Do You Lie Down, Sit-Up, or Stand When You Change Your Appliance?

I usually take a shower before so I can make sure that I get it pretty clean. I always pre cut and lay everything out beforehand as well. When I get out of the shower I stand in front of the sink. I dry the area with the towel and then blow dry the part that is closed to it. If I feel anything coming I usually lean over the sink and turn the water on so it goes right down the drain. It works out well that way and I haven't made any messes so far. I am always worried about the walk from the tub to the sink though, but so far so good. Luckily it only takes me about 3 minutes to put the new one on.

Lasardo
You are the only person that I recall saying that they throw away 5 or 6 bags a day. You are in the minority. What a waste of material and money. If a person has a disability making it difficult to empty a pouch, fine. It's not that difficult!! I have parkinsons and have no problem emptying my pouch. I'll bet that you don't recycle cans and plastics either.

I better shut-up

Dan

Lasardo, what do you mean eat at your skin? How is a closed bag different than an open one for that?

I haven't tried closed bags partly because I like the lightness of a one piece pouch. I guess with not being able to bend from surgery it might have been easier to use them, but what do you do, put all the poop in the garbage can instead of the toilet? Does that get gross?

People have said that the closed bags are really good for nature hikes and travelling....

I empty mine in the toilet then wrap the bag up in to. We all are different and what works for one might not work for another. We are born of free will..

I lie down. I learned to do it that way and it has stuck. I remember I tried to do it once sitting in the bathroom shortly after surgery and almost passed out...I think it was from being still too weak from everything, but that experience scared me a bit so I have continued to lie down since. Also, for me, it creates a nice smooth surface that allows the wafer to adhere nicely. I have a bit of skin issues so I have to use the Coloplast skin barrier thingy, then an Eakin, then the wafer and then the bag. It seems easier to coordinate all the steps in a horizontal position.

I have recently started to remove the appliance in the shower on the advice of my nurse. Those Coloplast skin barriers stick like nobodies business and the water seems to help with the removal. The only trouble is having to juggle getting dry while monitoring my stoma for output and dealing with it if it happens. I have taken to wrapping a small turben around the stoma made out of toilet paper which frees up both hands to get a towel dry in before running off to the bedroom for the completion of the change.

I usually get about 5 days between changes. I once got 6 but was a nervous wreck until I completed the change because I had a midnight leak once on night 5 and NEVER want that to happen again. Nothing like having to wake up in a puddle, run and have a shower, do a change, strip the bed, start the laundry and then make the bed at 4:30 in the morning with a semi-conscious husband mumbling nonsensical phrases while lying on the bedroom floor covered in a pair of discarded jeans waiting patiently to get back into bed.

Sorry Dan.
Been responding to you via phone and things just do not come out right. I use the disposable bags..2 piece, close ended. I stand up to empty it and when I remove it I wrap it in toilet paper and put in the garbage. I change my bags quite frequently, only because they are the disposable bags, but change my flange every few days otherwise it is hard on your skin to change daily. I change my bags 1- 2 times a day but if I am flaring I have changed them as much as 12 times in a day depending in how sick I am. There is nothing worse than your bag over flowing and not having room for things, you have to get creative and change your bag really fast before you have an accident. I have been awakened before to a mess, had to change everything, my clothes, sheets, blankets, take a shower, there is nothing worse than having that stuff all over you in the middle of he night..