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3 a.m. Blow-out?

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Posted 9/21/2007 7:35 AM (GMT 0)
Ok, This is a first for me...I woke up at 3am this morning soaked in my own yuckiness!  The bag was completely off the flange and my bed, sheets, mattress, husband, and clothing were covered in ....you know what.  Is this a blow out?  I guess I am not quite sure what a blow out is. What ever this is....it is a HUGE mess.  mad I know a had a nice flange seal because I did not have any problems all evening so that is not the issue. 

 

Posted 9/21/2007 10:56 AM (GMT 0)
Oh, Amey, I'm so sorry you had to go through that in the middle of the night. sad You've had a rough week! First, Wal-Mart, and then this. Maybe the bag just wasn't locked on tight enough, so it came off. I hope it never happens again.

How did everything go on your cruise?
Posted 9/21/2007 2:27 PM (GMT 0)

I had many BLOWOUTS in the begining. I know now that I always tried to get all the air out of bag so it would not show. I believe it created a reverse vacuum. lol Need to leave a little air in bag. My next problem was not being able to sleep well because I was afraid bag would let loose again. I would not sleep more than 2-3 hrs and wake up and check everything. It has been no problem the last 9 months or so. I don't worry about it and know that I am more experienced at putting bag on properly.

I wish you the best in your recovery

Posted 9/21/2007 3:04 PM (GMT 0)
Depending on the brand you wear, you may not have had it closed properly. Convatec can be a bear to get completely closed, and the only way of knowing is to use a hand mirror to see the whole way around the seal. You can go all day with it not closed completely, but once the pressure from the inside increases (while you sleep), you've got a problem. Once closed completely though, I never had one come undone in 18 years. That's one of the reasons I've never switched brands, I know the seal holds.

I have had "blow outs" which to me is when the seal is tight, but the pressure is too much so it actually goes under the flange and everything comes off in a horrible mess. I've had them at night and after a colonoscopy at the hospital in the dressing room (very embarassing). Usually a blow out is caused by the flange not fitting around the stoma correctly or erosion of the flange around the stoma and having a small leak to begin with.

Anyway, with Convatec, I seal and unseal the flange and pouch a few times before I even put them on, it makes it easier to seal when I finally get them on my marshmellow stomach (I don't think I have a single muscle left under there since my surgery, lol). The more you open and close them, the easiear it is to seal, and the seal still holds.

You know your husband really loves you when he still kisses you good morning after a night like that, lol. My husbands been through it a few times.
Posted 9/21/2007 4:34 PM (GMT 0)
Amey,

how annoying! I know how upsetting that can be. Strangely, I myself woke up last night at about 2:30 a.m. with a leak, but mine was more like Judy's example.

I have recently been using the moldable two pieces durahesive ones (i forget the brand, but i think it is convatec). Basically, to size the hole, I roll the seal material up over on itself (that's how the instructions say to do it) Well, if I get it right, this type of pouch and flange work great, i had just changed mine yesterday morning and the one i had on had been on for a whole week! but sometimes, the excess material that is rolled up expands and i think my stoma kind of gets stuck behind it and then a leak happens. It was so frustrating at first, one night i had to change it three times due to leaks....and those things aren't cheap either!

i was just telling myself i was gonna stick to this brand, because the last one lasted a week, but now, i think i am gonna go back to the previous ones i was using.

i have not had a bag come loose yet though, that would probably be a real mess...

the funny part is, last night, i only woke up becasue my little chihuahua realized i had a leak first, and was licking up the mess....yuck!
Posted 9/21/2007 5:40 PM (GMT 0)
Glad bag,

Maybe you need the larger size of the moldable with a bigger opening? Or need to use paste or Eakin Seals? What did you use to use before the moldable? I hate having to cut, and my stoma isn't round so I can't order the pre-cut, so I'll stick to the moldables even though I have to use Eakin Seals under it. I haven't had any leakage since I started using them. Expensive, but my wear time is longer than it's been in many years.
Posted 9/21/2007 6:37 PM (GMT 0)
Glad bag, Sounds like my stoma and your stoma were at the same party last night. I guess I experienced a blow out. Maybe I slept on the bag and the pressure built up. Who knows? By time I awoke, I had been sleeping in it for a few minutes. In fact, like you, it was my rat terrier puppies that noticed the mess first...yumm, yumm...(yuck, yuck). I use Holister New Image which has a great system and I know the flange was sealed tight.
I really like the Convetec Durahesive Moldable appliances. I have 4 boxes of them but I am allergic to Convetec products. I keep them as a back-up. I got 4 days out of them (which is the longest I have ever gone between changes). With Holister, I have to change every three days. I ordered Coloplast today to see if I get better results.

Cecilia, My Wal-Mart experience was pretty funny. Then, I ended up soiling myself in my kid's geography class two days later and now this! My poop and I are getting really used to sticking together.
The cruise was amazing! I was a little nervous at first about being on a boat in a bathing suit with large groups of people, but then I thought....oh well, let them think what they want. I want swimming in the ocean, I snorkled with sting ray, I visited the Mayan ruins and swam in Mexico. My family and I had a blast. I have lots of fun and LOTS of leaks. It was really hot and humid all day and my bag did not like the salt water and the humidity.
Posted 9/21/2007 6:51 PM (GMT 0)
Maybe try a different Hollister if you're having so many problems with the New Image. I know they used to have a 2 piece system very similar to the Convatec (they used to be interchangeable), maybe you won't be allergic to their adhesives.
Posted 9/22/2007 12:49 AM (GMT 0)
Amey..Mexican vacations rule!!!!!!!!!!!!

i love cancun...it's one of my favorite places on earth...so beautiful, and the people are so good to all us tourists.

i have pictures that i look at almost every day from when i was snorkeling and scuba diving there....thanks for reminding me of that place....
Posted 9/22/2007 12:51 AM (GMT 0)
Judy - I, too, am a Convatec veteran.  That's what I started with in 1984 and am still wearing the same 2 piece appliance.  I have had my minor blips tho.  Most recently, as you might have read, I had wear time issues.  You have given me some really great suggestions. (Thank you so much!!)   I decided to try the convex inserts with the stomahesive wafer before switching to the moldable.  It has been the answer for me.  Changed it on the 8th day during the first wear, and on the 6th day during the second.  I still use a light band of stomahesive paste around the opening, like I always have. 

I agree with GladBag about the stoma kinda getting stuck behind the opening (when it is functioning - it recedes a bit), and causing breakdown around that opening.  I could feel that  happening before I added the convex insert.  (It probably has a lot to do with the change of my abd with some weight gain.  I just broke the 117 lb mark for the first time since prior to diagnosis of my CD and that was in the late '70's!  I'm 5'5".   I don't notice that now cuz the insert doesn't let it recede nearly as much.

Amey - I have been working outside at the jobsite where we are building a new home every evening doing "clean up" in this miserable 90 degree heat and humidity - I'm just absolutely soaked clear thru when I come inside at dark, take my shower, etc.   I still got 8 days, and 6 days wear time....  have you talked to your ET about trying an insert or convex wafer...  seems like you are really having issues but still keeping your chin up and laughing about it.   You are quite the role model!

So, Gladbag, what beverage did you have to drink that caused your blowout?!!!  Just kidding!!   Do you notice that maybe more fibery foods that are harder to "push out" causes the stoma to get stuck behind the opening more often?  That's what I have noticed.

 

Posted 9/22/2007 12:55 AM (GMT 0)
well then that explains it peggy! i ate a whole bag of microwave popcorn...though it was okay...now i think it might have contributed!

thanks for the insight....every once in a while i learn something on this board...every day!
Posted 9/22/2007 1:18 PM (GMT 0)
I used to do the same thing, get all the air out to make it as flat as possible and not show as much.  I think it does the same thing, sort a reverse vacuum.  Seems like once there was some sort of escape it CAME SHOOTING right out!!!.  I've always tried to keep a little air in there to help it out.

   I've had leaks at night before, but never a blow out during the night.  Not looking forward to that happening.

Posted 9/22/2007 9:57 PM (GMT 0)
Amey,

Have you tried any latex-free wafers yet? I wish you could get more than 3 days use out of one wafer. Does your health insurance cover the cost of supplies? If not, that will get expensive.

 

I'm so glad that you and your family had a blast on the cruise! Once you find the right appliance, you will not have so many leaks. I admire your willingness to laugh about it, and I'm so happy that you are feeling better than you have in years. That's a big answer to prayer!

Hope tonight is leak-free,

Cecilia

P.S. - Are we the only Gator fans here?!?

 

 

Posted 9/22/2007 10:28 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the tip about the inserts! I am going to call Convetec and see if their inserts have a universal fit. If so, I will have them send me some samples.
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