Loooong weekend so far

So here's a quick and rare vent sessions for me;

So I'm just shy of 3 weeks post-op and have been relatively happy with my whole situation. UC was killing me and I finally feel great. However, I haven't been able to keep a setup on for more than 2-3 days due to this itching. I noticed it's really tough for me to get a good deal due to my stoma shrinking and the direction the pts is pointing. So the conclusion was to try convex wafers. The problem is due to a portion of skin around the stoma "pulling away" from the suture line my WOCN wants me to treat that (using stoma powder and nystatin, then covering) first. She's worried that if I use the convex wafer it might hinder the healing. She wants me to change my setup every other morning. But this itching is driving me crazy. I noticed it had a burning sensation so I changed it again (about 20 hours after my last change) and did notice stool got behind the wafer. This is so disappointing. It feels like no matter what I basically need to just suck it up and deal with it and keep changing it until I see her (which is Tuesday) which feels like forever from now. Also, because I'm changing so much the adhesive is irritating my skin which is think will go away quickly if I can just leave the thing on there for several days. Hopefully she'll clear me to try the convex stuff.

Well that's my vent session. Sorry for it but I only slept for a couple of hours before having to get up and change everything. This itch is just driving me nuts! Ugh.

Rabbit
You said that stool got behind the wafer. Is that where you use the powder? Are you using Friar's?
Early on I had leakage under the wafer and out. I had open skin with pain and itching. I had no WOCN or visiting nurse. But I have a cousin with an ileo. He sent me a bottle of Friars. Done deal. No leaks under the wafer and healed quickly. Nothing but Friar's.


Dan

Heya Rabbit

Sorry to hear that you are still having some issues. I think you are on the right track though, I remember being itchy as well as my sutures dissolved. You could have a mild sensitivity to one of the products you are using - I don't think you should stop using anything if it is working - but maybe try a benadryl and see it that helps with any itching. Just be careful as they can make you sleepy.

Yes, if your stoma is retracting no matter what you do it will be a pain, I hope you can try convexity soon as it was a huge help for me. Also, I started sleeping with two or three pillows behind my upper body to keep me elevated. I find it helps direct flow into the bottom of the bag while I'm sleeping.

Keep using the crusting method because that area needs to be filled in to heal, and the barrier ring (Eakin) or paste as well as that will help absorb any stool and keep the area dry.

@Poucher - Yea I hope I can get to convexity soon too. At least then I'll know for sure that it isn't stool behind the wafer. So far I do sleep pretty elevated for that same reason, I didn't want the stool just pooling over the stoma. I'm also looking forward to switching over to coloplast, but I will miss the moldable wafers of Convatec. The crusting will continue.

@Polishdan - Yea there was definitely still BCT stuck to my skin where the wafer was when I pulled it off, I could also see the ring of it from where the wafer meets the tape and obviously none of it came off from the taped area. Again, I'm chalking it up to the whole setup only staying on for 20 hours before removing it. I didn't have any alcohol pads so I used warm water and I also used adhesive remover, which didn't do much either.

Idk, its just growing pains. Again like I said I'm happy I'm so much more healthier and feel so much better now I'm just going nuts with the itching. I really think a lot of it thaw to do with the healing around the stoma as my skin is slightly irritated form removing the setup so much but it doesn't burn or anything and none of the skin is raised. It's just a bit red after I remove everything. I am looking forward to my appointment with my WOCN on tuesday since I haven't seen her since I left the hospital and she's very encouraging. Also, she'll put all my new stuff on order and make sure I'm doing everything right.

I was going to say what Pluot said, could be the wafer itself causing you irritation.

As for the convexity....it has helped me some, but it does not guarantee there won't be stool behind the wafer. I switched to convexity because my stoma shrinks down pretty low at night, and output will pool up, seep under and force my wafer off...causing a mess! I started using convex inserts....thought they had solved the problem, but now 3 times since switching, I have had the same thing happen. I can't figure out why!

I hope you aren't so itchy today :)

Scratch that 'Go with The Flow' comment...
It was a poor choice of words!!