Any suggestions for my mom? Help needed.

My mom is almost 81 years old and has had an ostomy for 14 years. As far as I know she hasn't had an examination since and doesn't have a GI.

For the longest time she's had problems with the bag bursting, however, it's gotten much worse over the last year. She has tried all available products, tapes, bags etc but her bag bursts at least once a week. Yesterday 3 times and today in a store. She has become extremely anxious about going out and eating....as anxious as I am with my diseased colon....it's hard to watch her suffer. Sometimes she tucks a towel in her undies just in case of an accident. She's also not wearing dresses anymore and doesn't want to go out for her b'day dinner incase her bag bursts. My mom empties her bag 3 times a night and within 20 min after eating.

She's finally spoken to her doctor about getting a referral for a GI. I think today was the final straw.

Any suggestions as to what could be wrong with her anatomy? (It's 100 % not any appliance or application)

Thank you.

Thank you!

I only know she uses coloplast

I'll ask her the rest of those questions & get back to you! I realize I didn't offer much info but I wasn't sure what to ask her. I just empathized.

UB,

Just Checking on you.

I am so sorry your Mom is having this issue. Once we get a little more info maybe we can think of ways to help.

Please remember to take care of yourself during all of this.

Hang in there!!

Clo

Hi! I was going to tell you to have her switch to Coloplast Sensura bags, but you said she is using Coloplast. I had two bags break on me when I was using Hollister. They would split at the seams. Does she have an ileiostomy or colostomy? I have an ileio, but I understand people with colostomies have a thicker output. Best to have it checked out.

Like nssg, I'm confused by what you mean by bags 'bursting'. I've had bags absolutely full to straining point, but none of them have burst. Once a wafer popped off and the contents spilled all over me and my bed, but that was my fault: I just couldn't be bothered getting out of bed to empty the bag and left it too long.

Modern bags shouldn't burst and they don't easily tear or rip. Most leaks occur somewhere along the wafer - the wafers are more of a weak point than the bag.

If your mum is emptying her bag 3x a night that sounds like she might have high output. There is a technical definition of high output (it's having more than 1500ml of output in 24 hours, I think), and the stoma nurse ought to measure it. If she does have high output, the GI needs to find out what's causing it.

The stoma needs to be checked as well. If it's too retracted or lies too close to the skin, that can be a big problem. Stomas ideally should stick out by 1 to 1.5 inches from the stomach. This makes it much easier for all of the output to empty into the bag, instead of some of it getting trapped underneath the wafer.

I don't think a hernia by itself would cause leaks. But if it changes the contour of the stomach in such a way that the wafers no longer lie flat or have wrinkles in them, then, yeah, that could cause leaks. Likewise, if your mum has gained or lost weight - that could change the shape of her stomach or the size of her stoma. One thing the stoma nurse ought to take a look at is the hole in your mum's wafers and how well it fits around the stoma - does your mum cut her own holes or do the manufacturers do it? It's important to get the hole to fit the stoma as closely as possible.

Good luck, UB. I'm glad your mum is seeing a GI, because she shouldn't have to live like this.

Hi everyone,

Just an update:

I'm taking my mom to see a CRS tomorrow (finally!) to get this issue sorted. She definitely has high output and the bags still "burst". I'll find out tomorrow if she means the wafer is coming loose or what specifically she's referring too.

I hope this Dr can help her.

Will let you know how we make out.

What do u mean when u say bag burst??? Is it mostly gas in bag?? Or stool??? Or combo??

Sorry folks....I got the date wrong!

Took her this week and got clarification. She doesn't mean the bag itself bursts....it's the wafer that comes lose. She feels pulsating in her stoma and then she knows it's going to dislodge with stool coming out. Overall it's been more settled the last few months but last year it could happen 3 times in one day. The doc recommended taking imodium at night to deal with her high output. She's emptying 3 times at night at 8-10 times during the day. The stoma nurse said that it looks good with enough of it sticking out. She also recommended trying the belt especially at night but my mom had trouble getting it on/off so she gave up. At 81 her dexterity/eye sight aren't what they used to be.

My mom has been complaining about feeling slight pain and bloating after each bag change. The doc suggesting doing some tests including a scope but my mom abruptly dismissed that for fear her hemophilia will come back. I don't blame her for this.

She's refusing to take imodium saying that she's dealt with this for 14 years....in the end the Dr. just said she could take her recommendations or leave it but if she continues to have pain to come back and she'll arrange a CAT scan.

Tom--thank you but I think you misunderstood. My mom doesn't have skin issues, nor is this an application problem. She does change her appliance every 4 days....unless the wafer dislodges.