A month after. Still frustrated.

[ThatFLguy]

It has been a full month since I had my Ileostomy done. I have not liked it one bit. Truth is that there have been a huge number of complications already. The biggest is that it has a convexed stoma when sitting, leaning forward, but a bulging one when standing. This makes wafers almost impossible to stay on my skin. I also have had a bunch of leaks, and skin breaks down and now I am dealing with an ostomy specialist that is trying to push me to use bags that I will not except.

So after trying everything that I thought would work, and fix my issue, during my last appointment with my nurse and ostomy specialist I ended up being put into a Convatec convex bag as I did not have anything like that. Well even after telling my ostomy specialist that I would not be staying in Convatec bags she reached out and had them send me samples. I also got a call from Convatec to set up to get my supplies from one of their vendors. I have explained so many times to my specialist that I have done all the work to get Coloplast bags and that I like them, would not accept the Convatec stuff but even when I sent off the photos of my stoma yesterday after showering and changing my bag my nurse was insistent that I stick with the Convatec bags until I see her and my surgeon again. My nurse feels strongly that I will need corrective surgery to fix the convex because it changes so much. The outer ring of the stoma bag is too big for my convex but then when I stand my belly pushes out so I have to do a lot of extra stuff to keep the wafer in place. I actually cannot go from sitting down to standing or leaning forward without my hand on my stoma (Yes I have an ostomy belt on as well) without my wafer trying to pop off.

The big thing is that I use Coloplast bags and will not change from them as there are so much better for me.

I am getting more samples from Coloplast that should fix this issue so I hope I can continue to use their bags until my surgeon decides what to do about this.

[jstl]

Have you tried the Coloplast Sensura Mio pouch yet? Sometimes its flexibility can help with keeping it on.

[ThatFLguy]

Have you tried the Coloplast Sensura Mio pouch yet? Sometimes its flexibility can help with keeping it on.

Coloplast is my go-to bag but I am waiting on different samples of wafers and the new convex protective seal to see if I can get it to work without hurting my skin from leaking around the wafer. My issue is that my stoma pulls in when I sit or bend down but bulges when I stand or lay down so it is almost impossible to have a wafer that works for both situations. Even my ostomy nurse feels like my doctor is going to suggest a correction surgery on the 1st when I go in. Just got to wait and see.

[fapope]

When I tried a different bag,
I would put a coin size sample of the adhesive base on the good side of my stomach to test for reaction. Do a control with a sample of the favourite base plate. Have you considered using a stoma bag paste/adhesive to reduce leaks. My success in managing my ostomy was to experiment lots. Sometimes one finds a combination that works and then after a few months your skin reacts and you need to start over again.

[Lerbus]

Hang in there! I definitely have wanted to scream but what is your alternative now? Then we have to work to make it work. There are some better and some more challenging times. I too have an ileostomy and shortened small bowel. I use a convex Coloplast precut wafer (1/8” larger than stoma) and a high output bag. I use an Eakins ring to deal with flexibility. You can do it and it will getter better.

Cellebellar degeneration 2011 ileostomy + several revisions and hernias and blockages