Back to my favorite subject — toilets! I’m always thinking of things to help with being in the toilet. Our pouches have enough challenges and toilets shouldn’t make things more complicated.  Here are some of my tips that might help:
  • Wet wipes — I try to keep these within reach when emptying my pouch. I like the Cottenelle flushable wipes.  They recommend only flushing one at a time, but they sure are handy when you need to clean the end of your pouch, especially after liquid output that might get messy.
  • American Standard toilets — Did you know that you should hold the lever down just a little longer on newer American Standard toilets? I’ve found the same is true with my new Kohler toilet. If you live in a State that limits the toilet tank, they sometimes simply arrange for the flush to be truncated, but there’s actually more water in the tank that you can utilize by holding the lever a second or two longer.
  • Remember to always line the toilet where you’re emptying your pouch. Have the output hit that instead of the porcelain. It makes it easier to flush. If you get output on the toilet itself, and it dries, it becomes like concrete and it’s really hard to clean.
  • I thought I used a lot of toilet paper when I had UC, but I still use up to a roll a day, depending on how many times I need to empty my pouch. I think this is probably more true for women that use more toilet paper anyway. Also, I use some rolled toilet paper to clean the end of my pouch when emptying. I just accept it and buy in bulk.
  • You know all those disposal bags that come in your pouch orders?  They’re great for emptying your pouch in small spaces or toilets that are too small to sit on. They’ve been really convenient for me in airplane toilets.
  • And finally — to extend the space on your toilet, buy an open-front toilet seat, like they have in restaurants and shops.. You can gain several inches of room!
**The photo with this post is of a Toto toilet. Some Toto’s are very expensive, but they’re my favorite. Many have a rather flat surface in the bowl, and an amazing flush.