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Stoma placement??

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Posted 1/26/2018 6:09 PM (GMT 0)
Hi all,

New to this board but not the forums. I've had UC for 16 yrs and will finally have surgery Monday. The surgeons physician assistant came in to mark the spot for my stoma. I'm worried because it's high. about an inch and a half above my belly button just slightly to the right. When i put the bag over that spot it covers my belly button so im worried i wont get a full seal and there will be leaking. From what I've seen the placement is normally a little below the belly button and a few inches to the right. Any thoughts?

I've been doing a ton a reading and don't see any sites this high up. I might be calling her back in here to see if there is a different location.
Posted 1/26/2018 7:35 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Woogy,
I met with a stoma nurse before my surgery. Placement of the ostomy depends on several variables.
She marked me according to how and where I wear my clothing. She was particularly mindful of where my waist band hits...do I wear my pants higher...do I wear them more lower? I wore pants to my appointment that was representative of how and where I wear my pants.
She had me sit...stand and bend over to see if there was any folds or divots in my skin. These issues can affect the pouching system.

My pouch ( the bag itself) pretty much covers my belly button ( or I should say where it used to be...I have no bb).
My wafer adhesive conforms to the area and then I also use the coloplast Brava strips. These are great and
are like a reinforcement all around the wafer. I have never had a problem.

Certainly if you have concerns...have them take another look before you go into surgery.

Wishing you all the best!!
Any issues, this forum is here for you.
Posted 1/26/2018 7:37 PM (GMT 0)
Mean't to ask you if there are any stoma nurses available at the hospital where you will be??
Posted 1/26/2018 8:26 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks. I would assume there are stoma nurses here, its a huge University teaching hospital. Not sure why they didn't send one instead though. I'll have to ask. I did request that the PA come back so i can discuss the placement again. Im scared with it being so close to my belly button that i wont get a tight seal and then have leaks.
Posted 1/27/2018 2:38 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Woogy
My stoma nurse marked me according to my pant line. I too was told to sit then stand a few times so she could get a good idea where to mark it mine is no where near my belly button I would say about 2 1/2 inches away from my stoma. I have had my stoma for about 5 weeks now and if my belly button was near it I am sure it would cause it not to seal right. I am still trying different bags haven't decided on a brand right now using the supplies still from my stoma and home nurse. I would get here to come back in or get someone else to remark it. Good luck with the surgery
Posted 1/27/2018 1:39 PM (GMT 0)
Also, the day of your surgery your surgeon will meet with you before you go in just to check on you. You can ask him about placement then as well. My stoma nurse actually marked me on the wrong side and my surgeon saw it immediately as soon as he visited me.
Posted 1/27/2018 3:59 PM (GMT 0)
Thx all. I saw the surgeon and he said he attaches the stoma to my muscles so its strong so thats why she picked that spot. He then said if I'm nervous about leaking he could remove my belly button so its flat! Um...no way!! Wth. This is frustrating and nerve racking to say the least. I thought my stoma would be in a place that works well for me too so in case it has to be permanent if there are complications i can live with it. Ugh. mad
Posted 1/28/2018 12:20 AM (GMT 0)
Remove your belly button so it’s flat . I would most likely have said “ let’s remove yours first “ sorry I am not a expert but I have never heard of that. Let’s see what other members on here say .
When is your surgery ?
Posted 1/28/2018 12:43 AM (GMT 0)
Ikr. Crazy. My surgery is Monday afternoon. I've been doing as mch research as possible before then. I've researched a ton already so not finding much more. But it can't hurt. Lol
Posted 1/28/2018 1:42 AM (GMT 0)
Dr removed my belly button. I had the beginnings of a hernia at belly button which Dr fixed,plus my scare is vertical from top of stomach to around belly button then below belly button. Not having belly button doesn't matter to me.
Posted 1/28/2018 7:31 PM (GMT 0)
I agree with the others- mention it to your doc before they do the surgery. I’m sure they’ll be open to discussing a new position. Mine was a little too close to my belly button so it leaked a little. The barrier strips helped with that but still.

Good luck with your surgery tomorrow. Let us know how it goes!
Posted 1/28/2018 9:23 PM (GMT 0)
Thx all. Surgery isn't until 4pm tomorrow, ugh. Oh well at least its getting done. It's strange the nurse just told me there is no bowel prep to do. I just drink gatorade 2 hours before surgery. I thought they would want me completely cleared out. Im on liquids only until midnight then the gatorade 2 hrs prior. I hope this goes well. What if im not completely cleared out and the colon tears when being pulled out. Omg.

More questions for them tomorrow morning. mad
Posted 1/28/2018 9:32 PM (GMT 0)
Easy woggy. Your not the first one there doing surgery on. Sure they know what works best. I don't think they pull colon out. That might be little too rough. Good luck
Posted 1/28/2018 9:57 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Champ. Doc told me he pulls the colon out through my belly button. Lol I was shocked but I guess it makes sense because it laproscopic. smilewinkgrin
Posted 1/28/2018 11:26 PM (GMT 0)
Wow. Sorry. Forgot about the laparoscopic way. They actually pull it through??? Wow. I was thinking how they opened me up
Posted 1/29/2018 3:20 AM (GMT 0)
Yes they pull it through the belly button so it makes me nervous without doing a prep. I will have to just trust my doctor. smilewinkgrin
Posted 1/29/2018 3:20 AM (GMT 0)
I didn’t know they pulled it that way either but that defninitely makes sense as to why they had to open me up instead!
Posted 1/29/2018 5:35 AM (GMT 0)
I think it's done differently by different surgeons. I have a bikini incision. Mine was pulled from there. I've also heard of people having it pulled through the stoma incision. There was a small incision in my belly button from the lapro surgery, but my belly button is exactly the same as it was before surgery, there's no visible scar there.
Posted 1/30/2018 4:34 AM (GMT 0)
Wow, this conversation really took some interesting turns! I had lapro surgery too, but I had a small incision just below my bb and I assume that's where they took my colon out from.

Woogy, you can offset the hole you cut in the bag so that the depression from the bb doesn't affect your seal. That's what I do, and I average over 6 days between changes.
Posted 1/30/2018 5:38 AM (GMT 0)

notbob said...

Woogy, you can offset the hole you cut in the bag so that the depression from the bb doesn't affect your seal. That's what I do, and I average over 6 days between changes.


Oh yeah, that's the logical solution. I used to always cut my convatec wafers down from a square to a circle because they were HUGE. I would just snip the corners off and it would still work really well. There are a lot of solutions to make things work.

I hope you're through the worst and resting. We probably won't hear from you for another day or two, but looking forward to the update, and then of course the future where you're feeling great and back to being healthy.
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