Question about changing wafer

My daughter is 3 weeks post step 1 surgery. The only thing we are still having trouble with is changing the wafer. She had Convatec in the hospital. The ostomy nurse recommended Hollister New Image Convex (her stoma does not protrude out much and it outputs straight down). The first 2 times we changed her wafer at home they leaked within 24 hours. Last week we made an emergency run to the hospital ostomy nurse. She explained some tricks to put on the wafer. Because my daughter's stomach is rolly, she said it would be best for her to stretch her skin above the wafer and also to push in on the skin just below the stoma to help the ostomy opening protude a bit more. We changed it on Saturday morning and it worked great!

So tonight she takes a shower (without the wafer on). We prep as we did the last time and it looks like the wafer is on good. She has something to eat. Goes to bed. And it leaks! So we remove the wafer. Of course the darn stoma is outputting like crazy! We finally put another wafer on (I think it looks like the stoma hole was pushed out better).

First of all, she knows it would be easier to change it after a shower in the morning when the stoma isn't outputting as much. She just couldn't wait till morning.

Does this ever get any easier? I feel like we are wasting more wafers and bags trying to get this thing to work right. Any ideas?

She is also having a terrible time taking the old wafer off. We've gotten better at getting a new one on (the first one took almost an hour between trying to figure out what we needed and what to do). But tonight it took her almost 45 minutes just to take the old wafer off. It pulls on her skin and it is still very close to the incision. It isn't overly red under the wafer. However she hates anything on her skin (she hates bandaids).

She is adjusting well to the temporary ostomy. She will probably be eligible to have her step 2 takedown around October. She is thinking about waiting until December so it doesn't interfere with school but everytime she has to change her wafer that thought goes out the window. And I can't imagine having to do this during school. She will have to get up 2-3 hours early just to shower and put a new one on. That sounds like a setback (albeit temporary) similar to when she had UC.

Please help.

Hi,
We are new to this also,my daughter just had her illeostomy s/x on 7/9/08,and we have only had 1 leak,and that was when we used the paste. We have since been using the eakin wafer,and we have not had any more leaks,and she has even went swimming w/ her bag on,and did not have any leaks...we also take a long time removing the old wafer...we have started to use the adhesive remover,and that does seem to help alot...I know it will all get better as time goes by and she heals,and she is a tropper...this is so much better than being sick everyday,and she knows this pain will go away soon!! We are using a 1 peice bag at the moment from hollistrer...this semms to be working well...Hope this helps ,I'm glad to be going through the same thing w/ another MOM!!
Krista & Takera

definately hold the wafer and push your skin away.  Soaps to use are non-residue (I use dial, but I think Ivory and Neutrogena also work).  I also used to change my appliance in the am but found that that is the WORST time for me!!!  Lots of mess(marshmellows do work great)...Another thing is depending on how many times a week you change, always do one on a weekend day.  When I worked full-time I did a Wed/Sun schedule and even if I could have gone a day or two longer, I changed it because knowing I didn't have to go to work on the weekend change was easier.  Be careful not to use a high setting on your hairdryer and I have found that I can even put my hand over the new appliance for a minute or so and that warms it up enough.

Before you know it her time will be up and she'll be having the reversal!  Just remember we are here and no question is silly!  I wish I knew all this at the beginning...

ok i must admit that i read ur post, but not all of the responses. so if i repeat things that have already been said, please forgive me.

FIRST, TELL YOUR DAUGHTER IT WILL GET EASIER! i got my loop ileostomy in january...at first the thought of changing it made me sick...the smell, id get woozy and dizzy, and it would take me at least 45mins to an hour. This is before iv even started showering with it.

ok so...first i would say adhesive remover wipes work great with getting the flange off...i have a semi hairy stomach lol, not the kind someone else can see, but the kind i know are there. And so removing the flange was kind of hard at first, with the adhesive remover wipes it slides right off. Also, I started shaving the area around my stoma in the shower which made for easier removal. I think summer suggested that i use an empty toilet paper roll around the stoma if i was afraid of cutting my stoma, that worked great, but now i dont even bother.

I use safeguard soap, i've heard about the residue, and i dont know if it has it, but after getting out of the shower i always wipe with alcohol in the area that my flange will be in, cuz it kind of drys everything up.

Now as far as the output goes, ur right for some people its easier in the am, it is for me in most cases...but sometimes i just feel like changing at night. Only because I get up for work at 530 (or im supposed to anyway lol) and im usually late, and i hate the idea of trying to rush and change a flange b4 going to work. I wouldnt want to risk a leak at work, and even if i didnt leak, i wouldnt b able to focus b/c i'd be self concious about leaking. So when i do it at night i just give my self a few hours of not eating and change it at the sink or in the shower, either way i have everything pre cut and ready, and paper towels ready just in case, so i can catch whatever comes out.

O and the output does slow down! it doesnt run as much and it wont b so watery,or smell as much she could also try taking a couple of immodium to slow her down b4 changing.

It gets easier....i promise

You are all so wonderful! It is nice to know others understand what she is going through. And have suggestions to boot!

Mary--I will order some Allkare. It sounds like it will help alot. She's been using paper towels. Luckily we buy the jumbo packages from BJs (just like toilet paper)! I am getting better at helping her because I had everything prepared (cut, pasted, etc) so when she finally was ready we were able to get it on.

Krista--glad your daughter is doing well. You said you use Eakin seals. I have read several people use them. Do you know who makes them? The paste has some alcohol in it and it burns when we put the wafer on. But my daughter definitely needs something.

Summer--she might try "helping" her stoma poop! It doesn't bother her that it does it except when she has just wiped everything down and it makes a mess again. I will check out the other thread you mentioned.

Ohio--the marshmallows do work. We are aiming for a once during the week, once on the weekend change too.

Praying--she also has just enough hair that you can't see but that makes it hurt more to remove. We also feel that if she changes it right before having to go out for the day she will spend more time worrying about any leaks than what she is supposed to do. Plus if it does leak during the night, she still has a chance to fix it before morning.

We are hoping to work out most of the kinks in the whole changing the wafer routine before school starts (beginning of September). All your suggestions sound wonderful.

summer! seriously thats not what u meant?! lol, well thats what i did, i used an empty toilet paper roll in the shower to put around the stoma and shaved around the role so i wouldnt cut myself! lol at how u inspired me unintentionally

Bennie, i was rushing so i didnt mention the eakin seals, but as ohio said they do work wonders! i love them.  Also, the convatec moldable wafers are pretty helpful, you dont have to spend the time cutting and trying to make sure the hole isnt too big or too small.   u literally just roll it back, put it on and it "turtle necks around ur stoma to prevent leaking.  These are ideal for right after surgery when ur stoma is still changing sizes and what not.  The only thing i didnt like, was that as i gained weight, the flange lifted off my skin on the edges, by my belly button. My stoma is a little closer and higher than most peoples i think. but even when that happened i just stuffed some eakin seals in there and never had a problem.  I just didnt dig the idea that i felt it showed a little more, my mom and family swore they couldnt see it.  But now that ive used the coloplast wafer, i love how it completelly seals to my skin!BUT the bag balloons and i can't let the air out.  I guess no system is going to have all of the features im looking for. I wish different company products were interchangeable lol!

N e way, i digress....moldables often came in verrrrrrrry handle when i had my crisis at target and had to change in the bathroom stall

 HI ALL: I AM A NEW ONE.MY WIFE LUCY HAS A DOUBLE OSTOMY,SHE WENT THROUGH A 14 HOUR OPPERATION ON 4/17/08, THE DR. TOOK OUT EVERYTHING[REMOVAL OF THE BLADDER,URETHRA,UTERUS,BILATERAL TUBES,VIGINA,VULVA,RECTOSIGMOID AN ANUS ANPERINEUM] ANDOMENTAL PEDICLE GRAFT TO THE PELVIC FLOOR.THIS OPPERATION HAS ONLY BEEN DONE A COUPLE OF TIMES IN THE U.S. SHE IS DOING WELL NOW AFTER BEING IN THE HP. FOR 70 DAYS. WE USE [HOLLISTER 3603 AND 1439] THEY HAVE PRECUT HOLES TO FIT THE STOMAS,PUT THE WAFFER ON THE PRE CUT HOLE ,THEN PUT ON THE WAFFER,PUT SOME PASTE ON THE WAFFER, BE SURE TO WEAR A BELT,THE BAG WILL BE GOOD FOR AT LEAST FOUR DAYS,WASH OUT THE BAG EVERY TIME YOU EMPTY IT.[ GOD ANSWERS ALL PRAYERS,IT JUST TAKES TIME.JOHN BOY

I have an innie oval shaped stoma as well.  My ostomy nurse taught me to cut small triangles out of the Hollister skin barriers.  I can get 6 triangles from 1 sheet.  Then I clip the points off.  I place 1 triangle on each east/west side of my stoma with the large side at the stoma side.  This completely stopped my leaking problem in the beginning along with the other tip she gave me.  I lay down for at least 30 minutes after changing my wafer and lay my hand on top of the wafer.  The warmth from your hand lets the adhesive spread out and the down time gives it time to set up.

Good luck!