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Stealth belt?

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Posted 10/26/2011 2:51 PM (GMT 0)
Anyone here ever used or use the stealth belt???? I have been thinking of getting one of these and a hernia belt for when I start weight lifting again.
Posted 10/26/2011 6:23 PM (GMT 0)
WOW BOAT,

You must be feeling OK? Is all working OK?

Go easy on the weight lifting. Ask your doc. You don't want a peristomal hernia. Others will chime in on the stealth belt info, sorry don't know. Rosemary
Posted 10/26/2011 7:14 PM (GMT 0)
Go ahead and get it and let us know how it works plus the good and bad of it. I'm anxious to try one too!
Posted 10/26/2011 8:23 PM (GMT 0)
I've looked the Stealth belt up online, been curious, been tempted to try it...but just can't quite commit to the cost. I REALLY want to know if they work as well as advertised! I keep going back to the website, but was really hoping to find a "real" person who has used one and can give me their real life observations and experiences. If you do try it, be sure to post back here so we can know the pros and cons.
Posted 10/26/2011 8:26 PM (GMT 0)
I have not gotten the stealth belt, but there have been some folks on this list who raved about it.... you could search for the old posts.
Posted 10/27/2011 1:43 AM (GMT 0)
I am feeling great besides some belly bloat from gas from surgery but that will subside with time. I am sleeping and my butt has already healed up! I am being cautious and living off my own weight gain shakes (raw yogurt, Greek yogurt, raw kefiir and raw milk, peanut butter and almond butter, coconut oil, blueberries, bananas, strawwberries, protein powder, honey, etc...sure beats ensure, that stuff is garbage lol!), all kinds of meat and fish, canned mushy veggies, and that's about it right now. I plan on increasing my number of meals next week, increasing calories eveRy day or two, and slowly introducing one or two new foods that should be easy on the ostomy (rice, more fruits, oats, maybe some gluten free bread, yadda yadda).

I am emptying like ten plus times a day lol, as well as two to four times at night even on only about 1600 cals and three meals a day (I plan on having this around five meals and 2500 plus cals in a few weeks so hopefully stuff will slow down a tad)!

My stoma is great, surgeon gave me a beauty (though I wish it was a tad lower). I have named him mr. Awestomy and he even has a theme song (papas got a brand new bag!)!
Posted 10/27/2011 4:36 PM (GMT 0)
Yeah Boat. Glad all worked out so well for you. For some reason I am getting some food blockages that I can pass with lots of hot tea and grape juice. BUT, I'm hardly eating anything gotta ask my surgeon what is up with this. I have had my stoma for 4 years! Glad things went well. Rosemary
Posted 10/28/2011 1:17 PM (GMT 0)
From seeing a lot of your posts it seems like you restrict food so much that your digestive system has just become weak/lazy over the years. You should try and slowly build up its strength again by introducing more food, and a greater variety of food. If that fails over time then it could be scar tissue, adhesions, etc,but I have a feeling you have gradually done this to yourself by all the worrying and restricting.
Posted 10/28/2011 11:59 PM (GMT 0)
I love my stealth belt.

With it I do any activity I can imagine.

Only time I don't use it is when I'm sleeping or in my "at-home" mode and don't want to have a belt.

Don't worry about any issues with emptying the bag sideways - it's still easy. But wearing the bag sideways does mean the filter is less effective as it clogs more easily.

Stealth belt is expensive - but given I have bought 3 - it's worth it!


Advantages:
1) doesn't interfere with belt line (depending on where your stoma is placed) - bend and stretch to your hearts content!
2) extra support for when bag fills
3) holds it against your body so no flapping bag
4) discrete
5) some sound protection
6) less questions from busy bodies at the gym who see a belt rather than a bag

Disadvantages:
1) Expensive
2) Can take a while for them to be delivered
3) The zipper does rub my skin abit and get caught
4) Does take a while to dry when it gets wet - which is why you may need more than one - especially if showering after weights
5) when swimming I find it can get in the way and result in a bit of extra pulling from the water dragging on the belt.
6) If your bag doesn't have the ability to rotate then you will have to have the bag sideways to sleep - which I'm not a fan of.


All up though - i'm very positive on the belt.
Posted 10/29/2011 12:59 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Boat,

I am getting a list of questions together for my ileo surgeon who I see on Nov. 2nd. Can the small intestine get lazy if one restricts foods as I have been?

That was a good idea of yours and I will put it on my list of things to ask my surgeon.

Last fall we did a CT Enterography and all was open at that time and I have had no actual adhesion reobstructions. I will also ask if my 35 lb weight gain might have anything to do with my food blockages (25 lbs. needed to be regained but 10 more did not). I will also ask if a stoma can develop a stricture this late in the game (4 years) doesn't seem like it would and less dense foods go right through.

I also wonder if I am not making as many digestive enzymes as I have gone to such bland foods. I always feel like there is a baseball right over my stoma even when things are moving along normally. There is no peristomal hernia. I have no idea what this is.

Thanks for your suggestion Boat. Glad you are doing so well. Rosemary
Posted 10/29/2011 8:53 AM (GMT 0)
@Smackie, I believe you can buy a belt you can wear with a vertical bag, called "Sting Ray" this might be better for sleeping. What i did was buy some maternity belly belts for from ebay for $20 and cut a cross in one side put it on like a skirt, putting the bag thought the hole and around the flange and then lift the end of the band up and over my ostomy bag, I have found this to be really comfortable to sleep in and stops the bag from moving around and takes the weight of the bag in the morning when you get up, I want a stealth belt for the day but am a bit concerned with having my bag horizontal and the problems it may give me emptying the bag, have you had any problems with emptying with your bag in a horizontal position ? Maggie
Posted 10/29/2011 10:29 AM (GMT 0)
Per my previous comment

"Don't worry about any issues with emptying the bag sideways - it's still easy. But wearing the bag sideways does mean the filter is less effective as it clogs more easily."
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