Normally I get 5 or 6 days from my setup. For some reason though, in the last 5 days I have had to change barriers and bags 7 times. My skin has become very ulcerated and sore with bleeding around the stoma. I normally use powder, then the All Care barrier wipe, then apply the Eakin seal then the wafer and finally attach the bag. The All Care is not "ouchless" so it really STUNG when I changed again a few minutes ago. I can't figure out why I am suddenly having so many problems.

Hi Janice,

Sorry to hear you're having problems.

Have you eaten or drank anything different this week or had an upset tummy? Sometimes if your output is more liquid than normal it will undermine the seal on the wafer.

Also, what brand of wafer do you use? Do you think perhaps that you may have a bad batch of wafers or eakins? Every now and then I get a box that really don't seem to last as long as they should. Perhaps trying a new box helps. Otherwise try a different brand of wafer to see if that helps. I use Convatec's convex moldable wafers and find I don't need to use any pastes or seals because the wafer really does mold to every contour and has similar healing properties to eakin seals.

If your stoma will allow it, try leaving the wafer off for as long as possible to let the air get to it. I would also suggest you get into the shower without your bag and gently run warm water over the skin for about 10 mins. This will stimulate the circulation and help with the healing process, plus it feels really soothing. Make sure you dry off really well before applying your stomahesive powder and then use a no-sting barrier spray or wipe to seal in the powder. Make sure it's absolutely dry before applying your wafer.

That's all I can think of for the moment but I'm sure there will be others along very soon with some more ideas.

Take care and keep us posted.

Shell

JaniceW,
Shell walked me through some really tough times with leaks and skin that was blistered from constant changes and leaks! I could not get the Eakin seal to work to good for me and I switch to Convtex moldable wafers & bags. I also had a stoma that pionted down and a hole around bottom side of stoma. It helped me to put paste around stoma & smooth with a wet finger and then put on wafer. This seemed to give me at least 4 days of rest before change, which helped the skin tremendously! I feel for you because there is nothing more frustrating & exhausting than dealing with bag surprizes through out the day & night! Shell is a major blessing & will guide you through! Happy Thanksgiving to all! I'm a little anxious about this day when only 2 weeks pos takedown, but very grateful! Danny

Shell, Danny, Terry, Thanks for the responses. I normally use the Coloplast Assura baseplate and Assura EasiClose Pouches. I have heard so many good things about the Convatex moldable wafers and bags that I requested some samples intending to try them out when I convert to a loop ileo (see the surgeon again on the 30th so am hoping to get a date then). Anyway, after the first two leaks this week with the Coloplast I decided to try the Convatex. I thought that I had the moldable part really close to my stoma but about 5 hours later I noticed that there was stool sitting under the baseplate so I switched back to the Coloplast again. On a couple of these leaks I have jumped into the shower with out a bag to get cleaned up. But my stoma has been really "spewing" the last 2 or 3 times I changed. Just when I thought the skin was clean and dry enough to reattach a wafer more stool would come gushing out and I would have to clean the skin again. I found myself thinking that maybe I should store a bag of marshmallows in my upstairs bathroom instead of in the pantry! LOL Last night I decided to try the paste again even though in the past I haven't had very good luck with it. I made it through the night without leaks. Sure hope it continues to hold! We are supposed to be guests in someone's home today. I don't want to be trying to clean up and changing setups in their downstairs powder room.

Janice,
Deffinetly do the marshmellow thing! The night before my last surgery my stoma was so insane that we had to shove a tampon in it & I hold it while my wife clean around it. It was so bad that instead of taking out the tampon before putting the bag on, we left it in & worried about it at emptying time of new bag! Hate to tell you, but the loop ileostomy is a whole lot more furious than the end! i can't say how happy I was to have my takedown on November 5th! Sounds crazy with the tampon but we heard that from another ostomy patient, & when it won't stop long enough to get it clean & dry for a seal, you'll try anything! I always had to pull my wafer upwhile lifting my stomas head up & back to get a tight fit because when it leaked it was 95% of the time on the bottom! God Bless & Happy Thanksgiving! It will get better, challenges in life never seem to stop!!
Danny

Dear Janice,

Ditto the marshmallow trick. Also, for a change of pace (and because eating a handful of marshmallows first thing in the morning - - when I usually change my appliance - - can be gag-producing), I like to have a Rice Krispy Treat instead. Between the Rice Krispies and the marshmallow, they do the trick, too.