has anyone any tips about how i can safeguard against a leak from my stoma bag staining the duvet /cover and sheet . i have just had the ileostomy and about to go home but i am concerned that even tho i will empty bag before bed and make sure i change it regularly so the glue doesn't lose its tack there may be a morning i awake in a mess . i have seen waterproof duvet covers and i have a waterproof matress cover are these the only answer
I have a matress cover but luckily have never had a leak.I do wear a pair of cotton well fitting knickers under my pyjamas which seems to keep the bag nice and flat and safe from any movement(iI am quite a wriggly sleeper(
The stoma nurse did suggest that if I was worried initially I could place a puppy pad under me,however some on this forum seem to be against using them .
With an lleostomy I do find I need to empty it during the night but soon got used to doing it in the dark and half asleep so that I can get back to sleep more easily
I am sure you will find your own way of doing things that suits you and your lifestyle.remember everyone is different and what suits one person may not suit another.
All the best and remember to go with the flow.its a learning curve and curves can vary.
thank you for the tip. I am lucky enough to be able to stay with a friend whilst i recover. She uses a feather duvet and excellent cotton covers which i am concerned if bag leaks will really make a mess which would require an expensive / labourous washing operation to clean I can see about getting a polythene mattress cover that i can slip over the feather duvet the type that cover new mattresses .then over that a teflon poly cotton duvet cover. the fitted sheet will have to sort itself out but under a waterproof mattress cover. Most other ideas involve puppy pads that would move around whilst sleeping. That seems to be the best solution augmented with bag empty/ checking late at night and changing on the 3rd day. at a later date as i have only had the bag for a week perhaps a cheap cover and duvet so it's not such a drama if the worst happens . there are gasket rings that you can get to reinforce the opening underneath but first things first .Iam due out today. although competent to change bag i still need to perfect getting the perfect seal. sitting down ? or lying down using a mirror to check As a man if i had known in hindsight i would of shaved the area prior to them doing the op so bag adhesive has a better chance
I change my bag alternate days standing up over the bathroom sink(just in case )yes I have seen gentlemen on here talk about shaving and the safest methods.if you put it into search Im sure something will come up
It happened to me a couple of times after surgery. A few tips to help allay your concerns:
1. Use elastic strips (flange extenders) whenever you change the pouch. These greatly increase the area of adhesive and make a remarkable difference.
2. As a male, shave the area around your stoma to form a wide margin of smooth skin. I use a good quality lubricating disposable wet razor with warm water (no soap) and as a protective measure I made a simple guard by cutting off the neck of a tonic water bottle to suit the size of my stoma and just press it against my skin whilst shaving. It is cheap, transparent, washable and re-usable - and it works.
3 When changing the pouch use a dry wipe dipped in plain water to clean your stoma and skin and pat dry with a fresh dry wipe. Then clean the area with an adhesive remover wet wipe (they dry in seconds).
4. Treat your skin where the pouch and extenders will be placed with a Fusion stick and this will prime the area and act as a barrier against irritation.
5. Apply the pouch (after running your thumb around the inside of the aperture to make the cut edge stand a little proud) starting with the hard ring around the aperture and working outwards from the centre to remove creases and air bubbles, then apply the elastic strips, again to remove wrinkles.
6. Don't use soaps or moisturisers on your skin as this will ruin the adhesive.
I always do this standing up in the bathroom every other morning when potential output is slight. At night time I wear an oversize, long T shirt in bed and this allows me to move around when asleep without the pouch snagging on the sheets. I have stuck with this routine for nearly four years without a problem, but still wake once during the night to use the bathroom to keep the pouch drained.
It sounds complicated but it isn't once you develop a routine. Peace of mind - priceless!
thank you so much Dulac that is most welcome and i very much appreciate your advice and tips and the time you took to write it they are fantastic for a Newbie after reading it i feel more confident when i use those tips in practice
Home now and with the hints and tips received on this forum i am growing in confidence. I purchase a waterproof Teflon/Polyester duvet cover and have a fitted mattress cover .purchased a tan duvet cover cover set to go underneath the Teflon cover in case ? Stoma nurse called to check on my operation of bag changing quite promptly considering i only got out Monday 26th and she made a few adaptations to make me more secure. Tik tac inthe bag apparently helps to reduce smells or make them acceptable if i feel they are i am still at novice stage 5 weeks time visit to the colorectal nurse to hear about future developments in my programme
Hi, just seen this. I have a urostomy and from the start worried about leaks even though I attach the day bag to a night bag (which collects up to 2 litres of urine nightly).
Early on, I did have one leak that saturated the duvet and changing the bed at night was no fun so this is what I do now.
I lie on a washable waterproof cotton mat - bought from Amazon - which is there to protect the mattress and bottom sheet while soaking up any leaking fluid. I then put one of those disposable blue plastic-backed mats that they use in hospital beds to hang down the side of the bed, tucked in just under the edge of the cotton mat.
When I get into bed I cover myself, including the bag area with the other end of that disposable mat so that the cotton side covers the bag and in my case the tube down to the the night bag while the blue plastic protects the duvet and stops liquid reaching it even if there is a leak. I sleep on my side which helps. And I make sure that the connection between day and night bags is properly pushed in.
Since doing this I have had no problem or even any leaks.
Hope this might help someone else. I buy the disposable mats online too.
Olmeda, you shouldn't really be having leak issues at night if you have the right equipment.
It took me some time after surgery to get the right combination of bag, seals etc. I would talk to my stoma nurse if I were you and ask to try different things until you are leak-free! I agree that flanges are a great addition and give that extra bit of security - it has saved me many times!
I have had numerous night-time leaks over the last 5 years. I had a phase recently where it was happening regularly day and night for no apparent reason and then, just as mysteriously it went back to normal. Stomas do seem to have a mind of their own at times!! Overall, though, having got the right combination of equipment, I generally don't worry about night time leaks, though I do have to get up to empty the bag every night (usually just once).
If you're worried every night about leaking, your sleep quality is going to suffer. Much better to avoid that by getting the equipment that's tight for you...and maybe accepting that one trip to the loo during the night might be your your new normal, but like Katz51 says, you can get to a point where you can do that without fully waking!
