Help-New Ileostomy

wow sorry to hear you are having so much trouble! my husband is an RN too, and he was pretty much clueless about my ostomy too.
i dont think the problem is that he sleeps on his stomach, i sleep on my stomach and although i have had a few problems, user error, lol, i generally have no problem. You may not being doing this now, but it would be a good idea to have him sleep on a waterproof pad.
If you are still using the skin prep pads that may be part of the problem. When i was using those, if my flange got even the slightest bit wet, one time it happened from not being comeptly dry after getting out of hte shower, the bag would come right off. and the wetness from the diaper may be enough to lossen it.
Try stoppign those.
i don't know why they say don't use the paste, unless he has some kind of thing wrong iwth his skin that they think would irrate it. I think that the paste helps. You said you have already been trying the hair dryer, are you smoothing the flange down as you use the hair dryer (i sound bossy, i am sorry) this is what i do, i put the flange on, laying down, i think it does better that way, then i use my hands and rub around the flange for a minute or two, then get the hair dryer, hold it on there while rubbign it with my hands, sort of like smoothing it down.
Is it possible that he is messign with it? i had that problem at first, i was always scratching it loose. Or youmay have the hole for the stoma cut too big, it will change shape ALOT in the first. I always cut mine just a tiny bit smaller than the little guide thingy calls for.

I am sorry if i came across being all bossy and what not!
i hope things end up better for you

He may need a larger bag for nightime if he has higher output/gas during this time.

JsMom,

I'm glad your son is feeling better. Here are a couple of tips you can try to minimize leaks:

1. Shave the hair on his stomach around his stoma
2. Get a wafer that is used for colostomy owners, since it has a larger adhesive area
3. Cut the hole to fit perfectly and use a small amount of Stomahesive paste around the opening in the wafer
4. Do not use any type of skin prep and make sure the skin is completely dry before applying the wafer
5. Press down on the wafer for about a minute after applying it
6. Get the largest bags available
7. If he has to sleep on his stomach, place a pillow on his right side, so the bag has some room to expand
8. If his bag is full in the middle of the night, empty it into a container, so he doesn't have to get out of bed

Good luck!!

summer, I use the skin prep every now and then, sometimes my skin just gets so red I feel bad for it. It seems to be doing ok though, no leaks in quite some time. I could probably get almost 7 days out of my bag as long as I wear the belt. Unfortunately I have some small holes underneath the tape that I have to cover with a felt type material and it dissolves when it gets too wet. Seems like the holes have pus coming out of them because it's starting to itch and I've only had this bag on for 4 days.

what kind of soap are you using to clean him? i didn't even think to ask that, there are lots of soaps that can caue problems, oen of the best to use is just plain old yellow dial.

J's Mom, I noticed you mentioned that you use a hollister convex flange.  Is this because the stoma is flush with his stomach?  The reason I ask is because I had a slightly over anxious stoma nurse in the hospital that I guess wanted to try all the holister freebies she got on me.  My stoma protrudes rather well but she insisted on using a convex waffer on me.  Next day it had pulled the outside edge of the wafer away from the skin.  She also tried using an adapt barrier ring on the next change and yep same thing.  I guess the pressure of the convex part and the adapt ring were forcing the rest of the barrier away from my skin.  Since my stoma protrudes I have found that a regular seal, with no convex works just fine, I get seven days plus out of them which is a big change from one a day in the hospital with the convex or the adapt ring.  If your son's stoma protudes out from his stomach as little as 1/4" there may be no need for a convex appliance.  Just a random thought, but if his stoma is flush then it would probably be best to stick with a convex appliance.

John

slim18996 said...

J's Mom, I noticed you mentioned that you use a hollister convex flange.  Is this because the stoma is flush with his stomach?  The reason I ask is because I had a slightly over anxious stoma nurse in the hospital that I guess wanted to try all the holister freebies she got on me.  My stoma protrudes rather well but she insisted on using a convex waffer on me.  Next day it had pulled the outside edge of the wafer away from the skin.  She also tried using an adapt barrier ring on the next change and yep same thing.  I guess the pressure of the convex part and the adapt ring were forcing the rest of the barrier away from my skin.  Since my stoma protrudes I have found that a regular seal, with no convex works just fine, I get seven days plus out of them which is a big change from one a day in the hospital with the convex or the adapt ring.  If your son's stoma protudes out from his stomach as little as 1/4" there may be no need for a convex appliance.  Just a random thought, but if his stoma is flush then it would probably be best to stick with a convex appliance.

John

That's weird because my stoma is pretty long and the regular wafers leak the most. What you're describing with the outside edge pulling away is exactly what is happening to me with the convex wafer, but as long as I wear the belt the part closest to the stoma stays stuck and I haven't had a problem with leaks this way.

 

Also, what Ohio said about "low parts" is a good suggestion. I have a couple holes underneath the tape of the bag and they cause a pretty big indentation. I had been covering them with a tiny piece of felt my stoma nurse  gave me to avoid irritation from the tape. When the stoma nurse changed my bag though, she used a good chunk of felt and made that area more even. I haven't had a problem with leaks from that side at all since that.

j's mom...

uv gotten great advice, and after a while i just started skimming so forgive me if im repeating n e thing...making sure the area is dry before applying the flange is important. i use alcohol b/c some residu stays on

if ur using adhesive remover to get them off, make sure u use as little as possible, that residue remains as well...

as far as the one pieces are concerned, i would becareful about that because u mention he has high output and gas at night. if hes not at all involved in his own care, he could easily have a blowout if the bag fills with gas, that would b a horrible mess

have u tried the coloplast extended wear wafer? that was suggested to me and it has stayed on the longest , i can go 8 days but i try to change at 5 cuz my skin gets itchy i also find that it moves more easily with my body

eakin seals work wonders for me

and um...i cant think of n e thing else right now...but if i do i'll repost, please keep us posted!

Hi I am a new ostomate and also have major leakage problems.  So far what worked the best is the hollister vented bag and take the eakon ring and mold it around the stoma instead of the flange and try no skin prep. Hold your hand over the flange for a little bit to heat it up.  I am trying the belt next.  My stoma empties more to the right bottom instead of the middle so thats why I have leakage.  It seeps under the eakin and flange.  I am fustrated too!  I was told to live a normal life but how can you when you are afraid of a leak!  I even had a stoma nurse apply one and said that should do it and by the time I got home it was leaking!

Good Luck To All

J's Mom: Wow! You're lucky with all the responses you've received. Sometimes, people only get one.

One thing I wanted to share too, is that Coloplast has light convexity, which I use. My stoma protrudes, but since I have a temporary loop ileostomy, I have another opening called a distal lumen. This is flush with my skin. When I first received my "tempoary" ileostomy back in July 2007, I was having problems with leaks for several months and had no idea why. I later found out about about the distal lumen, so I went to a light convexity. There was stool coming through this opening flush with my skin and I was freaking out. I was trying to air dry my skin because it was irritated and nothing would stick to it. The light convexity cleared up the problem instantly. Also, Coloplat's Sensura line is for sensitive skin. I had allergic reactions to Hollister and Convatec, both. Coloplast is a wonderful line. I also use the Eakin Seals. They work well for me too.

Hope all goes well. Eventually you'll have it down to a science. Be strong for yourself and your son. He's lucky to have such a wonderful mom.

Take care! Mary

Post Edited (Ohio43) : 10/16/2008 9:13:15 PM (GMT-6)

Ohio43 said...
J's Mom: Wow! You're lucky with all the responses you've received. Sometimes, people only get one.

One thing I wanted to share too, is that Coloplast has light convexity, which I use. My stoma protrudes, but since I have a temporary loop ileostomy, I have another opening called a distal lumen. This is flush with my skin. When I first received my "tempoary" ileostomy back in July 2007, I was having problems with leaks for several months and had no idea why. I later found out about about the distal lumen, so I went to a light convexity. There was stool coming through this opening flush with my skin and I was freaking out. I was trying to air dry my skin because it was irritated and nothing would stick to it. The light convexity cleared up the problem instantly. Also, Coloplat's Sensura line is for sensitive skin. I had allergic reactions to Hollister and Convatec, both. Coloplast is a wonderful line. I also use the Eakin Seals. They work well for me too.

Hope all goes well. Eventually you'll have it down to a science. Be strong for yourself and your son. He's lucky to have such a wonderful mom.

Take care! Mary

Thanks for the vote of confidence Mary! My husband and my life revolves around our son. He is such a joy. We had not realized how he had digressed over the past year with the UC, until the past month since having his surgery. My goodness the amount of energy he has now. Always smiling, singing and playing

I know we will eventually find the right appliance. It is just very overwhelming at first with so many different types. I do greatly appreciate all the advise and hints.

We also live in Ohio. Go Bucks.