After trying various ostomy brands for over 4 months, I am lucky to get two or three days before having to change. It sounds like most people find a system that works for them fairly quickly. I guess I'm just a slow learner.

I need convexity and I have to use a two piece since I have another pouch very nearby, and have to trim the wafer on one side. That is probably the biggest factor causing my wafers to fail so quickly.

I'm envious of Shell's success with her system, but it didn't work out for me. The plastic landing pad seemed to trap more heat and moisture and I got horrible yeast skin rashes each time I tried it.

I like the Hollister floating flange because it's easy to attach the bag to the wafer and the wafer fits over my various scars and bumps, but I don't like the bags (the velcro seems to come undone at inopportune moments), the bag really pulls away from the body, and the wafer takes forever to dry after a shower.

I really like the turleneck-ing of the Convatec moldable wafer, and the fact I don't need to cut a hole to fit my irregularly-shaped stoma, but the wafer doesn't stay on me very well.

I just tried the new SenSura pouch from Coloplast. I really like its bag, and it's quick and easy to dry the wafer after showering. It's a little harder to attach the bag than the Hollister floating flange, but not as difficult as with the Convotec flange.

I haven't tried the Cymed microskin line, but I need a convex wafer.

Is there a pouch system that's right for me? One that will stay on for 4-5 days? I think I need a Sensura wafer/bag with Convotec's moldable properties and the Hollister floating flange.

Any suggestions about other bags/wafers to try?

I have a great system (convatec convex moldable wafers and 10" pouchs), no leaks and no skin problems, but I'm a 3 day changer. Longer than that with anything and I get problems. No big deal to me 3 days vs 4 or 5.

I have tried lots of different things for my four year old. If you are a slow learner at 4 months out I’m not sure what you’d call us because it took over a year to get where we are now.
We use the Hollister new image extended wear wafers for ileostomates in particular. They have the floating flange. First we used the ones without tape but they always buckled. Since switching to tape we no longer have this issue. We have not had too many issues with the Velcro closure but Hollister does have bags that use clips instead. We use alkare adhesive remover wipes. They have a non-irritating alcohol in them and my son cannot use anything with “regular” alcohol, so no paste, barrier spray/wipes/cream etc…When I change his appliance I use a wipe to get it off then clean his skin with a sensitive baby wipe, dry with a soft cloth, sprinkle a little powder just around stoma then apply a convex Hollister ring (they are kind of new or improved) which you just stretch to fit followed by a new wafer. His skin almost always looks fantastic but if irritated I use plain old generic Maalox on the redness which clears things right up.
Hope you can find the right system for you. We can often get 5+ days but sometimes less.
Good luck.
Laura
Son 4y.o. colectomy 12/06

I use a 2 piece hollister with adapt barrier ring. I take a shower every day and use a hair dryer to try my wafer off. I think the low heat from the hair dryer helps every morning.
Also try wearing a support belt, I use a 4 inch wide nu-hope belt during the day, it's wide enough that it keeps the entire wafer against my body. And a 1 inch wide belt at night.

Hope you find a system you are comfortable with.

Scott

Hi Anjul,

I find it strange that the Convatec moldable wafers don't stay on you very well. I have a terrible time trying to removed mine if I try to take it off too early.

As for the large plastic landing zone making you sweat too much well I have a few of things that I do to combat this problem in hot weather. One is to trim away as much of the landing zone as possible just leaving enough for the bag to sit comfortably. Another is to use regular antiperpirant deoderant under where the bag sits (not under the wafer).

The other thing that I use is a non-greasy barrier cream called Chiron Cream under where the tape and landing zone sit. It has aluminium trinitrate 2% in it which is the same ingredient as most antiperpirant deoderants. Sadly it's not available on your side of the Pond and has been discontinued here so I'm using it very sparingly as I only have one tube left, but it does go an awful long way. It has got healing properties in it too which is great for clearing up any skin problems. I know that one of our members here (Rae I think) had good success with a non-perfumed antiperspirant which I think she got from Wallgreens. It has to be a non-greasy on though or it will interfere with the wafers adhesive.

Good luck with your search, I'm sure you'll get your perfect system eventually.

Take care.

Shell

Thanks for the all the helpful responses.

JillM, it wouldn't be so bad if I could get a consistent 3 days wear-time, but often it's just one or two days. I am paying out-of-pocket until I meet my deductible, and my insurance company is not crediting all these pouches toward my deductible. I've been using Eakins seals, too, and they are not cheap!

ibdmommy, I'll look for the new Hollister convex rings you mentioned.

SJ, I've been wearing a narrow belt. I'll have to try a wider one to see if it helps. When it was cooler I wore Lycra undies, but now it's too hot for them.

Shell, I'll give your system another try, cutting off part of the plastic. I'll also try some anti-perspirant deodorant. When I use the Convatec moldables with the flange, they pop off because the flange ring itself does not mold to fit my belly's contours.

Thanks again for all the suggestions!

Anjuli

Anjuli,

I know how you feel, I think. My perm. ostomy surgery was last July, and I have yet to find a system that routinely lasts longer than two days. I tried Shell's system: while I like the moldable wafer, I still got leaks, always at the same place where my stoma dips a little. I tried Eakins, and parts of Eakins, to no avail. Other systems didn't work any better. I now use Hollister New Image, which is moldable, too. It has been difficult to get the size right, as I'm just between too big which leaks, and too small, which fits tightly over the base of my stoma so doesn't always seal tightly to the skin cuz the roll of the moldable part over the stoma skin provides just the kind of damp problem Shell describes. I like the fact that we're really into the fit details here: maybe those of us with very short wear times can learn something.

I, too, had trouble with the velcro hollister closure at first. Now I find if the end of the bag is really clean, and I smooth back toward the non-emptying end whatever goo sticks in the neck, I can get a good seal. I can actually hear the little velcros mating if I get it right. Start at the middle of the closure and pinch it really tightly as you move out to the ends. You could practice on an unattached bag til you can hear/feel the difference between one that is really closed firmly and one that's partially sealed.

The other thing I now do is use one hand to kind of pull the skin taut before I put on the wafer: that sort of pops up my stoma on the lower more concave section, and then the wafer will seal better.

I don't use a belt because it would have to ride on my hips to be effective (my stoma isn't too far below my waist), and it wants to ride up on my waist instead, cuz it's so close.

I couldn't find what Shell described as lycra underwear until I tried the control or support underwear avail here in the US. It's for women who want to look a little slimmer or less jiggly. I am very small after all these surgeries, and would wear size 5 underpants if I bought regular ones, but with the Flexies or similar brands, I buy a medium. It's not too tight so that it squishes my bag, and does offer support.

Hope all this detail helps someone!

Barbara

Hope all this helps.

Barbara,

The underwear you are describing is what I wear. Just about every store has there own version of this support underwear. I also buy a size up so as not to squash Wee Willie too much. I like that mine also holds in my love handles and lifts my southbound bum a little too.

Anjule, I hope that you find your perfect system soon.

Take care.

Shell

Thanks for the suggestions, ladies. I'm wearing Hollister New Image Convex, and now getting 3-4 days. The limiting factor is the second (overlapping) wafer/bag for fistula drainage. It never lasts more than 2 days, usually 1-1.5 days, and often it's leaking as soon as I put it on. I can't afford to change it more than every 2 days, so I make do with paper towels stuffed under the leaking bag. As long as I change the towels frequently enough, the drainage doesn't undermine the larger wafer(I've switched to a baby wafer that doesn't pull off the Hollister wafer when I remove the baby one, so I can change the little wafer without having to change the ileostomy one as well). It's not great, but at least the fistula drainage has been light-colored and relatively odorless. This week though, it was red for 2 or 3 days, and now, even though it's returned to its usual color, it has a strange smell.

I can't wait to have this fistula repaired. Maybe dealing with one bag will seem easy after all these months with two.

Thanks again,
Anjuli

Hi,
I've just read about all your struggles and my heart goes out to you! I have had three temp ileos that were all nightmares and am going for my permanent in a couple weeks. I never had to deal with the fistula issue and I wish you luck - hopefully once that is repaired things will get much easier for you - just listen to all the wisdom from the great people on this site - you will find what is right for you - I send good thoughts your way!
-Mikaela