Update - Post Op

Hello. Glad to hear he’s feeling well. 

About the appliance, has he been seen regularly for resizing and fitting? So much changes in this very short window. Swelling , shrinking, surface area changes. 

There are so many appliance options, too. Has he tried a one piece or a belt?

Without more information, I’m not sure the cause of the issues. I’d suggest being very proactive with the ostomy care team as this does affect quality of life. 

Best wishes. 

Hello, LoveThatGrey. 

I'm not sure where his leakage is, but when I had my ostomy and suffered constant leaks that seeped out from the side under the adhesive wafer, I was taught by my home care nurse to apply the sticky wafer and press my palms over the adhesive areas for 30 seconds to warm the adhesive and make it stick. Just applying the wafer sometimes doesn't "take", especially if the stomach area has divots, or if it curves in or out from constant weight changes. I had a divot right next to the stoma that made it hard to get a solid stick, and I would have leaks seep from under the wafer at the 3 o'clock position. After I started pressing my palms on it, the adhesive stuck with a tight application.

Also, when you attach the bag's plastic ring to the wafer ring, you're taught to listen or feel for the "snap" that indicates closure contact. I did this but always had leaks around the ring, too. I thought that if I heard or felt the snap, it was done. Wrong! My nurse told me it's not enough to have contact, but to make certain the two rings are snapped and sealed all the way completely around, like a zip-lock bag. If it's hard to press on the stomach because of pain or swelling in the area, rub a tiny bit of mild soap (Ivory bar?) all around the ring area to help the two "zips" snap together for 100% contact all around for a tight impermeable seal.   

If your husband's stoma is retracted or flush with his skin, that will cause leaks because the stool is not falling into the bag, it's pooling around the top and seeping out. If this is the case you might have success adding a special ring to the set up that pushes the stoma up and away from the skin. Ask your supplier or nurse for this to try it. I think it's called concave rings. They are thick waxy rings, one time use. The concave rings helped me because my stoma was retracted, avoidable if my surgeon had used a small rod to hold the bit of intestine up and out, but no one could have guessed it would retract. I hope this helps your husband, or write and give more details where the leakage is. 

My surgeon did use a bridge to keep the stoma above the opening but eventually parts of my stoma ended up almost flush to my belly anyway.  What helped me was to use a glue-type substance which looked like rubber cement.....bottle and brush, as well!  I'd paint it on the wafer and on the belly.  I made sure the wafer really stuck.  Then, I'd use an ostomy belt and a little cloth pouch I kept inside my undies.  The baggie fit into the pouch and between it and the belt had lots of support.  I was able to get a full week of wear this way and could have lasted longer but felt I should change the setup once a week no matter what.  My ET nurse at the hospital came up with my setup.

Hollister products are best for me. Over years with an ostomy my final advice would be. Clean well the skin around stoma. Water only is fine. Limit soaps and adhesive removers if possible. If you are hairy buy a beard trimmer an cut on the lowest setting or with the guard off where the hair is a millimeter short ha.Completely dry the skin around the stoma, make sure the appliance is not covering the sides of stoma but get as close as you can to leave little exposed skin. Use a barrier ring around stoma. Not "paste" or skin barrier sprays. It can be a bit of a menace to get off but it SAVED my skin and never once had a leak in 5 years after started using them. 

- best of luck!

NATIVE