Let’s not forget the backround contributors. We’re so aware of and thankful for our medical people’s efforts at this horrible time and there just aren’t enough good words to appropriatley express...
Hi Anxiety_. (Not to be confused with high anxiety) Not sure I know a lot about this stuff or anything else for that matter but it saddens me to hear how you're suffering. I feel like you're laying a...
Hi BT. Thanks for venting. We're living in very difficult times. There's so much anger everywhere and very little empathy. Compassion barely exists. So sorry you had such bad experiences but thank...
Hi Nell. The current event(s) are driving me nuts like you and a zillion other folks. I think you're handling it better than you think. Just to exert the time and energy to send a note and share your...
Hey Chico, I guess we're all in a place we didn't plan for. We can't predict the future so we need to use our best judgement without the emotional influence. It's easier said than done. I think a 2...
Likewise to you Straydog. Mike...
Hi Trina. The baby aspirin was prescribed uyears ago because of slightly elevated bad cholesterol (LDL). Since then I would lose pints of blood from the smallest nick or cut and I would bruise from a...
Hey Sadie, it looks like Medline Remedy Phytoplex Z-Guard Skin Protectant Paste, 4 Ounce. Amazon has it. I had success with cheapie 40% zinc oxide ointment from Walmart. Good luck, Mike...
Hi Trina and Doggiedo. I started my own post about migraines, blurred vision, loss of speech, and pain. (Notice, I used the Oxford comma to avoid confusion? Kidding.) You folks know way more than I...
Hey Trina, your post helped anyone who might have considered EMGALITY. Thanks for sharing your experience. Mike...
I don't take Topomax or any of the other drugs one might take for migraines but I have experienced migraines that begin with blurred vision, like water on my glasses, and might continue to where I...
Hey Sadie, It's difficult to imagine what you've been going through. Hope you get some relief or, at least, some reason for optimism from your surgeon. Please let us know some good news as soon as...
Hi Lisa. I haven't spent much time here recently so I'm way behind. I'm very surprised you didn't get replies. Folks with colostomies and ileostomies often have issues if they still have their...
Hi Kanva. I can't imagine the absence of good medical care being persuaded by gender. I'm a 78 year old guy and I expect to be treated differently from a teenaged boy. My needs are different now. In...
Likewise Seashell and I also thank you. Michael A...
More examples of how ostomies have improved the quality of life. Michael A...
I'm sure you'll be OK and even better if you use the KMEZVENTs. At least with them you could control when and where you burp. Michael A...
Hey Sunny, the M-9 drops are great but I need to use more than the recommended 4-12 drops. What disturbs me is when people complain of odor but don't have any leakage. The entire system is sealed,...
Hey Sandie, sorry about your situation. Your GI doctor and/or surgeon should be able to advise you as to how to prevent future blockages. I'm not qualified and maybe so folks here had similar...
Thanks Marianne. Hopefully we can all get back to what we seem to do so well. That's listen to everyone without prejudice and share our stories to help all our friends in need. Sincerely, Michael A...
There’s so much to be said about this post and all the contributions. We can take sides, offer an opinion or throw an opinion at a hundred miles an hour, hide because we don’t want anyone to know how...
Hey VanGirl, though you probably don't have a hernia, Nu-Hope can provide you with a perfect fitting belt once you decide on the appliance you'll wear. Call them at 1-800-899-5017 and they'll help...
Hey Susans and Kate, NCOT is probably right but our definition of "right" might be just a little different from perfect. I know we don't wash out our rectums after a BM but plastic bags with velcro...
So sorry for what you're going through. I agree with the others and think you should tell the administrator of the hospital you've retained an attorney and you need your father to be appropriately...
I'm sure your WOCN tried to provide the very best for you but it's not always automatic. The skin next to the stoma WILL get damaged by output. It MUST be protected and that should be in the form of...
I could bore you guys with my routine but I won't. Sitting versus standing or kneeling might make a difference. Spraying water into the bag versus pouring water in changes things. Colostomy or...
Hi Niece. Answers4me2 is right. You need to convince your aunt you can help make things better. If her skin gets too bad you guys will have a way bigger mess than you have now. Your obsevations seem...
Hey cpc, I'm not taking your concerns about pain meds and general ostomy surgery lightly but it seems like three weeks is a long time to wait with your symptoms. There's plenty of time to learn about...
Hey, FED17, you need to see a doctor! There are lots of very bright, caring folks here but none equipted to diagnose you accurately. Please see a doctor. Respectfully, Michael A...
Hey guys, I don't know how recently you've had your surgeries and I wonder what you mean by staining the diapers. Your digestive systems are no longer connected to the anus(es) and the only stuff...
I have some experience and read a lot of stuff written by experienced folks on this topic. I think Eva Lou is on the right path. Zinc oxide ointment or cream is excellent BUT less than 40%...
Hey Sunny, just to add my 2 cents quckly. 1 - We need to remember we cause some trauma to the skin each time we change the wafer. With that in mind I like to keep it attached for about a week. 2 - I...
Hey Synny, sorry to read about all the crap you're going through. I'm an 74 year old guy so you know I'm not going to be much help. Answers4me2 can understand you way better and will be helpful. What...
Hey Eva, like NCOT suggests; the sooner the better. Please don't underestimate the importance of the surgeon's qualifications. Sorry if this suggestion scares you but I think it needs attention very...
I too will pray this ends your misery and will anxiously await good news from you. Sincerely, Michael A...
Hi Bab. Before I would get my abdomenal contents rebuilt to something that might allow me to poop differently, I think I might address the quality of life I have now compared to before. Then I might...
Hey SC, one thing that's not mentioned too often is the mucousy, slimy stuff on the outside of the stoma. I think it can interfere with the paste, a seal or anything we want to stick on the...
Hi 3636. Sorry about your problems but you'll fix them pretty quickly. It seems like you have a good stoma but I don't know if your surrounding belly is flat. Let's assume it's not so you need to...
Hey Formydad, thanks for caring so much for your dad. Your concern is not trivial and is way more than a fashion issue IMHO. I’m a 74 year old guy, retired like Dan, maybe even Polish like Dan, but...
Hey Kari, don't panic. There's probably nothing wrong except, like you said, you might've made a wrong movement. The stoma is very delicate and can bleed easily. It usually heals quickly also. If you...
Hi SuperBlanks, you've gotten some great advice here. Yeah, down the road there might be options like a j-pouch or whatever but we need to focus on now. We ostomates have been traumatized. Not one of...
Hey Gill, rather than try to sound like I know what I'm talking about, my suggestion is for you to just Google the terms you're questioning and you'll find all kinds of information. I don't recommend...
Hey Ricardo, if it sticks out 1/3 of an inch there should be no problem keeping an appliance attached. Eva Lou's suggestion about an Eakin seal makes lots of sense. There should be no space between...
Hey Amanda, nothing you put in your bag should touch your skin and your skin needs to be protected from whatever comes out of you. Lots of people say to keep a little space between the stoma and the...
Dearest SL, please don't leave us. The most important thing we can do here is help other ostomates. If you write something that pisses others off, then, while they're pissed, they're not brooding and...
Hey Kari7, if you weren't scared you wouldn't be healthy. You also have lots to be optomistic about. I think there are many people who were in terrible shape, wrote lots of stuff here, got better and...
Hi 17. Unfortunately, too many health care professionals think an ostomy defines failure on their parts and destroys the quality of our lives. Would I try everything to avoid that surgery? Probably,...
Hey Kari. Your surgery will definitely change your life and, hopefully, you'll be as happy as most of us with the results. You're looking for the results of clinical studies relative to the quality...
Hi BB, I'm far from expert but I think a lot of very knowledgable folks would say the pain from your surgery should be gone by now. Some discomfort, slight cramping might be OK during movements but...
Hey Ohwhatalife, I don’t know your name or anything about you except what you wrote in reply to NCOT. I do think, however, that like NCOT, you’re a very bright young lady whose been through the...