HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Husband's ostomy leaking

Support Forums
>
Ostomies
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 2/11/2013 6:04 AM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone.  I'm a new member and hope to learn from everyone here!  My husband had an urostomy on 1-29.  In the hospital it leaked almost everyday.  One night in particular the nurses must have changed it 5 times.  He stayed in the hospital for a week and since he's been home it's still been leaking.  I've tried almost everything.  He has a home health nurse that comes out and this weekend, she's been out 3 times changing..and I've changed it a few times in between.  I've read some of the topics here, so I'm trying to learn from you guys and I'm trying to not be discouraged.  The skin around his stoma is so red and irritated from the leakage.....it really upsets me to see it like that.  Please give me any advice that you can, so I can help him!
Posted 2/11/2013 6:19 AM (GMT 0)
Can you tell us what kind of supplies that you are using? Have you tried anything else? Is the stoma flush with the skin or does it stick out more? Have you tried a wafer with convexity?
Posted 2/11/2013 6:44 AM (GMT 0)
He's using a convex coloplast. His stoma sticks out just a little. We've also used the eakin things that mold around the stoma. The nurse has used a paste also. I think she's tried just about everything, even pink tape around it. As a matter of fact, I think she's over-killing it by using too much if that's possible.
Posted 2/11/2013 12:09 PM (GMT 0)
I had a similar issue and posted recently if you want to see some of the replies...

www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=33&m=2629511

I'll be completely honest, I'm up right now at 7am est because I just had a leak in the middle of the night. I am still in the "trial & error" phase and I still cannot find anything that works for more then 48 hours for me.

I wish I could say something more positive, I'm sure there is a solution that would work for me or your husband yet neither of us have found a solid fix yet. I suggest picking up some of the accessories suggested in the above thread, they are worth trying out and might be the solution you're looking for.
Posted 2/12/2013 3:53 AM (GMT 0)
Lisacaregiver, I'm new to the ostomy world as well. I am sorry about your husband and hope things get better. It's hard enough without dealing with leaks. Does the hospital or home nursing have a special "ostomy specialist" that can help? I have learned that regular nurses are not trained very well on how to properly fit ostomies since they don't deal with it everyday. I definitely suggest you speak home nursing to see if they have or can suggest a specialist. They should be able to give your husband his best options.
Posted 2/12/2013 8:55 PM (GMT 0)
Lisa~welcome to the forum, glad you found us. Sorry to hear of the issues your husband (and you) are dealing with.

I don't have first hand knowledge with urostomies but I am attaching a link to the UOAA (United Ostomy Association of America). They have a Continent Diversion Forum that will probably help you the most right now since they've 'been there, done that'

/www.ostomy.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=8&sid=3570e4c4be9014e95f08f23decdc4234

hang in there...it does get better.
Posted 2/15/2013 2:07 PM (GMT 0)
Aloha Lisacaregiver,
Yes, go to the UOAA web site, call all the appliance makers, ask for samples, try them all.
I called 6 companies, wound up with what they sent me home with. My surgeon recommended taking 500 units of Vit C/day to help with skin problems.
I clean my stoma skin with Dawn dish soap, shave the hair, wash with water, use my fingernails to remove any sticky stuff, dry, apply stoma powder, brush off excess, apply stoma paste to wafer, stick on wafer (don't move after it touches your skin), apply bag. I'm getting 7 to 10 days between changes.
If you pee on your skin, wash it off & dry before wafer application.
Joe
Posted 2/17/2013 8:53 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the responses. I'd love 7-10 days between changes! I don't think that's ever going to happen. I've tried different things but no matter what, I still end up changing it at least once a day, sometimes more. We do have an ostomy nurse from home health. She's come once so far and she offered alot of advice. But in the end, it started leaking the next day. We went to his post-op appoinment Thur and their ostomy nurse met us there to help us. She changed it and showed us what she recommends and the same thing happened...the next day it started leaking. I'm discouraged thinking that it's never going to last more than a day. But I'm glad I found this group so hopefully something you guys recommend will evenutally help!
Posted 2/17/2013 8:59 PM (GMT 0)
Let me add a little more info to let you all know what all is going on. My husband was diagnosed with sarcoma of the prostate in Dec and on the 29th of Jan he had the tumor removed along with his prostate and bladder. He will be seeing the oncologist next month to see what type of treatment he'll be having. So in the scheme of things, a leaking pouch isn't the worst thing, it's just very inconvient and keeps him doing too much out of the house.
Posted 2/20/2013 10:47 PM (GMT 0)
Call your husband's surgeon and ask for a referral to the hospital's wound care specialist. Most hospitals have one on staff but will only see you with a referral (even if you have PPO). Tell the surgeon the home care nurses have not been able to find a solution and you need to get in right away. The hospital wound care nurses have a vast array of products and direct access to the manufacturers.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply