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Today I sweat my butt off and my bag...any suggestions?

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Posted 9/29/2007 5:00 PM (GMT 0)
OK, most of you know I am 6 weeks post surgery this week and I am trying to get my body back in shape.  So, today I decided to go for a bike ride.  I rode for 26 miles and felt GREAT!  However, when I got home and pulled down my sweaty biking shorts, my bag came fell down to my feet!  This would not be such a huge deal accept, I have a couple races that I do each year that are about 80-100 miles a day.  I cann't stop every 25 miles to replace my bag.  I wear the Hollister New Image Flextend and I just changed my bad on Thursday night...today is Saturday.  I was NOT due for a change.  The entire wafer just stopped sticking.  This cann't be good for long distance rides.  Also, I tried riding with the Hollister belt last week.  The belt rides up my back when I bend over to ride and does not stay put!  This is very annoying!

Thanks much for any ideas. 
Posted 9/29/2007 11:41 PM (GMT 0)
I began my biking and running regimen again, this was also a concern of mine. This is what I do to keep everything in place and it's worked for me so far.
For extra protection against what I call "wafer peeling", tape around the edges of the wafer with dressing tape. I use hypafix tape and it's pretty good at keeping things in place. I believe they call this "picture-framing". Try a tape with a width of at least an inch, half inch on the wafer and half inch on your skin, going around the perimeter of the wafer. I find a little tension on the tape, not too much, while applying it works best.

Before applying a new wafer, shave the area the wafer is to go on. Even though you may not have hair in the area, you may still have light, or "peach fuzz" hairs. Shaving in the area will provide better contact between the skin and adhesive.

Just before applying the wafer to your skin, blow dry the adhesive side for a few minutes, this should warm up and make the adhesive more sticky.

If I go on long runs or rides, I like to wear a flexible wrap that goes around my waist, and has a velcro strip that sticks to anywhere on the wrap, kind of like a big tensor bandage. I have one that is one and a half times as long as the diameter of my waste. Example, if one's waist is 34 inches, I would suggest a wrap that is 51 inches. The extra length allows for adjustments. I wrap it around me and cover my wafer/stoma area. Not too tight, but snug. Your stoma should still be able to output, yet the wrap should still help keep things in place. It kind of smooths out your body profile too.

Good Luck
Posted 9/30/2007 12:29 AM (GMT 0)
WOW THANKS...being a female, I NEVER thought about shaving my stomach but I am sure I have light hairs. I will look into the tape idea and the wrap!
Posted 9/30/2007 2:23 AM (GMT 0)
you are still using those no sting wipes, right, i think i just read that anyway when i was wearingthose my bag would come off alot easier, liek when it got really wet, or i got really sweaty, i called my ET nurse and she said those were the culprit! If you put the waterproof tape around the edge, do not leave it on for very long or you will be sorry, it will hurt! trust me on that one, lol.
i cannot believe you rode 26 miles on a bike, you are like superwoman or something!
Posted 9/30/2007 1:41 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Amey,
You ARE Superwoman! You could bike over to my house, since I live 100 miles south of you! yeah
I could give you some supplies for the ride home! tongue I'm glad that redspout and summer have some solutions for you. The Coloplast extended wear wafer I use stays on when I sweat or get wet.
:-) Cecilia
Posted 9/30/2007 2:37 PM (GMT 0)
Amey,
I'm not as physically active in the same way that you are but I can spend all day outside in very hot, humid weather at a NASCAR race, or working around the yard mowing, etc, and not have a problem with appliance wear time based on "sweating my butt off". And believe me, I perspire more now in the last 10 years, for whatever reason, than I did my whole life before that, combined!!

I sure hope that the suggestions Red and Summer shared with you works. Let us know, k?

I can't believe how physically active and fit you are. You really should be a poster child representing us!!! You are amazing. I thought, "Wow, she's back teaching her fitness class already" just a few posts ago; THEN you blow me away talking about riding your bike 26 miles!!!!
Posted 9/30/2007 8:32 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you all of your replys! You really make me laugh!

Cecilia,

I'll ride to your house, but you will have to drive me...LOL. I have the Coloplast Assura Extended Wear on today and even on a short ride the wafer is pealing back. It might be because of the No Sting spray I am using.

Summer,

I AM using the No Sting. When I change my wafer, I will try no using it and see if that helps.

Peggy,

I will keep you posted and let you know what works. Do you use the No Sting with your wafer?
Posted 9/30/2007 10:41 PM (GMT 0)
Amey,

No, I do not use the No Sting with my wafer. In fact, I don't normally use anything but just this last time I changed it, I used AllKare Protective Barrier Wipe before applying my wafer. After it dried on my skin (before applying the wafer) it felt kinda tacky - not wet tho. I haven't had any problems with the wafer peeling back or coming loose. My problem is the degradation of the wafer directly around the stoma...... it has been better with the inserts.

It sounds like the No Sting Spray might be your culprit. I hope it is so WE can resolve your problem for you!
Posted 10/1/2007 1:19 AM (GMT 0)
amey your bike story made me think of something, that might make you even happier you have a bag! i had a boyfriend (a long time ago) and he and a friend of his rode in the bridge to bridge (it's a bike race around here) anyway, his friend had diaherra that day, well he actually started having it a few miles into the race, and he was jumping off the bike every little bit looking for a place to go!
were you using those wipes because of irritation, or just because they didnt' tell you you didnt' have to use them all the time?
Posted 10/2/2007 1:52 AM (GMT 0)
Summer,

I was using the No Sting because of irritation. However, my skin seems to be much better now. I think I may stop using the powder and the spray and save them for future skin problems. Thanks for sharing your ex-boyfriend's story with me. When I was riding the other day I was wondering what I would do if my bag filled while I was so far from home on my bike. Fortunately for me, I did not to find out. My bag stayed empty the entire ride.
Posted 10/2/2007 2:43 AM (GMT 0)
OH Amey !!!! I have a good one for you.... On Saturday my husband and I spent 8 hours at our lot where we are building a house. Long story short, I was on the fire patrol. We were burning some of the pieces parts of lumber that was leftover and we were just burning a small fire. I looked over at a garbage bag that I had picked up stuff that I didn't want to burn and set aside. The whole side of it was melted!!! I thought OMG - what if my bag is melting too?! I quick checked it but it was fine. Now, while you are chuckling at me... let me ask you if you have ever spent several hours at a marshmallow roast.... Well, it gets pretty darn hot after a while!!!
Posted 10/2/2007 3:07 AM (GMT 0)
Peggy,

OMGoodness! That is too funny! Could you imagine your bag melting in your pants? Oh, that would be a SERIOUSLY FUNNY story to share (but not a funny thing to experience). I am glad that nothing happened to you. Thanks for the laugh. Congratulations on building a house. Now, is a great time to build or buy a home. Buyers can getting nearly anything they want and builders are throwing in some nice options for FREE.
Posted 10/2/2007 1:45 PM (GMT 0)
I believe Coloplast recommends that you don't use any other product under their pouches/flanges. My ET nurse just told me that a couple months ago. I believe the extended wear is meant to be worn on the naked skin and hold up for a long time so the skin shouldn't be irritated by changing it frequently.
Posted 10/2/2007 5:38 PM (GMT 0)
Judy,
Thank you for the update. Coloplast sent me a sample and I was trying it out for the day. I like the product, but it is not as discreate as the Hollister New Image. I need a really flat product so when i teach my classes no one can tell I am wearing a bag. In fact, last week I taught my class in a shorts bra and pants. My tummy was showing and no one knew I had a bag on. I felt like my ole' self!
Posted 10/7/2007 4:57 PM (GMT 0)
Update:
I went on another ride today to test some of the changes I made to my wafer. I stopped using the No Sting and powder, I used the blow dryer to help my wafer stick better, and I put a little pink tape on the sides of my wafer. about 20 miles into my ride I checked my wafer. The entire top part of the wafer had pealed off my skin and I was able to see my stoma under the wafer! Thank goodness for the pink tape on the sides that helped hold the wafer on to my skin until I could get home. I am going to have to do some more research to figure out what works. I have some long rides coming up and there is no way my wafer is going to hold up for 6-8 hours of riding. I did not even make it for 2 hours today.
Posted 10/7/2007 5:36 PM (GMT 0)
Trial and error !!!! Isn't it a blast? As you know, I am still doing some "testing" right now myself. Best of Luck to you Amey, you will figure it out, I'm sure.

I wonder if it is just the position or the repetitive movement when you are biking that is causing it to lift? Are you wearing something snug, like biking shorts, that are pulling down in the front somehow causing downward pressure on the wafer? Just trying to problem solve with you...
Posted 10/7/2007 5:57 PM (GMT 0)
Peggy,

I am pretty sure it is the massive amounts of sweat glands under the wafer that are causing it to come unstuck. When I teach cycling classes at the gym, my wafer stays very well. The difference is (1) I am in air conditioning and (2) my classes are only 50 minutes. My stomach does not sweat nearly as much inside the gym as it does outside on the road. I am wearing biking shorts that are VERY snug in my abdominal area. Next time I am going to try the ostomy belt. I do not like to wear the belt because it comes loose when I am bending over on the bike. My belt is a "one size fits all" adjustable belt. I will have to find a belt specifically made in my size.

Thanks for your reply. I will keep you posted on what works and what does not.
Posted 10/7/2007 6:42 PM (GMT 0)
You may have to bite the bullet and use a belt, combined with what has improved your wear time (you could always try staples.... OUCH !!! Ha). You may still want to consider the "wrap" method I mentioned earlier instead of a belt. I will upload some pics of mine and how I use it. I'll do it later tonight or tomorrow morning, as it's Thanksgiving up here in Canada, and I'll probably be out most of the day.
Posted 10/7/2007 7:01 PM (GMT 0)
Redspout,

Pics would be very helpful. Thank you for offering to post pics on my behalf.
Posted 10/8/2007 3:48 AM (GMT 0)
"Pics would be very helpful. Thank you for offering to post pics on my behalf."

No worries. First, here is the exact type of wrap I use, although this isn't the only supplier:

http://www.dalemed.com/instforuse/abdominalbinder.html

And I have posted two pics on photobucket of me wrapped up, one with the binder over the pants, and one with the binder inside. It keeps everything in place whenever I exercise.
Hope it helps.
Posted 10/8/2007 8:42 PM (GMT 0)
Red,

That looks great! Thanks for taking the photo...what a HUGE help. My stoma is a lot lower than yours. Do you think I could still wear the wrap if I am placing it well below my belly button and do you have to wrap yourself more than once with the belt? I do not want to add inches to my waist and hips....I am not insecure, just vain. LOL just kidding
Posted 10/8/2007 8:49 PM (GMT 0)
Pics...?  where do we post any pics on here?

Posted 10/8/2007 9:39 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Amey,

Heh, I'm just as vain as the next jock/jockette. You can easily fold it to lessen the width, so it should fit on a lower placed stoma. As for the length, I would say maximum the diameter of your waist plus half. My waist is 40 inches (I'm a heavyweight, but NOT fat, ha!), so I have one that's 58 inches. But you can surely get one that is around 6 inches more than your waist size. Remember that these things are stretchy and snug, so you can have some play when adjusting. If you go into a medical supply store/large pharmacy (up here it's shoppers drug mart) ask and they should have no problems letting you try one on for a fitting. I got mine at the same place I buy my ostomy supplies.

Here's the pic location and the info, Rightway:

www.photobucket.com/

just login to the account (click the login button on the top right of the page) with the following info:

user: Crohnsdisease
password: 6mp3asa
Posted 10/8/2007 9:47 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the help. Does insurance normally cover something like this?
Posted 10/9/2007 3:41 AM (GMT 0)
Well up here, we have national healthcare, and they won't cover it, as it's not "required". But I suggest you check it out with your HMO, or whoever covers health related expenses.
Good Luck
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