gaps around stoma???

hey guys, i was doing a wafer and bag change today and noticed that my absorbable stitches are coming out and there are gaps around where my stoma meets the skin. none of them are just overly alarming but has anyone else experienced this??? im kinda freaked out about it lol. looks like the skin is seperating from the stoma but it may just be those stitches coming out and all. anyone else ever had gaps? ps the adapt paste burned it when i put the wafer back on. must be the alcohol in it. thanks!

God Bless!!!

thanks sarah thats good to know. im hoping it doesnt get bigger or deeper. i just pouched back like normal today but i may do another change in a couple days and put some stoma powder and skin barrier on it and just to keep an eye on it. man its amazing how these little blips in your healing can have you so worried! hope it all heals good like yours! thanks!!!

oddly enough my surgeon actually called me today to tell me that the pathophysiology of my ileum specimen came back and all signs point to UC and not chrones but then again it is never 100%. i asked about the seperation and he said that the prednisone i was on and had been on so much prior to surgery is probably the culprit in that. said it should be ok but just to keep an eye on it and if it gets worse or have infection like symptoms (redness, swelling, pain, fever) to call and get in thera asap. so idk how that makes me feel lol i just hope it closes on its own but it sucks that its under the wafer and i cant monitor it easily and i get to sit here and wonder and obsess about it all day. my fiance asked one of the surgeons we work with and he said it happens relatively commonly and shouldnt be anything to worry about unless it gets worse. doc didnt mention anything to put on it or anything. i think next time i might throw some stoma powder on it and crust it and see if that helps. what is orahesive powder and where can you get it? i googled it and it came up on a bunch of koi pond websites??? lol did you guys do anything different in regards to pouching? everyone says to leave a small gap around the stoma but since i have left the hospital i just cut my wafers the exact size around stoma and havent had any leaks or skin irritation yet but i wonder about pouching directly over the seperation. but anyways, wish me luck and thanks for the help!!!

God Bless!!!

db -- that's excellent that your path reports showed no sign of Crohn's!

I would recommend that you take your temp twice a day and maybe ask your surgeon or nurse how often you should change your pouch to look at it. Then try to relax.

Not the same thing, but I was on a lot of pred and had an abscess a week after surgery. I went from normal to 102 in an hour or two.... it was very clear when there was a problem, and we went to the ER. Just saying that if you feel fine, you probably are, and with a reasonable amount of monitoring, you'll know if you need to act.

It's a drag, but hopefully just a blip.... hang in.