Changing Appliances in Extreme Cold Weather

SeaQuest · Post by **SeaQuest** » 2019-12-02 10:20:43

I've often read how having an ostomy shouldn't limit our actions...and have mostly agreed with it. However, I have just returned from a week-long elk hunting trip in Montana and went through 3 bags/day as I could get nothing to stay adhered. Typically, I get about 5 days of usage so I quickly depleted what I thought was my over-kill in bags taken, but I had an emergency storage a day's hike back down the mountain from where we were camped so I was able to "waste" additional (really expensive) bags.

If it helps, I wear the Coloplast Sensura Mio and use no additional adhesive sprays nor fillers; I just couldn't keep one to stay on. After the failures began, I made certain both my skin and the bag's adhesive was warmed, but nothing seemed to work. In looking at the failures, it seems as if the seal failures might have occurred from being permanently creased from my bending over (or other non-standing activity). I live in Iowa so I'm used to being in cold weather but not without some sort of reprieve when I want to just get warm. I'd love to say that it was due to a bad lot of bags, but I went through two separate boxes.

Are there suggestions as to what would help in future instances such as this? Is one seal better than another (for extended colder weather)? Would a spray adhesive have helped?

Thank you!

Post by **ot dave** » 2019-12-02 12:53:08

This is perplexing... I've never had this issue. I've been deer and duck hunting with the temperatures below zero. Never had a failure. Unless you became hypothermic, I don't know how your core body temperature wouldn't have been sufficient enough to keep things warm enough to adhere. I wonder if the flange material, when it was not on your body, degraded out in the elements, and therefore rendered themselves unusable, or at the very least, less effective.
I wonder if there is a preferred storage temperature for these as there is for other types of chemicals, etc...
I'm curious, so I'll be following this thread...

David

Diane C · Post by **Diane C** » 2019-12-04 12:01:37

Hmmm, if I don't use some kind of "tape" to square off my barrier or flange, gas will cause it to pop off during the night. I like EASE strips by Convatec. (Unfortunately, Convatec used the wrong order number for these so if you use Stomahesive Strips, it's hard to order both.) Since I started to use a Coloplast high output pouch recently, I've also been using the Brava strips to secure the barrier. They come in many shapes. I used to use Hy or other tape but that didn't work so well for me after a while.

Good luck!

Mara · Post by **Mara** » 2019-12-04 20:05:34

ot dave wrote: 2019-12-02 12:53:08 This is perplexing....... I wonder if the flange material, when it was not on your body, degraded out in the elements, and therefore rendered themselves unusable, or at the very least, less effective. I wonder if there is a preferred storage temperature for these as there is for other types of chemicals, etc...I'm curious, so I'll be following this thread...
David

I have had problems with Eakin seals degrading (melting) which is the opposite of your problem and thankfully they weren't on my body and I had extras - what I did was contact Convatec and even send them photos - I received replacements. All that to say I think you should contact the manufacturer in line with what ot dave said....
Good luck!

SeaQuest · Post by **SeaQuest** » 2019-12-05 15:27:24

Thank you for the replies. Maybe it is just me being naive, but I really thought manufacturing companies would have someone watching boards such as this looking for opportunities to assist with the use of their product, slow down any potential disparaging remarks about them, or even gain insight as to items that may be of value.

I called and discussed the problem with a couple of people at Coloplast. They stated that the body heat should be enough to keep it adhered to the body; the only exception is if I were sweating a lot (which I was not doing). They decided to treat the problem as defective bags and are replacing both boxes I used. They also recommended and are sending samples of the Brava protective sheet (which is to be applied to my skin prior to bag adherence) and brava elastic barriers (the half-moon sticky strips). They indicated that the additional spray adhesive probably would not have assisted. I understand the concept of the protective sheet which is supposed to act as an additional barrier and enhanced....stickiness for the bag, but I've never really understood the elastic barriers as they just seem to be a method of delaying something that is already a problem. In my situation in the mountains, I made my own out of both duct tape and tenacious tape - I could see that failures had still occurred, but the actual worth of the both was a failure.

At any rate, per Coloplast, our body temperature should be enough to both prolong actual stickiness of the bag and prevent the seal from permanently creasing from our bend lines.

Again, thanks to those who read as well as those who responded!

Post by **Jimbob** » 2019-12-06 07:08:37

I think Dave may have a point in the cold weather deteriorating the adhesives when not on you body. I am going to put a flange in the refrigerator for a few days and then see how it adheres. Jim

SeaQuest · Post by **SeaQuest** » 2019-12-06 08:13:40

I agree with your thought-process on the possible deterioration and am interested to see what your results are from your test. I accidentally performed the same when I first moved to IA several years back. Several boxes of flanges were placed somewhere in a storage locker for an entire winter. There was a point that winter where we had several consecutive weeks of -20 temperatures, but when I was finally able to locate them, they performed just as well as those stored "correctly".

BellyButt · Post by **BellyButt** » 2019-12-08 21:58:54

I never had good luck with the MIO plates when active. The adhesive is to weak and they are to flimsy in my opinion. Not sure if you use flat or convex but I get typically 1 week out of Coloplasts regular convex Sensura that I use with the adhesive mount Mio bag. What made a great difference for me was when I started to use a Nu-Hope hernia belt with 2-7/8 cutout that just fit under the flange. The belt ensure that the plate stay attached at all times. I also use the Brava adhesive strips around the plate to secure the edges. I prime with a thin dusting of powder then I add a few puffs of 3M Cavilon before putting it on.

I had a few failures on the Sensura appliances when the weld failed but maybe 5 failures in 3 years time.

SeaQuest wrote: 2019-12-02 10:20:43 I've often read how having an ostomy shouldn't limit our actions...and have mostly agreed with it. However, I have just returned from a week-long elk hunting trip in Montana and went through 3 bags/day as I could get nothing to stay adhered. Typically, I get about 5 days of usage so I quickly depleted what I thought was my over-kill in bags taken, but I had an emergency storage a day's hike back down the mountain from where we were camped so I was able to "waste" additional (really expensive) bags.

If it helps, I wear the Coloplast Sensura Mio and use no additional adhesive sprays nor fillers; I just couldn't keep one to stay on. After the failures began, I made certain both my skin and the bag's adhesive was warmed, but nothing seemed to work. In looking at the failures, it seems as if the seal failures might have occurred from being permanently creased from my bending over (or other non-standing activity). I live in Iowa so I'm used to being in cold weather but not without some sort of reprieve when I want to just get warm. I'd love to say that it was due to a bad lot of bags, but I went through two separate boxes.

Are there suggestions as to what would help in future instances such as this? Is one seal better than another (for extended colder weather)? Would a spray adhesive have helped?

Thank you!

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