Bag blowout

[Eridon2002]

Just venting here...I had to change my bag twice yesterday. It started leaking under the wafer. I think what happened was "pancaking". I had eaten Kasha (not the prepackaged cereal but toasted buckwheat groats) which caused my output to thicken to hummus-like consistency. So it just started oozing out the side(and of course I was out in public). I changed it and then about 2 hours later when I was home-same thing(but not as bad). My ileostomy is new(2/16) so I'm just figuring things out. I did use the adhesive paste. I have also noticed separation of the skin from the stoma. I have filled this in with paste and with my latest bag change I am giving the Eakin moldable rings a try under the wafer. I also used a hair dryer to heat everything up and hopefully seal everything in place. So far so good but it's hard to tell it's leaking unless I see it ooze out. They should come out with a wafer that has starch in it with an indicator dye so that when the starch is cleaved by digestive enzymes the wafer changes colors. That way you could visually see near the stoma when you are getting a leak. I'd buy it.

 

[JaimeM]

vent away friend... Maybe you should invent the wafer I'm sure other people would buy it, maybe you'd be rich! haha

 

[Salad_Shooter]

What I want is clear see-through wafers, or an alarm that goes off that indicates a leak before it actually happens.

Yeah, you're a bit too new to eat such things. You're probably still swollen inside. And please don't eat a lot of fresh pineapple. Not that I ever did after my surgery. Nope. But, it was very painful. lol

Soft, easily digestible foods for you for a while. Allow some healing to happen. You'll quickly find out what are problem foods for you during your healing process. Whoops.

 

[Grotbags]

Salad Shooter there is a product available that acts as a leak alarm, hellishly expensive, and I think it only lasts about three months.

I've only had two leaks and both times it was due to very thick output causing pancaking, thankfully I was at home both times.

 

[DJW]

Vent away. It definately takes time to learn all the ins and outs of an ostomy.

I used to use paste; did for years. I changed to the eakin seals and love them. I may have 1 or 2 leaks a year.
Hang in there, it gets easier.

 

[Eridon2002]

I'm almost out of the paste and have a few Eakin seals so I'm going to see if I can get proficient with those. I'm scrounging through the last of my samples from Coloplast, Convatec and Hollister. I've been waiting on my insurance to come through so the supplies I ordered will ship. I'm out of adhesive wipes so I think I'm going to make a homemade coconut oil/baking soda remover and see if that works.

 

[Grotbags]

Anything oily will stop your pouch from sticking.

Try phoning up the various suppliers and blag more samples, I did it last week trying to find a seal that works as my usual one has started giving me tiny leaks, so I'm re-trying all of them, they were all more than happy to send out more stuff.

 

[Eridon2002]

Good point Grotbags about the oil. Looks like I can get the Smith&Nephew adhesive remover wipes at the CVS drugstore down the street if I need them ASAP.

 

[Grotbags]

I'm slightly suspicious that stuffs just WD40, the one I use smells just like it :lol2:

 

[DJW]

I'm almost out of the paste and have a few Eakin seals so I'm going to see if I can get proficient with those. I'm scrounging through the last of my samples from Coloplast, Convatec and Hollister. I've been waiting on my insurance to come through so the supplies I ordered will ship. I'm out of adhesive wipes so I think I'm going to make a homemade coconut oil/baking soda remover and see if that works.

I avoid using any sort of skin prep unless my skin is having problems.

 

[Salad_Shooter]

No oils, no lanolin, no baby wipes....etc. The best adhesive remover is hot water (not scorching hot) and a washrag.... rinse, repeat. Dry completely and move forward.

 

[Bufford]

If you have access to an ET nurse they can help find ways to sort out many of these problems. It could be that you need to change the system you are using now. I have had all sort of containment breaches over the years, and some of these would be remedied if the bag companies came up with a flange/wafer that had a wider glue pad or one that had four points that went out further than the standard glue ring around the stoma. I have had some luck using tape to keep it on longer, but sometimes the output is acidic and the glue breaks down prematurely.

 

[Eridon2002]

Thanks everyone for the ideas. I'll try using hot water and a washrag-it's just that adhesive paste really likes to stay on my skin!

 

[Ralphmred]

I hate that paste! It stings and can't remove the stuff!....tried wafers still leak!...have an appt with Surgeon tomorrow to get my drain out from a abscess. I'm going to demand she fixes my Stoma! She stuck it in my crease, I sit and it plugs my hole. It's right were my panties sit. She laughed said when I was laying flat she didn't see the crease! Well when bag has to be changed 4xs a day it gets quite expensive. My skin is raw! My ostomy nurse was so helpful but I don't live in same town as she does. Supply companies have been so good to keep sending out paste, powder ect and says call back if we need more. We have failed to find a one piece bag that works as of yet.

 

[glum chump]

What a pain, Ralphmred. And it totally sucks that your surgeon isn't taking this very seriously. I hope you get some help from the stoma nurse and that your surgeon listens to you.

Are you using the paste as a filler for where your skin creases? Or is it around the flange? If it's for around the flange, I found that the seal rings to be better than the paste.

Until you get this sorted out, you might want to ask the supply companies to send yu out some adhesive removers so it's less stress on your skin when you're taking your flange off and having to change.

When you see the ET nurse next, I would suggest asking for some sting free barrier wipes which you can apply on your skin after you clean it. It can help protect the skin a bit. You can also ask the ostomy supply company to send some out to you.

Good luck...it really is a major pain trying to figure out the best supplies that work for you and to get the stoma stuff sorted out.

Kismet