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Ostomies
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Posted 6/4/2010 2:59 AM (GMT 0)
cry   I have been fighting since February with malabsorbstion and 3 unhealing skin ulcers under my wafer.  With the ulcers I have been having to change very very very frequently...like at 3 a.m. this morning and again at 6 p.m. this evening.  Though this doesn't happen everyday it is more frequent than I'd like and very frustrating.  The longest I've had a wafer stay on since February is 36 hours.  If any of you have a suggestion for ulcer healing I'd sure appreciate it.  Right now I have gained 33 lbs since May 3rd going from 93#'s to 126 and having 12 hours of TPN everyday.  My current treatment for the ulcers is...a piece of calcium alginate over the ulcer and then stomadhesive over the calcium alginate...then add the wafer over those.  I am using a convatec 2 piece and have convex stoma and use a eakin seal and adheasive without the sores so I'm a bit of a hard sticker without the sores...

Suggestions or if you've had the same problems what worked for you?  Thanks  rolleyes

Posted 6/4/2010 11:29 AM (GMT 0)
Try the Coloplast Extended Wear Convex Wafer...I had problems with the Convatec wafers w/convexity (not adhering well) and had a sample of the Coloplast so I gave it a shot...I was amazed at the difference.

Have you seen your WOC Nurse since the weight gain? You may be dealing with a combination of ulcers and weight gain causing issues sad

Last thought would be to have your stoma moved to the other side...sometimes ulcers just don't heal while covered shakehead

Sorry you are going through all of that! I am sure someone else will be along with more suggestions.
Posted 6/4/2010 12:17 PM (GMT 0)
Do you know what causes the ulcers? --crohn's disease, pressure sores, etc? If they are caused by disease the best thing is to be treated systemically. I'm so sorry you are going through this.
Posted 6/4/2010 3:09 PM (GMT 0)
I was having ulcers at my stoma. My cousin, with a 2 inch stoma suggested I try Friars Balsam. He had constant ulcers until he used Friars. He applies it at every change and has no ulcers. I no longer need Friars.
The full name is "Friar's balsam compound benzoin tincture usp". It is from Canada. The phone number is 866-470-6886. Website is www.rougier.com.

Dan
Posted 6/5/2010 3:48 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you all for your suggestions. I have been working with my WOCN and we are making some healing headway but it is very slow. I don't have a disease but have been malnourished and they feel that is why I have the break down. I am on TPN 12 hours every night and have gain 33 lbs this month and feel better now than I have in a long time and it appears that some of my ulcers are starting to heal. Polishdan the Friar's balsam doesn't interfere with the stick of the wafer? Is it not greasy? I've never heard of it and it would be worth a try. I have tried duo derm, tegaderm and those things do interfer with the stick of the wafer, so far the paste over the calcium alginate has protected the ulcer from the stool and they are healing but very very slow. I appreciate the phone # and will look into it and will also call coloplast for a sample. I have a ton of redundant skin so I'm a hard stick to begin with and then with all this other stuff it just makes it worse.

I have wondered if the weight gain could contribute too Ohio, but I have been working with the WOCN all the time since the TPN started so....hopefully she would have suggested something different if she thought it would help. I do think I'm heavier now than I have been since I had the ileo done last summer. I wasn't fighting UC or Chron's but had c-dif that attacked my colon so I ended up with the ileo and only have 7" of colon left so it sounds like it is pretty permanent.
Posted 6/5/2010 1:59 PM (GMT 0)
Cathy
The Friar's Balsam is not greasy. It is a liquid and is sticky when it dries. I do not put powder on top of the Friar's. I don't think it is available in the US so you probably won't be able to get a sample. . It is about $23 including shipping for a 100 ml bottle. You put it on with a Q-tip. It goes a long way. Try their website for info.

Dan
Posted 6/7/2010 6:08 AM (GMT 0)
Ask your WOC nurse about using crushed prednisone pills, (into a fine powder) over the ulcers. I pick the brain of the president of WOCN, every chance I get. (I'm an RN). I don't know the strength of the prednisone they are using, on the two patients. But I do know it has healed or is healing the wounds around there stoma's. Good luck!!
Posted 6/7/2010 7:38 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you all for your suggestions. I have made the call for the Friar's Balsam and left a message so hopefully they will return my call. My WOCN retired on June 1 and the new one is set to start July 1 so the prednisone question my have to wait a bit. I will be followed by the doc and PA who don't really know much about ostomies but I will tell them and maybe they can research. Thanks again I will keep you all posted.
Posted 6/10/2010 4:35 PM (GMT 0)
Cathy try touching base with your surgeon's nurse - especially if he/she is a nurse practitioner (sp?) That person may know as much as the wound nurse about these situations and you might night have to suffer till July 1st.
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