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Weeping skin = breakdown of baseplate

Hi everyone,

I had my surgery on the 21st Nov, resection and temporary ileostomy.
I've had a nightmare with my stoma, which is finally being sorted out, but that's another story!
What my question is, is that I had the rest of my staples out today (they took out every other one last Wednesday).
I've started using a coloplast two piece system, which I changed when I got home as the nurse had to peel back a bit of the baseplate to get to some of the clips and I didn't want to risk it leaking.
I just changed my bag, and I noticed that the incision has been weeping a bit and has made the flange tape around the baseplate go a bit weird. Do you think the edge of the flange will be ok?
I'm going to see my stoma nurse tomorrow anyway, so I'll ask her, but I'll be ok until tomorrow won't I? It's the very outside edge of the flange affected.

Hope that makes sense! Thanks for any advice!
 

Terriernut

Moderator
Hi Lucinda!

If I am getting this right..hope I am, your wound that is close to your baseplate is weeping?

I remember this happening to me. Stoma first, wound second was drilled into me. I had to cut my baseplate a bit so it didnt interfere with the wound. It held!

If you can get ahold of some tegaderm tape to secure the baseplate further it might help. Put that on top of the dressing and over your baseplate.
 
Yes, my incision wound is really close!
I don't have any dressing on it anymore, was told I didn't need one.
The hospital told me to stick the baseplate directly over the incision, even when I had the clips in.
I have some flange retention strips, are they the same thing?
It doesn't look like its coming unstuck, possibly MORE stuck if anything!!
Just when I thought I'd turned a corner, something else happens! Arghhhh!
 

Terriernut

Moderator
Dont worry!!! This is normal! If you are using the coloplast sensura system, their baseplates are quite large. (thats what I use too)

When you change it, just trim it a bit on the side where your incision is before you put it on. It will be fine!
:hug:
 
Yep, like Misty said, just trim the baseplate a little bit so that it does not cover the healing incision. I did this for several weeks and didn't have issues with leaks.

Glad you are getting some of your other issues sorted!
 
Thanks for your replies! I'll do that when I change it next.
Am waiting for a phone call from the out of hours doctor about the weeping, the NHS direct nurse said it sounded like I might need some antibiotics.

I had a total nightmare when I came home from hospital last wednesday. I was sent home with 10 one piece bags, an adhesive removal spray and some disposal bags and that was pretty much it. Needless to say, as I have a big indent under my stoma, it leaked, and leaked and leaked, to the point that I couldn't get anything to stick for more than an hour and my skin was blistered, raw and bleeding. I ended up going back to my hospital ward, panicking and in tears, and they patched me up temporarily.
Thankfully, I have two amazing friends who both have ileostomies and one of them came round that evening with loads of goodies and sorted me out! I now have powder, barrier wipes, two piece bags (love them!) eakin seal ring thingies and flange tape and have not had a leak since Saturday night!
You've gotta love your ostomates! I don't know what I would have done without them!
 

Terriernut

Moderator
Thank goodness for your friends!! What on earth, where is your stoma nurse?

So glad you have help first hand, it's the best kind to have.
 
I did ring the stoma nurses and they said to try a convex bag, which they would post to me (they arrived today....)
They did say I should have stayed in hospital for longer to make sure I knew what I was doing!

I know! My friends are absolutely incredible! I feel so so lucky.
 
My incision is basically right next to my stoma and I still trim it up so it doesn't sit over the scar, even though its healed up. I guess its just habit.

I did have a horrible bag change in the hospital where I called the stoma nurse ALL DAY to try and get a bag change (before I really knew how to do it- had only been showed once). and she NEVER came. I was IN THE HOSPITAL... all she had to do was come stop in and see me for a few minutes. But NO. So I got fed up of waiting for her and I just did it myself. But I did it in the afternoon and stoma started spewing. He spewed all into my wound bed. I freaked out about it but the nurses said it should be okay cause all the bacteria was already cultured on my skin when they pulled the bowel out? Anyways I freaked out about infection but it never happened. I was so mad that the WOCN nurse never came though... I called her all the next day in hospital too and she never came back.

Anyways maybe next time I'll put the flange over the scar. I use adhesive remover so I think I would be okay to do that, i just don't wanna rip something open or irritate it :)
 

annawato

Moderator
Staff member
Absentminded and Katiesue, I cant believe that stn. How slack not to give you the support you needed! It really makes me mad! Its SO important to get the proper support after such a confronting change to to your body - the least they can do is help with the practical aspects. To be not there where called and to send you home without the necessary supplies is terrible.
 
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