Appliance Changes Without Barrier Ring or Spray: Seeking Advice

You can use some stripes of micropore tape stuck straight onto your skin and the appliance stuck to the tape, so the tape is between your skin and the appliance in a pinch, but Steph's idea of using the flange extenders between skin and appliance is awesome, great idea Steph 👍

I understand the strips act like insulation between your red skin and the ring or flange. I get that image.

What I don't see is how, with C-shaped strips, you can form a one-piece solid ring around the stoma?

I put a coin—a quarter, dime, nickel—on the table. I set a left C-shaped adhesive strip on the left of it, one on the right. It looks impossible to have a round solid piece.

( . ) My stoma diameter is the size of a quarter. I just don't see a good seal around it using adhesive strips.

Can you explain how you do this? Your stoma is small?

I think the 4 by 4 protective sheets would seal better and heal the skin. Just saying...

Is your skin so red and irritated that the wafer won't stick to your skin? And have you tried the 3M Advanced Skin Protectant or Marathon? It's nothing like the skin protectant we get in our order; it's thicker, so it puts a layer of protection on your skin, and once it dries, your wafer will stick to it. I find for me the 3M Advanced Skin Protectant worked way better than Marathon.

I am confused by your comment @warrior, I never sandwiched two barriers. I now place a barrier ring on top of the barrier instead of on the bottom. I have a transverse colostomy therefore I can't irrigate — to irrigate, the colostomy needs to be on  the sigmoid or descending colon. I feel for you having to drain 8 times a day. Have you ever considered taking loperamide to slow down the motility of your ileostomy? Loperamide helps manage ileostomies by reducing high stoma output —  the slower motility allows more water and electrolytes to be absorbed, thus thickening the effluent. With a transverse colostomy and more than 50% of my colon removed, my output is very watery. I therefore rely on loperamide and bananas to keep my effluent semi-solid. It has been a game changer for me. The technology continues to improve, therefore you should never become complacent with what is working today. 😉 You can always patch test a new product opposite your stoma to ensure no allergic reactions.

Hi, yes, I got a bit confused when you mentioned "on top of the barrier." It sounded to me like you were doubling up, which I heard some people do.

No biggie.

Problem solved.

The loperamide? Yes, I have been considering that. Every ileo has mentioned using it to bulk up output. My only pause would be how, if, it affects kidneys in any way, shape, or form.

No one has mentioned anything about that. Kidney function is the next big thing with ileos, as you know.

Yes, eight times empty daily—on a good day, that is. It really is tiring when you get up after midnight 2-3 times before sunrise to empty.

I am using the liquid hydration you mentioned earlier, and bananas, pasta, etc., are part of bulking up too. Marshmallows gave me cavities just looking at the bag! 😁😆 I was quite obsessed with them too.

Sorry you can't irrigate as a colo. I heard that's one neat thing about having a colostomy.

Ileos pay their dues. Yet carry on.

Tips on Hernia Prevention with Collin | Hollister

Loperamide does no damage to your kidneys. Loperamide is primarily metabolized in the liver and excreted in feces, so kidney function does not significantly affect its clearance. One of the side effects of loperamide usage is urinary retention — as with any side effects labeling, you may not experience any of them.

That's good info. Thanks.

Do you know the difference between it and Metamucil?

I tried that Metamucil and was surprised how quickly bulk built up. It came out like a baseball falling into a bucket of water from four feet high. Ker-plunk. Ha ha. I think my neighbor heard it! It may have registered as an earthquake in Hackensack, NJ.

Joking aside, that stuff works. Maybe the lesser of two evils?

Sorry it has taken so long to respond but some urgent matters came up. Glad to hear Metamucil (psyllium) works for you. It works differently than loperamide (immodium). Psyllium works by absorbing water, thereby thickening stool, while loperamide slows intestinal motility, reducing overall output. You can even use them together by staggering the doses every 3 hours or so. I suspect you have nailed this by now but I didn't want it to look like I was ignoring you. 😉