I survived my colostomy surgery last Tuesday, September 9th, and lived to tell about it! Can anyone out there give me ideas on which works best for them: open pouches or closed pouch disposable ones? Thanks.
jillian
Gwen in LA
My op date was 1/4/13. I was sent home with open-end pouches, which were a HUGE blessing.
Sometimes my BM was very gassy, and the bag would inflate. I could "burp" the bag by opening the end. Also, until my gut settled down, the stool was liquid and the bag would fill very quickly. Again, open end to the rescue.
Just wish I'd switched to a 2-pc bag earlier. It's easy to empty the bag, dispose of it, and have less stress on the abdomen stoma area, not stressing the skin. Only replace the 'plate' every few days.
Hope this helps.
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First off, this is a pretty cool site with 33,315 members. Get inside and you will see.
It's not all about ostomy. Everything is being discussed.
Many come here for advice or to give advice 🗣, others have found good friends 🤗, and there are also those who have found love 💓. Most of all, people are honest and truly care.
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Mrs.A
Hi Jillian,
It's pretty simple. Closed end means one-time use. Open end means empty, clean, rinse, and reuse.
Don't worry, you have plenty of time to learn all you need to know. Keep asking questions and read a lot of info on the site.
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iMacG5
My advice is to treasure every word from Mrs.A. Advice from anyone born around 1902 must be valued.
Sincerely,
Mike
Living with Your Ostomy | Hollister
klark
I use both closed and open-ended, as I order once a month and alternate pouch types. When I golf, bowl, or if I'm doing pool and yard work, the closed ones are convenient... soil 'em and toss it! Open-end pouches are usually larger and will last much longer by reusing after you clean them up. Good luck!!
survivor48
I agree with those who use both. I had my surgery done last Dec. and had a hard time with the open ended because the sticky part is so much harder than the open end ones and I would keep getting leakage there. The closed end ones have a more softer sticky area that conforms to my body and "moves" with me. I did buy a box of open ended ones and I use them on days that I am home and have loose stool because that way I don't waste my closed ends ones.You will just need to experiment and request samples if the company you are dealing with sends them and see what works best for you. Good luck and if you have a support group in your area, I suggest you join one.