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Ostomy appliances

G

Guest

ostomy appliances

i'm seeing my stoma nurse next week.... first time in years - i've coped with everything on my own mostly, with the occasional phone call to her, but i'm struggling right now, and wondered if any of you who have, or have had, an ileostomy, could recommend any particular appliances over other ones?


i've always used coloplast mini drainable bags... one piece... i don't know if my skin has changed, or the adhesive they use, but they just don't adhere very well any more. the slightest crease, say from bending down to pick something up, and a tunnel of unstuck flange happens, and i have to go change immediately or else it leaks. it's getting really difficult to stop my skin getting very sore, and i'm becoming nervous about eating out, away from home... :(

the stoma nurse should have some advice, but i just wondered which bags you all use, and i can ask her for samples....

thanks.
 
merrywidow

merrywidow

mum with a dogdy tum
ding, this may sound stupid, but have you gentley washed the area? i occasional think "oh i got a dodgy batch here, they dont stick" but i stand in the bath and take the appaliance of and gentle wash the skin.i use a non perfumed soap, but dont wash the stoma, i did this once and the damn thing wouldnt stop bleeding!!!

i use a 2 piece the bag is
http://www.convatec.co.uk/engb/cvtu...46&typesearch=185&proddett=849&prodfamily=100

and the flange is
http://www.convatec.co.uk/engb/cvtu...=46&typesearch=185&proddett=803&prodfamily=99

i like this product as you have the security of "hearing" that the pouch is sealed. it "pops" when its locked. its sort of like a tupperware lid, do you understand me?
 
danman

danman

I use the same a Sharon.

I find the 2 piece very easy to use.

I only have to change the flange every week, and I can clip on a pouch any time. It only takes 30 seconds.

I generally change the pouch every day. Then, you get that nice "New Pouch" feeling.

Ding, I also use a type of ring around the stoma. I can't remember the name, I'll get it at home. It looks like a ring of marzipan. It provides an extra seal around the stoma, so the flange can stay on longer.

The only downside to the 2 piece is that it protrudes out more. It's not as flat as a 1 piece.
This doesn't effect me because I have to wear a support belt to hold in my stoma after it prolapsed.
 
G

Guest

thanks you two.. i will make a note of that one and mention it next week.

Sharon yes i do wash the skin... most times not in the shower, but i make sure it's clean and dry every time.

Dan i'm really self conscious about anything sticking out, i think that's why i've stayed with the one piece design all this time, but i'm getting so fed up of this problem now that i'm willing to try anything that will be more secure and less aggressive to my skin.

thanks again :)
 
danman

danman

I'm sure you know this, but do you use a barrier spray?

I spray the skin and leave it for a minute or 2, then I stick on the flange.

The barrier spray also seems to leave the skin ever so tacky. This helps the plaster stick better.
I find that if i don't spry it on, the flange will only last 3/4
days.

I'll post the name of both of these products when I get
home.
 
Nyx

Nyx

Moderator
This is what I use...

http://www.coloplast.ca/ECompany/CA...ocument&unid=8BBC345CACBED337C125736F0032BD74

The flange is not made of fabric; it's a sort of plastic material that holds up very well in the water (when you get out of the water just blow dry it on low and it becomes tacky again so you can restick it to your skin). I use the 2 piece with the 'click' system. It actually locks onto the flange. You can pull on the bag and that sucker will not come off!! It's great! And I found that coloplast is cheaper than the other brands as well. Call them and get some free samples...they're really good about sending them out and following up with you to see how you like them and if you have any questions. They also have a paste like product that you put around the stoma to help protect the skin...it's like playdough, you just mold it to fit around the stoma and then apply the flange. It's much easier to use than the paste (which I found just came off after a day anyway).

Hope this helped!
 
Nyx

Nyx

Moderator
@dan...we have those here too but they're about $10 a shot! I was going to try them but was afraid I'd like them and then have to pay $40 a month to use them....lol
 
danman

danman

$10, are you serious?

I get them in packs of 20.
I didn't realise they were so expensive.

I've had no problems with my skin or leaks since I started using them.
 
G

Guest

thank you so much everyone for the suggestions.. i'm taking a shopping list with me now :D those cohesive slims, i've tried something similar in the past but they were bulkier and i hated wearing them... the slims look a lot better.

i don't use a barrier spray... i can see i've been missing out on a lot of products over the years.

Nyx, i love how you called your stoma Oscar.... mine was christened Cedric right from the beginning - i thought i was the only one to name it! funny how they're both little guy stomas lol.
 
danman

danman

Ding, my stoma is called Fergie.

He's called after the manager of Man Utd. He blows a lot of hot air and "A certain substance" too.
 
Nyx

Nyx

Moderator
dingbat said:
Nyx, i love how you called your stoma Oscar.... mine was christened Cedric right from the beginning - i thought i was the only one to name it! funny how they're both little guy stomas lol.
Click to expand...
Well, only men are supposed to fart and make noises like that!! lol I actually had a 'contest' on here to name my stoma..some folks had some pretty good ideas! farm came up with Oscar the Grouch...I've changed the winning name slightly to Oscar the Brain (since he looks like a wee brain) lol
 
G

Guest

your stoma looks like a brain?? haha. mine was Cedric the slug, coz that what he looked like, a little pink slug....

ta for those links, Dan - i may give the skin/adhesive cleaner a miss... i did try one ages ago and it stung like crazy :( i've got really sensitive skin, and lots of allergies - think there was something in it that bothered my skin.
 
danman

danman

Ding,
how'd it go with your ostomy nurse.

Did she advise any new product for you to try out?

Have you tried the barrier spray?
 
G

Guest

hiya Dan.. you must be psychic lol, i was just thinking i need to reply in here tonight..

well i saw her, two nurses actually, and they were fab... sent me home with a massive carrier bag full of different appliances to try.. basically my problem is stomie has decided to be a bit of an acrobat, and kinda turns inwards/downwards, and then the output gets under the flange and burns my skin..

so they advised those concave bowl-type flanges, where the stoma sits in the centre of the 'bowl' and is kept at the right angle.. that part worked, but i hated the bag, it was too cumbersome, and the top of it flapped over my jeans waistband. i've tried 2 others since then, and i'm not happy with any :( so i'm going back this week.

the barrier wipes are good, they gave me a non sting one, and an adhesive remover spray which is amazing.
 
Nyx

Nyx

Moderator
I have the same problem with my bags when I wear jeans, but I solved that by wearing spandex shorts underneath so it 'flattens' everything out. My stoma sticks out quite a bit, so I always have a lump, and the spandex seems to make it appear smaller and smoother. I also just ordered a belt from ebay that should do the same thing. I'll have to post how it works out.
 
kello82

kello82

wow sorry to hear that your stomie decided to change everything up for you.

i use the hollister 2 pieces and i do really like them, though i cant get a good feel for how they stick, because the PG doesnt let anything stick.

even though its 2 piece, i find that it is styill a REALLY slim profile.

all of the photos ive posted are im wearing 2 pieces, and you can see that they dont really show.

i wear low rise jeans so my bag deff flaps over the top, but for now ive just been tucking the clip into the top of my jeans and its covered up. instead of making sure my jeans give room for the pouch to expand, i make sure that my shirt give room and camoflage :)

hilloster has mini pouches too and they are great. usally i just wear the 12 inch, but to be more discreet theres 9 inch and even 7 inch! they are really tiny and nice.

heres the mini MINI pouches
http://www.hollister.com/us/products/product_series.asp?id=1&family=10&series=903

there should be a 9 inch in the list too, but i really hate the hollister site, its annoying to navigate.

hope soemthing works out!
 
G

Guest

hiya Sharon... i'm semi settled lol. i've been trying out the collection of appliances i now have breeding in my wardrobe, from the two visits to the stoma nurse... i quite like the Salts one, with the 'bowl' shaped flange... it certainly solves the sore skin and leakage issue, but i don't like the hard ring in the flange, which i feel very conscious about...

have any of you heard of Dermacol? it's a wacky little device by Salts, apparently invented by a stoma patient who stuck a stoma ring together with a bit of a (clean) condom, to make a little collar for his stomie... he took the idea to Salts and they produced it. i'm trying it right now, and it's quite brilliant. it kind of holds the stoma up and away from the flange, hence stopping it doing acrobatics and getting the output leaking in the wrong place. with Dermacol, i think i can go back to my old bags which were discreet and had no hard rings in them....
 
merrywidow

merrywidow

mum with a dogdy tum
i havent heard of that stuff ding, but it sounds quite good, i will have to ask my stoma nurse for a sample.
 
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