i need help! My skin around my stoma started being irritated shortly after surgery. I'm 4 weeks post op and it is burning like crazy. My home health nurse said it's a yeast infection and I got nystatin powder to put on it. It just says to apply when changing bag but won't that keep it from sticking? Also the paste burns like crazy due to the infection but I'm still trying to use it. I feel like though where I put the paste, the stool oozes under there and makes my skin burn more. How do I make a solid seal around the stoma?
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Hello, Melissa Jean.
I had the same problem when I had a stoma. My stoma was retracted and small, and sometimes would sink beneath skin level. I was given a sample of Marathon Liquid Skin Protectant by my ostomy nurse. My oozing, bleeding stoma skin healed within a day and I stopped crying every time my ostomy emptied itself. I didn't have to use the entire box of vials (10) because my skin healed so quickly. It does not affect the wafer's adhesion because it is not a paste, it is a liquid that dries immediately and will form a crust over your injured damaged skin so it can begin healing underneath the crust. You might find it in major drug stores, or google and contact the manufacturer, Medline, in California. It is fairly expensive so check with your insurance if they can cover it. They are boxes of 10 tiny vials of purple liquid that you dab DIRECTLY on the oozing skin only, not all over. It dries as soon as the vial is open, so you cannot save it for next time. It's used for any kind of damaged skin, even open sores. Try to apply it when your stoma is quiet and not active so that the Marathon liquid has a few seconds to dry. It is worth every penny.
Your skin might also be allergic to your wafer's adhesive and you might find relief by switching to another brand. Call around to a few ostomy appliance manufacturers and request free samples. I hope you can find Marathon and it helps you. I remember how it was.
Thanks!
If the paste you have mentioned, is a filler which helps seal the wafer to your skin; that kind of paste will normally contain alcohol, which will sting and burn like crazy when applied to broken skin.
I endured the same as yourself whilst awaiting takedown and after trying many creams and the powder, the only product which provided near instant releif, healed and protected my skin within days, was ilex protectant paste.
Thanks I will look in to that! I have an appt with the ostomy nurse today as I can't keep a seal and have changed the bag about 10 times in 24 hrs. I'm guessing due to raw skin and not being able to stick to it.
After using ConvaTec products for many years, my Stoma Nurse said they wouldn't be suitable for the loop ileostomy and, like a fool I trusted my Stoma Nurse advice and persevered with the stoma products provided by the Hospital; I endured nothing but problems; eventually I reverted to using the ConvaTec products and what I relief.
I never had any issues when using the ConvaTec appliance with the loop ileostomy.
I too was concerned whether the pouch/bag/wafer/flange or whatever would stick to my stomach once I'd applied one of the many concoctions to protect my skin.
I had a phenomenal results with the ilex paste.
I would apply the ilex around my Stoma first and whilst still tacky, I'd apply a Salts Stoma Collar over my Stoma, holding it in place for a few seconds, whilst pressing firmly down all around.
Then I'd apply a ConvaTec mouldable flange/wafer (one part of ConvaTec's two piece appliance) over my Stoma and the Stoma Collar, holding it firmly in place, applying pressure for maybe 30 seconds before removing the backing paper to the adhesive fabric sections of the mouldable flange/wafer and adhering it completely to my stomach.
Then, I'd affix the bag to the flange/wafer.
I used self adhesive bags, which adhered to the flange/wafer.
I also applied the Cavalon pump spray skin barrier around the stoma before applying the ilex paste.