Barrier wipe question

[Gra]

Still learning when it comes to changing my stoma bag. Changed the bag this morning and forgot to use the barrier wipe. What does the wipe do? Does it play a role in making the bag stick? Or is it just to protect my skin? Worried my bag might come partly unstuck and leak....

 

[annawato]

You should be fine. Lots of people don't use them at all though I do.
Barrier wipes mainly protect the skin from being stripped when something sticky is removed - nurses use them under anything that will have something sticky removed often such as wound dressings. Barrier wipes are also supposed to aid sticking though I don't actually know if this is true and not sure how this works since they are not "sticky' themselves. Perhaps they stop oils from the skin breaking down the sticky part?? Who knows. Anyway don't panic, they aren't that essential and forgetting them once in a while is fine.

 

[annawato]

Gra here is an interesting link that Dukeis posted in your post about sticking your bag on twice. Well worth a read. It advises not using wipes at all. Personally I find my skin gets stripped if I don't use them but others don't. Perhaps it depends on your skin type and toughness. It also advises having a snug fit around your stoma whereas I find I need a little "wriggle" room or I get a leak. Maybe that depends on what your stoma does during peristalis (how big it gets). I guess its just horses for courses.
http://csn.cancer.org/node/227905

 

[2thFairy]

I'm allergic to most skin adhesives and the barrier wipes prevent me from reacting to the bag adhesive. If I didn't use it, I would end up with significant blisters under the bag after a day. Some brands of barriers don't agree with my skin and I still end up with problems, but mostly they work wonderfully for me. There are some barrier wipes that have stuff in them that add stickiness and aid in keeping the bag in place, but most just leave a thin protective film and do like Anna said.

Also, you can buy some of the same brands in spray form rather than in a wipe.

 

[Samboi]

My bag never stuck properly if I didn't use the barrier wipe.
I would always start from scratch if I forgot this step.

 

[annawato]

I'm glad you two agree with me. After reading the link in Dukeis's post I thought maybe I was wrong recommending them but I think it does just depend on your skin. Interestingly it was a man who wrote it and Dukeis also finds them unnecessary so maybe its cos mens skin is tougher?

 

[2thFairy]

Terriernut doesn't use them either. There are a lot of things I disagree with in that article. I definitely use soap every time I do a bag change. If I don't, I end up with a weird rash-like thing on my skin. Everybody is SO different.

 

[Crohn'sFor Life]

I don't use it. Neither the wipe nor spray helped.

 

[nogutsnoglory]

I have been cleaning with wet and dry gauze pads and then applying stomahesive powder to protect the skin and then barrier wipe on top. I'm being told now that since my wafer isn't sticking well that I should skip the barrier wipe. I guess it's not necessary but helpful to protect the skin.

 

[Dukeis]

I wasn't suggesting it would work for everyone. Just that when one thing isn't working well to go ahead and try something different. Interesting it could be a male thing. The only time I have had bad skin irritation was when I used the wipes or the spray over the powder. I have learned to try things I have read here and other places because the ostomy nurses I dealt with were about as helpful as a dead tree. They were 2 older women and there answer for everything was put more paste on it. All that stuff did for me was eat my skin up.

 

[PsychoJane]

I am pretty much agreeing with the article as well. I never use soap, I shower, then rinse forever or if I don't shower, I wash the area with water and sometime use Vichy's thermal water. I rarely use the paste now that I use the complete "gum/paste"( I don't know how to call that substance) and without the "paper" adhesive. I generally will use the karaya powder when I have irritation. I was taught to powder, spray, powder, spray the area and that as always worked when needed. I use to skin prep the whole area but it never did much good to me and I ended up seeing it as an unnecessary expense as far as I was concerned. So yep, forgetting the skin-prep should not be too much of a deal unless it helps your skin from a reaction to the appliance itself as 2thFairy said.

A big no no is soap like dove soap... that, on the other hand, really can prevent the appliance to stay on. Too much hydration coming from the lotion in the soap. :S

 

[2thFairy]

Yep, good point PJane! If you do use soap around your stoma, make sure it is a soap that is free of oil and powder. Both of those will interfere with getting the bag to stick.

 

[nogutsnoglory]

Is it ok if you don't shower your stoma or it really does need a good bath every once in a while? I say this because I use the barrier wipes, wet gauze and stomahesive but still lots of gooey stuff on the stoma.

 

[2thFairy]

I wipe off the stoma with a wet cloth (no soap) each time I do bag change, but it's not necessary. The stoma itself is designed to be covered in mucus and poo--the skin surrounding it is the one that can't handle being dirty.

Some people swear by the no-soap ever method for their skin, but I prefer to use soap on my skin each time I do a change. I've never been brave enough to shower without a bag on, but many people do it. Soap will not harm your stoma; just be sure you rinse it off really really good.

 

[nogutsnoglory]

Why are you afraid to shower with the bag on? I did and I just patted down with a towel gently. The adhesive was fine. My O nurse said it was fine but maybe it does lessen the life of the wafer.

 

[2thFairy]

I'm not brave enough to shower WITHOUT a bag on.

 

[nogutsnoglory]

Oh haha misread. Yeah I'd be scared to shower without the bag but ill try it to see if I can clean my skin more.

 

[annawato]

yep. I can't shower without the bag. Whilst its ok if its active in the shower since it does just get washed away, I never have time to dry off and put another bag on before there is mess anywhere. I've tried just taping gauze over it when I get out but it doesn't take long to leak thru that.
I agree with you Dukeis, what works for one may or may not for another.
NGNG, I find if I use stomahesive powder everywhere under my wafer I don't get a good seal even with barrier wipe over it. Its ok just around my stoma but anymore and I run into problems. You could try not using the powder if you don't have weepy sore skin - maybe that will help.
Like i said its all trial and error.
:heart: anna

 

[nogutsnoglory]

Yeah this last change I didn't use the powder or barrier wipe so let's see what happens. A piece of the right side of the wafer went under. Guess its my belly swollen shape but I put the wafer extender on it.

I don't want to jinx myself but my stoma seems to behave when I clean and change. It did have some output yesterday but I grabbed paper towels in time. I praise it for being a good stoma once I get the bag on lol.

 

[Dukeis]

I praise it for being a good stoma once I get the bag on lol.

NGNG I do the same thing with NAH. I talk real nice while changing, asking that no output comes out. Then I praise NAH when all goes well.

 

[BowelMeOver]

My husbands stoma behaved soooooooo nicely in the hospital during our first bag change. It seems like every single member on staff that day came in the room for some reason or other during the process, and yet, there his stoma was in all it's glory, shining under the glaring flourescent lights with not a drop of poo!

Today, we did our first change at home, unsupervised, first thing in the morning even like everyone suggested, and it was putting out like crazy. Yikes!

I am excited to share with those of you that are afraid to shower "nekkid", that there is a fantastic product out that allows you to cover the stoma up right after showering, while still remaining hands free to dry yourself off. They recommend that you attach it to an ostomy belt and hang it near your towel for when you are done showering, so you can quickly put it on. We plan on actually attaching it and wearing it while in the shower, but it's convenient enough to let it hang on your waist while you wash the skin around the stoma.

http://cspouchcovers.com/stoma-cup-p-90.html

 

[2thFairy]

My stoma is very active in the morning, no matter what time I last ate something. I have to be up and moving for a couple of hours before I can attempt a bag change. You'll start to see a pattern after a couple of months.

I've seen those caps, but decided it wasn't the thing for me. When Bob does get going, he really goes, and for me I don't think it would work. Let us know how you get on with it!

 

[Dukeis]

I'm like 2thFairy. I have to be up and moving around for a few hours before I can change. First thing when I get up in the morning I have the most output all day. I usually empty when I first get up. Then another time (sometimes twice) in the first hour. You'll learn the pattern as you go along.

 

[annawato]

Ditto to both Dukeis and 2th fairy. Output huge for first hour. The caps sound like a great idea if you dont' have much output or very liquid output. I'll be really interested in knowing how you find them though. So keep us posted.
:heart: anna