Surgery Update - 8 weeks later

[BowelMeOver]

It's so hard to believe that we are heading into week 8 since my husband's surgery, but the calender doesn't lie. It may also be hard to believe that we've been having fun while the time flew by, but that's exactly what we've been doing. Never in a million years would I have thought we could laugh so hard over a bag of poop, but we have had many hysterical bag changing days. :rof:

We had a few minor issues the first few weeks after surgery, especially having to work around the stoma bridge, and having open incisions directly above and below his stoma made bag placement a little more challenging, but those issues are far behind us now. My husband has been back to work going on three weeks now, and is feeling fantastic. I am often in awe of how healthy he is now.

We are using Coloplast Sensura 2 pc click with light convexity, and it works wonders for us. We will usually change the bag and wafer every 4th day, but on day 2, we will take the bag off, clean up the wafer around the stoma area, and apply a barrier ring directly around the stoma, but also directly on the inner part of the wafer. (I hope this makes sense?) This is our way of reinforcing against potential barrier breakdown between changes.

We visit the surgeon again on the 11th, and he will be scheduling the tests needed to determine how he is healing, and are anticipating having the reversal to jpouch in mid December.

I remember how frightened I was in the weeks leading up to his surgery, and how much I learned from you all here. Your support has been a godsend to us both, and I hope that I too can offer my support to those in need.

Good health and happiness to you all.

 

[nogutsnoglory]

We are on a similar trajectory as I'm also almost 8 weeks post-op now.

Not sure what you mean by applying another ring on day 2? Like a new Eakin ring? I don't know how that would be done since the barrier squishes over the Eakin ring. I can understand reapplying paste around the edges or any holes that may have developed. It's a pretty smart idea.

 

[Nyx]

Glad to hear he's doing so well I wish you both continued good health!

 

[BowelMeOver]

Not sure what you mean by applying another ring on day 2? Like a new Eakin ring? I don't know how that would be done since the barrier squishes over the Eakin ring.

We use the 2 pc bags, so by removing just the bag potion of the set up, we get a good look at how the flange material is holding up. The area I'm talking about is the part where your stoma sticks out of, between the bag coupling. I'm attaching a picture just so others get a good visual of what I mean.

We once put a wafer on, only to find there was still a little gap of skin showing between the wafer and the stoma, so we broke off a little bit of a Brava moldable ring, and pressed it into the gap, which kept any output from leaking in there for a good few days. Upon further reading of the instruction pamphlet that comes with those rings, it actually lists this as a third option for applying a ring. (The other 2 being directly around the stoma, or directly around the adhesive side of the flange)

While we only do this as an extra bit of insurance against leaks, I was thinking this may be helpful to those that suffer with high output. I typed in Barrier breakdown in the search, but could not find this as ever being suggested.

Thanks for the continued wishes for good health.

 

[nogutsnoglory]

That's great because you are right the enzymes are eating away at the materials. A piece of ring is great but you may find stoma paste easier to work with to fill a gap. I would recommend blow drying on a low setting to let it solidify a bit.

 

[2thFairy]

I use the Brava strip paste directly around the stoma. It is the same material composition as the Brava moldable rings, but comes as a strip that you can take as little or as much of a piece off as you need, squish it flat, and then apply. It is wonderful stuff!!!

 

[nogutsnoglory]

Do you use those strips after you put the barrier on or you just place them around your naked stoma before?

 

[2thFairy]

I place them around the naked stoma before putting any appliance on.

 

[Nyx]

I use the Brava strip paste directly around the stoma. It is the same material composition as the Brava moldable rings, but comes as a strip that you can take as little or as much of a piece off as you need, squish it flat, and then apply. It is wonderful stuff!!!

I do the same thing..it's great stuff.

 

[nogutsnoglory]

Cool, I'm gonna order some and try it out.