success incorporating different teas into my diet as well. Green Tea, Yerba Mate, and especially Roobios all have a positive impact on the odor level as well. Food is a powerful tool that is my first line of defense against offensive odors. I do avoid fish the day before and the day of being out of the house and around other people. Fish oil capsules are another thing I avoid. Instead I’ve had a lot better luck with Krill oil. With them I have almost no fishy output odor and have all the omega 3 benefits.
This is the Roobios tea I really like. It also settles the stomach when I’m nauseated.
2. Biologic Sprays
I rarely leave the home without a small 10,20 or 30 ml spray bottle full of biologic odor eliminator. Even if I use a public restroom I normally spray before I empty my pouch. I think that is the right thing to do. I’ve tried many different brands and right now I’m using April Fresh Biological Odor Eliminator. It works great. In the past I’ve used Medi-Aire products and Hollister M9 and was happy with both of them. The problem with these products is that the smallest bottles they come in is 1 ounce. For me thats way to big to fit into my pocket. That is why I use 10/20/30 ml small spray bottles from Amazon. I usually fill up the 20ml or the 10ml with odor eliminator and put it in my pocket. No one even knows I have it. They have been a lifesaver. It is a powerful feeling knowing I can use the restroom somewhere and not be embarrassed. The smallest bottle is 10ml and it holds enough biological odor eliminator to cover me for a few days. If you do try different biological eliminators test them at home first. I’ve found some that have left a sticky residue on the bathroom floor after spraying.
These are the small spray bottle I use everyday.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CL6QE92/ref=crt_ewc_img_srh_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A2M3901IWS8OJU
3. Drops
This is an option I don’t use a whole lot any more but I do carry a small 20 or 10ml spray bottle in my pocket which is filled with the drops. It’s nice to have them as a backup. I don’t think they have ever worked 100% for me. Even when I used five to ten times the recommended amount there was still an lingering presence that I couldn’t get rid of. I’ve used Holister M9 drops and found them as good as any others. If my skin is particularly bad around my stoma I do avoid the drops because if they make contact with the excoriated skin it can burn. Still they are great to have if I’m out and about and due to dinner my output odor changes in a big way. Sometimes the odor is so bad it can leak through the plastic of the bag. This is when the drops especially come in handy.
I’ve almost conquered my fear of ostomy odor. It still plagues my mind and I’m always super sensitive to any slight change of the surrounding smells. I’m always monitoring to see if I’m the cause of a bad smell. I think I’ll always have that anxiety. But through a few lifestyle changes and a couple spray bottles filled with chemicals, I’m able to go to another person’s house and not be overwhelmed by the fear that their guest bathroom is beside the kitchen. Living with an ostomy is fraught with fear. Any time I can eliminate one of these fears my life expands in a positive direction.
If you have any tips on eliminating ostomy odor please leave a comment.
Wishing you an expanding life,
Brad Miller
healthier2day.com 