Stoma Bag problems.

Hi

I expect that you are trying most of these ideas but just in case, are you using flange extenders (aka bananas)? I used to use them all the way round the edges.

Are you warming the flange on the bags before they are applied eg with a warm hair drier or even against your body, you get a better seal that way. Are the bags always going onto dry skin or do you have soreness? Soreness can be treated. Are you using sticky wipes on the skin to improve the adhering? I can't remember the name of mine but they were sachets that you ripped open and dabbed the skin before it evaporated.  Are you holding/pressing down on the flange for two to three minutes firmly to ensure that you have the best possible seal?

Do you stop eating and drinking at a reasonable time to reduce the output over night. I used to eat early evening and then stop until breakfast. Following the low fibre diet, eating thickening food such as marshmallows, jelly sweets and mashed potato made the output thicker and less likely to seep under the flange. Finally on a practical level are you sleeping on disposable incontinence sheets? Much easier than changing the whole bed if you catch it in time. As they are plastic backed they can be a bit sweaty but better for the bed.

Good luck with it, you must be counting down the days until reversal.

.

Thanks Nicky, lots of good ideas, will use the hair dryer next time a  lot better than trying to warm the bag with my wife's hands.

The days to the reversal have not entered my head. My next big day is the meeting with the Surgeon next Monday the 24th February, then he will discus the results of the biopsy. I am hoping for " The cancer is dead ", however I will be ready for the cancer is still there. I imagine if the news is positive then I will do a countdown.

When do you get any information of the Lung nodules. Like me I had 17 lymph nodes effected, all of which have been cut out.

HI 

I'm very sorry to hear that you are having problems with leaking from your stoma bag, fortunately you seemed to pinpointed the cause of the problem as being a bone not covered by fat which no doubt raises the flange as the bone moves and causes the leakage.

There's not a lot I can add to 's sterling words except to maybe offer an alternative suggestion to the barrier film wipes, if you would like to look at Independence Fusion  BW2 I have found them very effective in increasing of adhesion of the flange to the skin.

With regard to pouches it might be worth having a look at pouches that have a flange that have a larger area, it doesn't mean you'll be cutting a larger hole but that you'll have a larger adhesive area between hole and outer edge, with these pouches you can offset the hole to give to even greater adhesion to the right, the pouches I use have a maximum cut out area of 90 cm and still a good width for attaching to the body. You can also get pouches with an even larger cut out area.

If you use a flat flange has your nurse suggested a convex one

I also use Brava (Coloplast) Brava Elastic Tape, these banana shaped flange extenders and go round the complete circumference of the flange and also extend the width of the pouch flange quite a bit.

My only other suggestion would be to use seals which you could mould round the bone area and maybe build up the skin and stop the bone forcing you pouch flange up. Seals don't have to be applied as circles they can be cut and used to build up or fill any problem areas.

There is another product that might help 

Brava Protective sheets, these are sheets that you apply to to your skin before attaching your pouch and might just take help with skin movement problems.

With regard to the night leaks it might help to sleep on one or two washable bed sheets these are larger than disposable ones and absorb more.

I have taken to wrapping a disposal bed pad round my waist under my underwear and usually find that if I do start a leak it's another layer of protection before the bed linen gets soiled.

I hope that you can find a solution and that the days leading up to your reversal go to plan and the days are short. If you can find out the number of the waiting list clerk for your surgeon and give them a call they should be able to keep you informed on how you are progressing up the list.

Good luck

Ian

CC

Have you looked at Coloplast? They have quite a few products that might help. We use the brace elasta tapes ( bananas ) around the edge of the bag and this prevents leakage. My partner uses a clear fronted bag with a fold up seal at the bottom so it can be emptied and resealed. 

The products your are referring to "Brava" by Coloplast are the ones mentioned in my previous post to goslow1.

Can I suggest that you change the pouch your husband is using to the similar make with a soft fabric covering which makes them more discreet when he has to attend medical appointments etc., He can easily gauge how full his bag is by feel.

Ian

CC

Thanks to all for the help and suggestions. We have been back to the stoma nurse several time and have eventually found a bag that works for me.