Emptying colostomy bag

[Rock_Robster]

No worries at all Fayard - glad he is doing better with pain to!

I strongly recommend using an adhesive removal spray when changing the wafer. Any brand is a fine. A few squirts and the adhesive comes off without damage to the skin.

It may take him a few days to have a proper bowel movement into the bag, but gas is a good early sign! Things are waking up.

I couldn’t sleep on my bag side for about 4 weeks as the wound was uncomfortable, but now it’s no problem. I wear a Stealth Belt to bed which also provides more support. If I have to empty it in the night then I notice it earlier if I’m sleeping on the bag side. All other positions are fine except for sleeping on my stomach.

Good luck to you both,
Rob

[fayard]

Hello everyone,

Here I am again filled with questions.
I was wondering if anyone can suggest a brand for glue to help\the wafer stay.

Thank you for your feedback!

[fayard]

Hi Rob,

Thank you so much for your feedback!
I am getting online right now and getting the spray remover.
Any brand in particular?

The doctor told my father that he has not have poop because
of psychological reasons. His brain has to convince him that he does
not have to sit to poop.

Again, I greatly appreciate your feedback, gracias!

[fayard]

Rob,
I believe my father had a ileostomy, since it is very high, close to his belly bottom. The issue at the moment is that the stoma and the opening from the surgery are very close to each other, therefore holding the wafer is very challenging because it covers part of the opening. My brother has to kind of fold the tape around the wafer, so it does not cover the opening. We have so many questions, but they do not not have colostomy nurses available as we have here.
Good night!

[To Dream a Dream]

Here is a link to an organization that works with ostomates around the world. They may have had experience with professionals closer to your father's area that you can contact. https://www.fowusa.org/contact-us/

Also an ostomy nurse who works for one of the major manufacturers may be able to give you information about the international groups for WOCNs.

www.ostomyinternational.org/regions/reg ... tions.html
I found the above link on line & they have members listed in the southern hemisphere.
You are in my prayers.

[fayard]

Hola Dream a Dream,
Thank you very much for your input!
I am going to check both links right now.

[Rock_Robster]

Hi Fayard,

Sounds like more good progress!

To answer your questions:

- I use the Coloplast Brava Adhesive Removal Spray, but to be honest I think they are all quite similar

- I don’t use a separate glue to adhere the wafer, I just use the adhesive barrier on the Coloplast Sensura Mio. I do add an extra piece of Coloplast Brava Elastic Tape to the bottom to be sure though.

- the wound nearby thing is a real problem! I had exactly the same thing, and it makes it difficult. I got some good advice here, and what I did was cut a small piece of wound dressing (‘Duoderm’ or ‘Tegaderm’), and put that over the wound. Then you can adhere the bag wafer over the dressing, and it will stick well. When you change the bag, the dressing may come off but it shouldn’t ‘reopen’ the wound. Just make sure the wound is kept clean, and change the small dressing whenever it comes off, until it heals. Does this make sense?

Best of luck,
Rob

[fayard]

Hola Rob,

Good idea to add an extra piece of adhesive to the bottom
My father had an appointment today. The doctor told him that if by Friday he hasn't had bowel movement, he would have to perform an outpatient procedure to stimulate the colon, or something like that.
I think this might to have scared my father, because when he got home, a while later, he had a small bowel movement, yay!
The doctor even recommended glycerin suppositories, but we are hoping my father has a bowel movement again tomorrow after breakfast.

Regarding the wound, the doctor replaced the wafer, and the bag, and cut some of the adhesive at the top to avoid touching the wound. My brother said that it worked out well.
I still would like to send him some of the wound dressing you mentioned, since I am not sure with how many wafers they can count to have good adhesive.

As always, thank you very much for your support!

[fayard]

Good evening everyone!

I hope all of you are doing well.
I was wondering how long average a wafer last.
Also, how do you guys take a shower? How can the wafer be protected?

Thank you!

[Rock_Robster]

Hi Fayard, I get a minimum 2 days, maximum 4 days out of my ileostomy wafer.

I don’t cover the wafer with anything when I shower - I believe they are water resistant. I do put a shower cap-type thing over the bag itself though to save me some time on drying it

[ot dave]

Wafer flange wear time is unique to each individual. I usually get a week out of mine. Some have to change sooner, some later. Just from being on this board for a few year, I think that a normal average is 3-4 days. Once he gets the hang of it, he'll be able to determine when he needs to change the flange.
As far as showering, there is no need to worry. It is water tight from the inside, so it is water tight from the outside as well. You can even swim without anything covering the flange and pouch. When I shower, I remove the my pouch as it is covered with the thin cotton material, and I don't feel like drying it with a hair dryer. I keep a spray bottle of bleach/water mix to spray on the floor of the shower when I leave each time, just in case some small output made its way out during the shower, but for me, that is a rare occurrence.
Prolonged water exposure, like I do when I go scuba diving or to the beach for a week, I wear a Sureseal over my flange, and that helps a lot. They are tricky to apply, but well worth the trouble as salt water is tough on everything!
Hope that helps.

David

[fayard]

Hola Rock_Robster and David,

Thank you very much for your feedback!
If the wafers last an average of 3 to 4 days, I am going to have to start
sending at least a year supply. They are very hard to find there.

Have a great weekend!

[Rock_Robster]

No problem at all Fayard. It may be that he can extend longer than this but I wouldn’t rely on it for early planning.

No doubt you have quite a logistical challenge on your hands. It may also be a trade off with how much of one product to supply to begin with. Many folk (myself included) end up needing to change products along the way (through change in stoma size, output, skin condition or allergy), which I guess you’d need to factor in against how long it will take to get supplies to him.

I think most people find their stomas settle into something of a “routine” after the first couple of months - perhaps it might be worth doing something to get him through this transition period, with a view to then supply a larger quantity once it’s all stable? Just a thought.

Cheers
Rob

[To Dream a Dream]

Fayard, glad to learn that things seem to be improving for you & your dad. Rob & Dave have sent good comments to consider. Also, please keep in mind that high temperature & humidity may affect wear time for the wafers also.

[fayard]

Hi guys,

Thank you all for your feedback!
Rob, you are correct. Establishing a routing first is the way to go.
Last night, dad's bag overflowed, in the middle of the night, and you can just imagine what happened.
My poor father was so embarrassed
I talked to him this morning and told him that this happens to everyone who is going through what he is going through.
Eventually, he will get the hang of it.

Mean time, dad's wafer had to be replaced.
He likes eating, and the doctors told us not to deny him anything since the tumor
looks very bad.

As always, everyone in in my prayers.
Thank you very much!