HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Duct tape for tiny pouch leak?

Support Forums
>
Ostomies
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 10/25/2011 8:54 PM (GMT 0)
I changed my pouch today, and I think when I cut the wafer I accidentally cut a very tiny hole in the opposite side. Didn't see it at first, but when I went to empty I saw a dirty spot on the outside of the pouch cover (again, not that big). I cut a piece of the pouch cover off to get rid of the soiled part and so I could see what I was dealing with, and the hole is very small, just a little snip.

I'm just wondering if I can get away with putting a piece of duct tape over the hole and not changing the whole pouch. I'm trying it now, wondering if anyone has had success or failure with this method.

I could change the whole thing, but now I'm at a high output time of the day and would really rather not.....

I'm using a coloplast sensura one piece.

Thanks.
Posted 10/25/2011 10:07 PM (GMT 0)
Hi
i sometimes tear a small hole in my bag with my nails when i undo the velcro. First time it happened at work, and i used a thick black packing tape and used way too much. With the result that i couldn't roll the bag up properly any more. Recently i just snip a tiny edge of a hydroframe/flange extension and stick it over the hole. This holds 3 days till my next change.
Good luck
Posted 10/25/2011 10:37 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for responding. I don't have any of those flange extensions, had to google to see what they are.... but that did give me the idea that maybe tegaderm or a piece of sure seal would work if the duct tape doesn't. The hole in mine is right on the front of the pouch, so not in a place where I have to roll it up.

Thanks again!
Posted 10/26/2011 2:21 AM (GMT 0)
Blue,

Try the piece of sureseal. I know the times I've tried that as a flange extension, even after 7 days it did not want to leave my skin. So I am guessing that it will hold that tiny hole. Let us know. Rosemary
Posted 10/26/2011 2:26 AM (GMT 0)
when my fliter starts to give and i have a few days left of seal, i just put toilet paper over it, then some medical tape. and when i was using another brand someone said that the filters leaked so i used sure seal over it right away.
however, being a southern girl, i gotta say duct tape would probably work! 'duct tape is like the force, it has a light side and a dark side and it holds the universe together' :D
Posted 10/26/2011 10:34 AM (GMT 0)
LOL, summer...... so far, the duct tape is the force.... holding fine..... thought about putting some sure seal over it, but then I thought well, ducts are kind of pipes, and the bag is replacing sort of a pipe, so maybe it's doing it's regular duct tape sort of job.....
Posted 10/26/2011 1:04 PM (GMT 0)
I think the duct tape is a fine idea! I accidentally made a hole in one of mine near the velcro (fingernail) and managed to seal it up with some if that pink border tape (hy-tape I think it's called) and that held for about 18 hours.
Posted 10/26/2011 1:53 PM (GMT 0)
Good Morning To All!!!

Unbelievable! That same thing happened to me yesterday!! I was so outdone as I had just put on a new bag Monday night! I used some Hypafix tape. It seems to be holding ok. However, I might put a little duct tape over that!

I wondered if the hair dryer made the hole as it seems to be on the top and bottom layers of the bag. Does anyone else use a hair dryer for a few seconds when they put on a new bag? Someone locally told me to heat my skin and the seal part of the bag. I wear a Hollister one piece. Really like it. Have tried two piece ones, but they seem to sag more and be heavier. I rinse my bag each time, so I don't use bags with filters. My surgery was March 25th.

Have a wonderful day!

Mollie
Posted 10/26/2011 2:54 PM (GMT 0)
I've sometimes used a heating pad for a few minutes when putting on a pouch, but not a hairdryer (actually one of those "bed buddies" that you put in the microwave). Seems like it'd have to be pretty hot to make a hole.

Glad yours is holding, so far so good on the duct tape for me.....

I agree that the two piece bags feel heavier, so I prefer the one piece, although I like the coloplast better than the hollister.
Posted 10/26/2011 6:55 PM (GMT 0)
I'd say whatever holds is fine. I've often wondered what I would do if I punctured the bag with anything. It hasn't happened yet. I'm just grateful that I've gotten through five months at work with no leaks or disasters of any kind.

OUt of curiosity, how long does the American health care system expect you to use one one-piece bag? I am allowed one per day, but I figured out that it's better for the skin around my stoma if I change the bag every two days, but not longer, because I was wearing the same one into the third night, last night, and woke up with a leakage.

Proud of myself: didn't get emotional at all, just got myself up and changed and back to bed and sleep.

Posted 10/26/2011 8:35 PM (GMT 0)
I don't think the American health system is consistent about anything, but medicare, which is the program for people over 65 allows 20 pouches a month, and a lot of the private insurances follow their formulas.

I usually go 4-5 days on a pouch, but I'm finding with the bed rest that I can go longer. It's the eakin that starts to go first.

Sorry you had a leak, but I don't know why you're getting such little time on your pouches. What kind do you use?

At the support group I go to, there's an older man who has had a urostomy for 30 years and was very involved in the national ostomy association..... he told us about how they fought to get medicare to authorize more supplies -- I think at one point it was 10 a month....seems like the urostomy bags often need to be changed more often, at least for the people in the group who have them (I was complaining about only getting 4 days at one point, and they said they were happy to get 2 -- easier to compromise the seal I guess)

Sorry you had a leak, but glad you were able to deal with it calmly....
Posted 10/27/2011 12:22 AM (GMT 0)
Blueglass your thinking about the pipes is great! I love it!
Posted 10/27/2011 4:36 AM (GMT 0)
hey sound good because your putting the tape on the bag ??!!! ductape is coool at 1st i thought u meant on the sticky part that holds everything together i end up changing the whole waffer and bag about 4-5 times a week because my supplies suck but there suppose to be ordering me better supplies ( i use hollister now and need convex) but when i leak bad and have a melt down i end up taking tape and taping all the sides up so it wont leak for the rest of the day only to find out it irratates my skin and i have to change it again *sigh
Posted 10/27/2011 10:50 AM (GMT 0)
Jackie, where are you ordering your supplies? See if you can get some sure seals. They are clear plastic, like the tegaderm they put on your IVs -- go around the outside of the wafer and they can hold leaks in.

You can call either call the other companies (convatec and coloplast) or if you're at a big supplier like edgepark, ask for samples. You need to find a system that works better for you. Are you working w/a nurse?

My duct tape is a tiny part on the bag -- you don't want that on your skin, it doesn't breathe.... the sure seals do. Hang in....

Thanks, summer.
Posted 10/27/2011 1:49 PM (GMT 0)
Good Morning!

I carefully added duct tape to the tape I had on...my own sure seal!
Seems to be holding!

Have a great day!

Mollie
Posted 10/28/2011 3:29 AM (GMT 0)
If you don't want to use Sure Seals, there is a tape that is made from the same material.  You can use it to "picture frame" the outsides of the wafer like a Sure Seal does, or just in problem areas.  Or, use for a quick fix until you can change the wafer.

I don't know which is cheaper, though I suspect the tape would be.

Smith and Nephew OPSITE Flexifix

http://global.smith-nephew.com/us/OPSITE_FLEXIFIX_FILM_ROLL_8203.htm

 

Posted 10/29/2011 10:27 PM (GMT 0)
HEY HEY   YOU SHOULD NOT PUT DUCT TAPE ON YOUR POUCH. IT MAY NOT BE APPROVED FOR THAT USE! HAS ANYONE CLEARED THIS USE OF DUCT TAPE ON A POUCH WITH MR. GREEN???   MISTER RED GREEN OF THE RED GREEN SHOW? HE IS THE ULTIMATE EXPERT ON DUCT TAPE USE.

 

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH MR. RED GREEN, JUST IGNORE THIS WARNING NOTICE.

 

 Dan

Posted 10/29/2011 10:52 PM (GMT 0)
Bluegrass, I am using convex light with eakens. I am supposed to change every day, because the health insurance allows one per day. It seemed like very little in the beginning. I often let it go , for two days, to save time. I had two leaks this past week, two nights in a row. Hadn't happend since July, I think it happens if I don't drink enough water and if I eat a cheddar cheese sandwich at night. I also may have been sleeping directly on my stoma so the poop couldn't go down into the bag. Can't help what I do in my sleep. Otherwise, no problem.

Am sitting in a room full of boxes and chaos. Have got two extra bags in my shoulder bag and 5 more in the new apartment in a shopping bag, so that I don't have to go crazy looking for them and not remembering which box I packed them in. Am going to sleep for 3 hours now, and then wake up with 6 hours to go before the movers get here.

But I hope your butt is feeling alright and healing.
Posted 10/30/2011 12:10 AM (GMT 0)
Dan -- I had to look up Red Green, but he sounds funny, and I guess I will risk his censure. It's holding great, one little piece, been 4 days now....

B'Dereh, that's a drag about the leaks, hope they're just a fluke..... I don't think insurance allowing one per day is the same as requiring one per day.... but you have a loop ileo, right? Would be very annoying to me to have to change that often.

Good luck w/the move!
Posted 10/31/2011 4:31 PM (GMT 0)
Just wanted to report that the duct tape held for 6 days -- changed my pouch today, all was well.
Posted 10/31/2011 10:43 PM (GMT 0)
Glad the Duck Tape worked...now we have another use for it:)

Pink Tape (it's waterproof) or a piece of Sure Seal...I prefer the sure seal since I always have a cut up one from patching smilewinkgrin
Posted 11/1/2011 6:44 AM (GMT 0)
Glad the duct tape held... figured it would... good to know yet another use for it! :-)
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply