I have a colostomy that I have had since 2001. In 2004 I started doing a process called irrigation and would love to chat with anyone who also does irrigation

I got to thinking that there are leaks and then there are LEAKS. So I developed a staging guide. (Anyone else think I might have too much time on my hands?)

Stage 0: Output is pancaking but you catch it before it compromises the device seal

Stage 1: Leak is contained under the flange. You catch it before the skin becomes irritated.

Stage 2: Leak is contained under flange extender. The s ...

My new knickers test drive occurred from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m.
Test score (final analysis) for anyone who may be interested in trying this product (from Amazon) is as follows.
Ratings on a scale of 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).
Comfort = 9
I gave this a 9 rather than a 10 because I would have liked the legs to be a bit longer but still very comfortable.

Support = 10
I allowed a bit of air in the ...

Always do this for myself.
Especially since some people change frequently and assume "oh a day ago." I replaced it.
A Sharpie, magic marker with the date and time helps me.
And don't write so others can read it. To them, it's upside down. Write on the bag before installing it so you can read it...if someone asks about it? Make light of it...tell them the little guy is taking notes or writing a ...

Hello all! I'm new to the site and to this colostomy life. I'm just over 4 weeks out from my surgery. I had rectal cancer, went through chemo and radiation, but they still needed to do surgery to remove things and here I am. My colostomy is permanent. I feel like my recovery is going pretty well. I've got my bag emptying and changes down pretty decently. I have a few questions and hoping my fe ...

Just awoke from a nap, with my youngest cat (who's one year old and still very much a kitten) asleep on top of me. Apparently, she must have been kneading biscuits - because I just woke with tiny pinprick holes everywhere! I really need Izzy to learn like her two older siblings not to do that! :-)
But the issue was very quickly dealt with. Having a two-piece bag, I quickly popped a new bag ove ...

Merry, Merry my dear ostomate warriors! Wishing you all a day of love, happiness, joy, football and no bag leaks!

I switched from one seal manufacturer, Brava, to Eakin early this summer 2024. I recommended both in my profile, which I'm likely going to update.
I am joining the growing percentage of people on here who toss the Eakin to the trash due to skin irritation.
I thought the Eakin was perfect. Soft, moldable, leak preventive worth. Since starting using it, I noticed redness developing until this mo ...

SCENE: NORTH POLE KITCHEN

Mrs. Claus: You got everything ready for your big night?

Santa: I’m all set. (He sips some hot tea.)

Mrs. Claus: Are you going to change your appliance before you leave?

Santa: I am. I’m going with the one-piece Hollister tonight.

Mrs. Claus: What if you have to empty before you’re through?

Santa: I figure I can just do a quick dump over M ...

Hi all,
For those of you that use convex pouches and have a flat stoma, do you use a barrier ring? I've used them for years but am wondering if it makes things worse if you have a flat stoma. The rings are flat CeraRings by Hollister. I do rinse with each empty, and I tend to empty quite often due to the pancaking making things feel yucky around the stoma area.

Hello all,
To start with, I am a scientist who works in innovation for a medical device company that sells ostomy products. Since Hollister supports this forum, I'll disclose that I work for them. I have been racking my brain on what approaches, technologies, services, and breakthrough products could help people living with ostomates live the life they want to live, however that is defined.
Th ...

I was struggling to choose a title for this. A friend of mine told me about this program on BBC Radio, and I thought some of us might like it.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0025491
Released on: 20 Nov 2024
Available for over a year
"Sarah Mills' comedy guide to dealing with a fallible and embarrassing body. Since losing part of her bowel, comedian Sarah Mills has used a stoma bag. She mig ...

October 26th will be the 1-year anniversary of my life-saving surgery. To celebrate, meditate, reflect, and process this milestone, I am heading to a cabin called The Little House that sits on the side of a mountain in Marshall, NC. The mountains are my healing place. And no place is finer, in my opinion, than the mountains of North Carolina.
I've adapted, accepted, and grown with my colostomy ...

I got tired of squeezing out poop; it's time-consuming and messy. I figured out how to do it faster and cleaner. I open the pouch, point it up towards my chest, and pour 1/2 of a water bottle (8 oz or so, depending on the amount of poop inside). I close it back up and squish it up and down until it turns like diarrhea, stand over the toilet bowl, bend down, and open the pouch (point it up towa ...

Some history on past products I've used:
I was sent home from the hospital with a small stash of Hollister 2 piece transparent open-ended 18194 pouches and barrier with flange 11204. Pretty large 70mm/2.75" system.
My first supply order I changed to their closed beige pouches of the same size.
Then I started thinking a smaller barrier flange would be easier to deal with pancaking and changed t ...

I did put this in once before but we have had a lot of new people join since then and they could think about this way of working with their ostomy. I sit facing the back wall so I have access to all my products right in front on me on a shelf I fitted, sitting this way also give me a larger area in front of me to empty my bag. As you can see I also made a seat to make it more comfortable b ...

Having recently watched the excellent UK BBC documentary about the history of landfill sites, it made me wonder about the bags full of waste that I throw into my bin every day! Like nappies, I'm reliably informed that, as composite materials containing medical waste, they are extremely difficult to recycle and so almost all end up in landfill. But the question is, will they ever decompose?
Som ...

Santa Claus has come to town late but he's here. Note: I won't send extra supplies to the same person so to give a chance to all the needed ostomates. All I need is $ for shipping. No I'm not profiting from this, but it costs to send all this stuff. So if you need anything let me know.

42 of 11403
7 of 76902
2 Torbot Cement
2 Deodorant
2 peristeen system manual pump hose
Assorted ABD pads ...

MY WIFE & I & OCC.

Some people call it OCD
but I can’t see how that can be,
observing and then cleaning grot
I think ‘disorder’ it is not.

I feel the terminology
to suit my wife, is OCC,
as this alternative meaning’s:-
Obsessive-Compulsive Cleaning.

To call it a ‘disorder’s wrong,
for grime and slime and pooh will pong,
and maybe there’ll be more to pay
if it’s not quickl ...

I had my loop ileostomy surgery recently, and it went smoothly—pretty much painless, just a bit sore. I didn't need any pain medication. I was discharged yesterday evening since my output looked good and I felt comfortable managing the appliance. The food was terrible, so I didn't eat or drink much yesterday. This morning, I woke up feeling dehydrated, with some liquid output and a slight he ...