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[frustrated and anxious]

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hey guys! last time that i posted i was frustrated and anxious due to my first experiences with leakage and the fear that come after. since then, i have started to use a ring around my stoma and have no leaks! yay! but now, i hve new problems and dont know the answers so here goes.

i use hollister products but recently after one day of having on a new wafer, the edges begin to peel up, also there is an odor that is present and when i put my finger on the wafer i can def determine that that is where it is coming from. it is not stool or a leakage but i dont know what it is or how to stop it. i called hollister and my wound care nurse and they both made me feel like it was the first time they ever heard of this and that i was abnormal. it is not from prolonged wear because it starts on day 2 of a new wafer.

also when i did have the leakage problem my skin around the edges of the wafer (not around the stoma, that skin is great thank God) started to break down. it is red and painful. i have been doing the "crusting method" that i was told to do with a poweder then barrier then powder the barrier and it hasnt improved the situation. it hasnt gotten worse but it has gotten any better.

HELP!

 

[GutlessWonder86]

hi frustrated, I've been an ileostomate for 25 yrs. so I can truly understand where you are coming from. I've used Hollister in the past. last year as a matter of fact after surgery because the hospital was only using their products. It blew on me after 1 day so I switched back to Convatec which I've been using since I first got my bag at the age of 17. Never had any problems and if I did due to a manufacturing defect, they'd always send me replacements.

They have ET nurses that run the customer service department for ostomates who are in need of assistance due to wafers not sticking or skin problems. I've used them in the past and I've always gotten AWESOME service from them. Here is the toll free number:
1-800-422-8811. They open at 8:30 am until 7 pm on Friday. They will even send you free samples.

Hope this helps. ~Gutless Wonderwoman

 

[glum chump]

Hi F and A

I'm sorry you're having such a lot of problems. Not sure why the nurse and Hollister folks are treating you like you've grown a third head...geez, the wafter edge *does* start to peel. I think part of the peeling is just about how our bodies move and the way our bodies respond to the adhesive. Have you tried 'picture framing' the edges of your wafer? I do it and it works quite well. I use the micropore waterproof tape (it's quite inexpensive) and just tape all sides of the wafer with it.

With your skin issues, I wonder if you're having a reaction to the wafer adhesive, and like GutlessWonderwoman is suggesting, you might want to try a different product to see if the adhesive agrees with your skin better. Your nurse might have some samples that she can outfit you with to see if it is more gentle on your skin. Also, have you tried the Cavilon No Sting spray barrier? It helps the appliance adhere better and heal the skin?

I hope you find some relief really soon.

Kismet

 

[poolside]

Definitely frame your edges with tegaderm. It's a clear plastic thin tape like they use to keep an IV in place. It's probably gas like odour making it's way out and the tegaderm will stop it. I had that same dilemma, nothing leaking but I could definitely smell myself.
The Tegaderm did the trick.