Niks said...
As some of you may remember from previous posts, I've had some issues lately with skin erosion and irritation around my stoma. The past few days however it's been pretty bad- to the point where moving a certain way, laughing, sucking in, even walking at times, hurts and stings.
It's hard to tell In the picture I've taken, but on the left side of the photo there is a small spot almost like a "hole" or a cut that's white looking on the inside, right around the edge of my stoma. This is what's concerning and bothering me the most. Any ideas???
The yellowing is just adhesive I hadent gotten all the way off before taing the photo, but I might add that it's hard getting it all the way off because of the pain and contact with that area causes.
On the opposite side there's a white area of skin also-no pain, not very concerned- but would anyone know what's causing this?
(Not sure if link to image will work)
Extra info:
I have a loop ileo and have been using barrier rings along with poder and skin prep wipes lately.
I'm on multi vitamin, calcium, and iron supplements.
Colchicine, methotrexate, lexapro
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https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8R0xLK3zMVgV2dsTkVLeXJJV3M
Hi Nik, I first want to say I'm sorry for your discomfort and pain. I am new at this so can offer some words and the veterans will have more to chime in with.
I can see your photo. OUCH and I'm sorry you hurt so much.
I have a loop ileo as well. Mine is raised much higher, it seems yours is lower? Is it almost flush with the skin? Or is that just the picture.
1) Okay addressing the whitish hole first you are talking about
.
-I think I see it. If I am looking at the right thing, it almost looks like a "white poc mark?" Like a white divet hole right beside the stoma bottom left?
**I personally don't know what that is, if it were me I'd see a stoma nurse about
it.
**I also have a whitish small spot of skin in 2 areas that burned initially, and kinda grey as well. Smaller areas than yours. Just a couple spots at base of stoma on skin. Those strange colors developed AFTER I healed my first 2 burn areas there. For me it's looking like it is the way the skin scarred that caused the coloring, but is now healed. It doesn't hurt either. I'm asking my surgeon at post op appt next week.
--If you already know stuff below I'm telling you forgive me. I don't know what you know and what you don't now. xo
2)You say it hurts, to take off adhesive. I don't know what your monetary situation is and forgive me for saying that, I'm bringing it up ONLY because out of pocket our product is very expensive as you know.
a)Niltac Adhesive remover - is what I use. I don't hurt taking off adhesive then. I didn't hurt much at all coming off earlier raw areas I've now healed. Hospital introduced me to 2 adhesive removers. Niltac is a small towlette you rub on skin. You rub it on, the adhesive clumps off on the towlette. Comes in a purple mauvish box.
b)I can't find the name of the other Adhesive remover. It is a towelette and more oily. Very strong in that, I find it really got adhesive off but I prefer the lighter less oily adhesive remover. Good as well.
**After using both you need to wash area with wet paper towel or a wet gauze wipe.
3)I really dry around stoma well, because if not, what I thought was water reflection was actually juice from second hole. I'd prepare stoma area with my powder and sealant, but I was putting everything over second hole acid juice that I didn't see on the bottom of my stoma. Then I'd get irritated more along with liquid from stoma. Once I realized this, I make sure I dry areas really well around stoma and really well at my second hole area. Tricky because it's the bottom area of stoma. Now I am not accidentally putting powder and sealant over any stoma acid juice from second hole.
*Yes, this has brought down my skin irritation a lot. My skin has healed and I am not leaking with my regimen.
4)I use Brava Powder. More than what they used in hospital. I actually cake it a bit around whole stoma base area, blow off or dust off just a tad. Then seal over the whole bottom stoma base area. My stoma sticks out, I actually pour in ridge at base bottom of stoma that meets abdomen. I push stoma lightly over and pour powder in ridge, blow a bit out. I make sure I put powder on finger and hold up to bottom of stoma area to get the bottom of my stoma powdered that I can't see well thru my mirror. Then I use my sealant I'll explain in 5).
- I don't know if your second hole is above or below more. I'm 4 weeks and 10 days out. My second hole has receded almost below area making this a very tricky deal but I've figured it out. That is why I use powder and sealant there. IT is preventing any acid burn from second mucus hole or whatever that is called.
And to be clear, I am not sealing over the second hole but I'm sealing over the skin that the second whole would "weep" on which would cause the burn there. Which I just figured out.
5) I don't see you have a skin sealer down? I use a spray skin sealer. I use again more than stoma nurse. I spray around all powder areas around stoma base really well. Yes, it gets on skin around stoma. I've not had problems due to that one bit. It really makes a plastic coating that is really protecting my skin layering protectant over the powder. I do the powder, spray sealant. Do powder again, spray sealant.
My stoma nurse said do it twice.
*My skin is not burning anymore. I have no more itching, burning, red. It all healed under the protectant just like the nurse said it would. I don't skimp on powder and sealant and leaks are not happening now coupled with my Eakin Ring.
6) I use Eakin rings on my flange. My flange hole is really cut to just a bit more than my stoma size. I found if too big a hole too much leakage.
7)I have been using hollister. Today I tried my "mouldable" flange and bag sample I got from Conva Tech. I don't use it how people without a loop ileo can use them. They are typcially for people that don't have loops due to us having more leakage and output.
BUT so far, I put on this morning, the flange has more adhesive inside than my hollister flange. PLUS it is sticky on the outer side rim on the outside area. It was much smoother getting a good seal over my powder and sealant with the Conva Tech mouldable. Yes,I did attach my Eakin ring. I am resourceful in that, things may get used differently but if it keeps leaks out, I'm good.
SO it feels more solid than my hollister flange, we'll see how this one does over the next few days.
I don't know if any of this helps you. If it does not, my apologies. I don't want to sound redundant telling you things you've tried or already know.
I can do all of my appliance change doing using all of my steps pretty quickly. Thankgoodness. :)
If my stoma is higher than your it maybe a bit easier for me. PLUS I'm super serious with the protectant powder and sealant spray now.
I'm sorry it is such bad terrain with the leaks and painful skin problems from it for you right now. xo
Post Edited (Vancouver-Girl) : 1/27/2016 10:28:32 PM (GMT-7)