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Air from the stoma causes the bag to expand and detach from the skin (ballooning)

Ballooning occurs when air from the stoma inflates the bag and it can't escape through the filter. The resulting air pressure can cause the adhesive to detach from the skin. See below for recommendations.

Recommendations

  • Consider changing the pouch more frequently (changing once a day is advisable) or try a two-piece system so you can keep the baseplate on but just remove the pouch, therefore you will have a fresh filter which should be more efficient

  • Another benefit of a two-piece system is that excess gas can be released by detaching the coupling briefly

  • For those with a drainable pouch, open the outlet end briefly to release the excess gas
  • Keeping a food diary can also help you uncover the cause. Certain foods – particularly spicy foods, foods that are high in fibre, green vegetables, beans and lentils – can all increase gas, as can carbonated drinks and beer. Understanding what leads to increased levels of gas in the pouch can help you manage how much air is entering the digestive system. You can try to remove one food category at a time.

 

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