Anyone have suggestions about people who have a weak stomach regarding a bedside commode? I hate emptying it.

I'm surprised people deal with commodes like this. They key for me is to turn it into a solid which makes it smell much less and makes it far easier to deal with. No pouring, scrubbing or rinsing needed. Just seal up the bag and toss it.

1) Line a commode with a liner or a trashbag. I use trashbags since they are much cheaper.

2) Put something absorbent into the commode. I've tried a bunch of things but find that 3 number 3 diapers do the job best.

3) Pour about a shot glass worth of activated carbon in rear of the commode bucket. This really cuts down on the smell.

4) When spinning sealing the bag, having a 20" fan in the window running at full blast really works wonders.

Doing this, I can get away with only changing the commode once a day. The diapers absorb the urine and seal much of the smell in. The activated carbon takes care of the rest and any fecal smell. I grab the bag, spin it to form a seal, tie it shut and toss it in the garbage bin outside.

I wish I had known these tips while changing my daughter's diapers. I'm the Mom and always felt ashamed by being "smell sensitive." My hubby, bless him, handled the poop. Had the same problem with my Mom. I had to put her in an ALF the last three months of her life. I couldn't handle the stench and the fact that she would crap all over herself and her room, out of vengeance. Mom was abusive and a narcissist, which made the whole situation worse. These are good tips, and will keep them in mind for the future.

Never had to do a commode, TG, but prayed Mom wouldn't have a BM everyday. The smell was awful. I would flush the toilet before I started cleaning her up. A bowl of vinegar will help with the lingering smell.

Great suggestions here.
Fortunately, I never had that bother me (good thing, as I was a nurse for 40 years!). But my mother would gag and fuss when she did 1 weekend taking care of her mother. I gave her a break from bedpan duty (when I was 11 years old). I thought she was funny as she’d get all grossed out!

Some people are sickened by the “sight” of the excrement. In that case, keep the lid on the pail, open the toilet seat and pour while looking the other way. Close the lid and flush.
Some are sickened by the “smell” of the waste. (I’ll assume you don’t have a problem with pee). If you use a couple inches of water with any good smelling product (like Pinesol, Lysol, Fabuloso, etc.) in the bottom of the bucket BEFORE the person evacuates, it helps with the smell and the ‘sticking’ problem.

I would also suggest you wear gloves AND a mask.
I remember taking care of a poor patient that had half his face rotted away (don’t get sick now!). The smell of rotting flesh was intolerable, even for me. I sprayed an air freshener inside my mask, then put it on. It was the only way I could stand to stay in his room. You might try that. Also, chew a breath mint before going near the potty. They usually are VERY minty and may cover any obnoxious smell.

Good luck. I know it’s not easy for the faint of stomach.

I think using gloves puts a psychological as well as a physical barrier between you and the ick - I found that helpful.

We never went the commode route but I've read a few tips on the forum that might help
-keeping an inch or so of water in the pail will help to keep solids from sticking
-I'd add a little pinesol or similar to that water
-try a dab of menthol (vicks) under your nose when emptying
-are you using disposable gloves? (I was surprised how many aides didn't even though I provided them)
-keeping her regular can go a long way to making the task less onerous, when my mom needed intervention the smell and mess went from bad to extreme

Because those billion of diapers were a result of your feeding of your loved little ones---and you just cannot equate a 'full adult diaper' or commode with the small diapers we strap on to our baby's tushies.

I get what you're saying. My DH was on Metformin for a few years for diabetes and he routinely had these awful blowouts. Did he ONCE clean up his own underwear? Not once. Just left it on the bathroom floor or worse, in the hamper.

Asking why HE didn't deal with this--he said "It makes me gag. I'll throw up" to which I inevitably replied 'how handy. you're standing at the TOILET'. SMH.

I have heard that policemen put a big glob of Vicks under their noses when they go to 'ripe' crime scenes. Maybe spraying a lot of Febreeze in the room before you begin, or burning a candle for a few minutes before, after and during cleanup duty. An candle burning- safely---really takes care of the odor better than those spritzer thingies. Or a wax melter with a fresh scent. Those can be left 'on' all the time.

Try covering the 'collection pan' with a paper towel and don't look inside. Dump quickly and flush and look anywhere else you can. Lysol will be your best friend, also spray cleaners with non-bleaching bleach.

Do you also have to clean up your LO after, or are they able to wipe, etc after using the commode?

Mother doesn't have the bedside commode, she wears a permanent catheter, I think it's worse, as she doesn't change it enough, it leaks a little all the time. Her whole apartment just reeks beyond belief. I do the Vicks thing, or open a window. She's not allowed to have candles.

Would having those toilet seat liners help? You know--the kind that most public bathrooms have. Maybe would help to keep the cleanup a little quicker.

Keeping the whole room/apartment clean will go a long ways to quell the smell, but I get you, cleaning up after a parent or spouse--I have just so much lovingkindness and no more.

Oh, and GLOVE UP. I can't believe the nasty jobs I have done without gloves on. I glove up now---that seems to help, knowing there's a barrier there.

Also, with babies, you know there's an end in sight to the diapers. Adults? Could be years and years. No wonder we get depressed!

At the other end of the matter, I never got over the revulsion of cleaning my mother's partial denture.

And among the professional caregivers we met, most of them very good indeed and highly experienced, several were fine with anything in the diaper area but turned green and faint when it came to vomit.

We all have our individual bêtes noires, must be the moral of the story?

I'm not sure what to suggest, seeing as you have tried and given it time and it's not wearing off. I know hospitals use cardboard inserts for commodes - if you can get hold of these, would it help if all you had to do was change it? And then dispose of the old one in.. whatever way your local authorities say they have to be disposed of, I suppose.

PS, you can get them on Amazon, I just checked. Packets of 25.