UOAA Discussion Board

Hi all,

I included this topic within another post but it probably got hidden. Would appreciate knowing pros and cons of any support belts any of you might wear on your abdomen. For me, this is to wear following major surgery in November when I had my colostomy, hernia, and MACE procedure tube (an inner tube made of appendiceal tissue for irrigation prior to the colostomy) removed and had an ileostomy created. I tried a tube top but it was too loose and rolled up. There are some sites with good products but those are out of stock for now -- and there's no hole for the stoma and pouch. Concerned re pancaking in the pouch near my stoma if I wear a tight belt.

Below is what a nurse in the wound care center had suggested. She also suggested a medium although (sadly) these days I noormally wear size large for better compression. Trying to lose weight. Distention is still a factor post-surgery but working on that. Do need to exercise and will.

"Will check Amazon or Ebay to find a good belt to wear around my abdomen to keep the area "tighter" without pain despite ongoing distention. Would prefer a wide belt with an outlet for the pouch (or in my case -- irrigation sleeve due to heavy output). Medicae does not cover this and an ostomy nurse had suggested this about a month ago. Had asked the nurse to order this but since I must pay for it myself, I'll take care of that: Safe N Simple Security Support Belt http://sns-medical.com/wp-content/uploa ... ocrops.pdf Does anyone wear one you find comfy and helpful? Meanwhile, I'm inhaling and holding my ab muscles in -- and exhaling but must beef up the exercise. There's much I can do -- even though I'm wearing a boot due to 2 broken foot bones that are now healing well. Hope to be able to swing dance in 2-3 weeks."

Many thanks for support! Literally perhaps!

Diane C.

I have a Stealth Belt Pro and love it. Wear 24/7. I use closed ended pouches. I was a little concerned about wearing pouch inside zippered sleeve sideways but have had no problems with output. The only downside is filter gets plugged quickly and I have to burp sometimes between changes. No biggie. Check them out on YouTube.

Parthenon has a good selection of wide belts, and excellent prices for those without insurance.

https://parthenoninc.com/ostomy-supplie ... omy-belts/

Thanks so much for the quick replies -- as always. Will check these out. Much appreciated!

Diane C.

I just wear a wrap. Nylon wrap. Pretty well always stays in place.
I think I got them at ostomy secrets. They are not cheap but I've been wearing them for 3 years plus. I have two of them. They may not be snug enough for you. But you may find a small size that snug. They have a pocket to put the bag in but I don't use it. It's wide enough to cover it all. It's more of a comfort thing for me so things don't get caught up in my jeans. I tuck everything in my jeans. I don't wear it outside of my jeans.
Richard.
(I've been wearing Levi's since the early 70's. I feel weird in any other jeans. I've tried.
I get the low waisted ones. 527's. It rides below the stoma.)

Thanks, Richard. A nylon wrap may come later if needed. Someone in my non-virtual support group suggested some kind of undershirt but I forget the brand.

For now, after surgery, the nurse felt I needed something with more heft. The tube top may have been like that but didn't work. I hope a size medium in what I order will allow me to breathe! When something was too tight before, it was actually painful -- so we will see. And I'd like a "hole" though which the pouch can go through.

Appreciate the help!

Diane C.

Could you use a regular pregnancy belly band and cut a hole for the pouch? Also Benik makes an adjustable compression wrap (pregnancy wrap) that might work.

Under armour has alot of different styles for women. And men.
It's the only one I can think of. But I think you don't want a full shirt compression.
And they are tight. Skintight. That's uncomfortable after awhile.
I wear the UA brand but I buy them 2x larger just to get the coverage in length.
Good luck..
Richard

Thanks for more suggestions. JSTI, I don't know anything about pregnancy belly bands or the Benik adjustable compression wrap -- thanks! Will research! I'd like the opening for the pouch though and they probably don't have those?

Richard, correct -- do NOT want full shirt compression -- only about 6-7 inches wide and definitely NOT skin tight. The (rather impatient) nurse advised a size Medium and I'm a bit wary because "tight" used to cause distention and pain. Hope she's right. She measured me and did not recommend a Large but sizes differ by company. Ever since my Nov 1 surgery, my abdomen remains "bulging" although I think it's decreasing in size. I had a LOT of surgery with excision of the colostomy, a hernia with fatty tissue, and my MACE tube -- and creation of an ileostomy with 25 steel staples going down the mid-section -- losing my navel.

Exercise will help (broke 2 foot bones but they are now healing -- yay!) but I am starting chair exercises and raising my legs, etc.

The upper thighs can really hurt, esp after standing a while. Maybe from walking in the boot? It's an odd pain -- never had before -- and hope that when nerve muscles were cut in the abdomen, that didn't affect upper thighs. I wonder since so many parts of the body are inter-related. This pain really tires me and I must sit when it occurs -- kind of agonizing and not charley horse. Possibly a compression belt on my abdomen will help this? If it continues, will see the surgeons or my GI doc who has many ideas but unsure they can do anything but maybe there's a relaxant or some kind of med to ease this pain. Massage may help, soaking the feet in magnesium flakes or Epsom salts, and other options I can get into another time. Ah, again -- this thigh pain should be a separate post and may become one!

Thanks, all!

Diane C.

I've seen many wraps but none with an opening for an appliance. Never thought about one that way. But I do understand why you'd want one. I think. I can't of course read minds. Are you wanting one for comfort? Or do you "need" one for medical issues?
I still don't get all the procedures done. And products used for different things. I know mine. (procedures) But that's about it.
I still consider myself fortunate. I went to hell and back and kinda leveled out. I had a rough time getting to this point. But in considering myself fortunate I mean that I have moved on and it works well.
I just wear a wrap for my own peice of mind. I don't have to wear it. But I started using one in the beginning and I just use it when I go to town. Which is every day. And I wore it at work everyday. Retired now. But when I get home I usually take it off. And put some jogging pants on. Tuck the appliance in the pants.
Richard.
P. S.
I know.
Not much help. But we can talk about it.

Diane:
Finding the right abdominal support for you will be a personal journey and personal choice. Everyone is different in their body shape and what features they want in a compressive support band.

Long or short torso? Defined waistline or a straight body shape? Curvy body or narrow body? Highly sensitivity to compression of a band or ambivalent to sensory input and snugness? Narrow belly band or wide-width belly band? Access hole for the ostomy pouch to thread through or no opening?

I think you will have to order a few support bands (or camisole tops or other options) and see what feels best to you and what best suits your needs. Browse the internet and begin to list/define what features of an abdominal support are most important to you.

Remember too, that your figure may continue to change over the next several months as you lose/gain weight and as adipose tissue may be redistributed.

One thing I consistently encountered as a physical therapist was individuals who were up and walking but who were generally deconditioned with poor muscle tone and poor isolated muscle strength.

The Safe ‘N Simple abdominal support that you provided a link for looks well-designed and comfortable in material selection.

Nu-Hope is a time-honored supplier of abdominal supports. The Nu-Hope support offers options of a mesh-fabric (for aided cooling) as well as an opening for the pouch that you are desiring. Nu-Hope has a helpful 1-800 telephone help-line that provides personal assistance with ensuring proper fitting and ordering.

Comfizz, as I have mentioned, offers a new 2-piece abdominal binder support and stoma protector. It retails for 97 British pounds so is a bit more expensive, but Comfizz’s quality and innovative design is second to none.

The Comfizz belly band (retail 25 British pounds) that you looked at previously is available in size large in the rose and natural/nude colors.

www.comfizz.com

I have the Comfizz camisole top, boy short, and 7” wide belly band. I wear one or the other of the Comfizz items on a given day and enjoy having undergarment flexibility.

My advice: Do not get too caught up in feeling that you have to find a single all-in-one perfect abdominal support. You may end up with more than one item, with each item serving different needs or that you wear at different times or for different circumstances. Keep an open mind and be flexible in what you select.
Karen

Well said Button.
I start writing and it always turns into a ramble.
I personally am going to look into the mesh ones you mentioned.
Mine are a solid nylon wrap. A mesh sounds less sweaty.
Thanks.
Richard.

Diane:
I was told at my first outpatient ostomy clinic that the NP had just put on the coloplast support belt for someone and they cut it to fit her ostomy bag and they really liked it. They still like them. if you need the measureements for the all sizes I have them as coloplast gave me. coloplast did advice to buy 1 size bigger than need as may run small (only go to XXXL).
I have always worn a camisole since colectomy in 2010 due to incisions at points that rub and itch w/good results (Nordstrom got when yearly sale but find Kohls brand by apt 9 to be tigher and more effective).
i have regualr binder from hernia repair in December but it is much longer than I need right now. it was a godsend post hernia repair with all the vomiting & dry heaving that healed perfectly. I use camisole to help hold wound dressing before today as trying to avoid tape & used underpants to hold abd pad to pelvic area as wound still draining at times.
here is the name of the support belt i got from amazon in december in XXL that is really nice but not sure can cut hole for ostomy(bought for support post hernia surgery before all the "fun" began.

Waist Trimmer Belt- Breathable Postpartum Postnatal Recoery Materinty Support Belt Post Pregnancy After Birth,Pregnancy Belly Band Abdominal Binder
by GOEGE

I use a tube top for mine. Works great. It stretches and is nit tight on the stomach.

Thanks, everyone. Wonderful tips. The ostomy nurse at the wound care clinic had suggested I get more support but that was over a month ago now. She’s different from the wound care nurse and I’m seeing her tomorrow and will see what she thinks. They are in different fields but have mutual knowledge and I wasn’t thrilled with the ostomy nurse’s ideas for lessening leaks and found my own solution.

My November surgery was pretty exhaustive. I had my colostomy, a hernia, an inner MACE tube made from my appendix all removed. An ileostomy created. My rectum and anus removed due to diversion colitis. 25 staples in a vertical line on my abdomen (no navel remaining). The belt would only be for support for my abdomen but what I know I need NOW is exercise. I had a lot of wounds on my abdomen but all healed on the OUTSIDE. I think healing is still going on inside and will for a while. At times, I feel nausea where the colostomy used to be. Mild massage with Vitamin E or another oil helps somewhat. And still am distended – but some of that is fat.  I never got back to shape after my abdominal surgeries in 2000, 2002, and 2015 (peristomal hernia in that last year). Swing dancing 1-2x/week only goes so far and one stops to be social between dances at times. It’s up to me to get my muscle tone back.

The home health nurse (a substitute; mine is on vacation this wk) came this morning and said my wound in my rectal area is tiny but didn’t measure. I just returned from the orthopedic surgeon because I gracefully broke 2 foot bones end of Feb. I’ve been wearing a big boot and that’s healing well. I can now wear a regular shoe – can’t swing dance for 2 weeks – but all is healing. Hoping my wound keeps on closing as I know they can open.

I had a prescription for physical therapy before the post surgical wound became an issue and I broke 2 toes. The foot doctor gave me a new prescription for PT and I found a good one near me. After I get some exercise, I’ll return to Gold’s Gym but want to be careful for a few weeks but get going.

As usual, Karen/Button hit the nail on the head. Yes, I rec'd an alert from Comfizz that the products were back in stock but I'm unsure they are what I want although I love other products made by this company. I may need several support belts and the reason why may have changed. If I wear something tight around my middle, it’s always been uncomfortable due to distention. Now, it will prevent output in the pouch from sliding down. I’m still using Immodium and tinkering but trying to eat a more balanced diet though the emphasis is on protein and Juven/collagen to heal up the wound. And hydrating.

Appreciate all your help and sorry I didn’t reply earlier. I’ll do some scouting around and see what I learn tomorrow at the wound clinic.

MANY thanks!

Diane C.