Hello all, I'm new to all this and have a question concerning bags.
Does anyone use a disposable pouch system? What's the best brand and what, if any, issues have you had?
The drainable pouches are not my thing and I'm looking for a better system. Please help.
Munger, I think it depends on what you mean by disposable. I use a two-piece Convatec. Many on this site like Hollister or Coloplast. An ostomy nurse can help you with your decision. I can wear my pouch 4 to 5 days before I have to trash it. It really depends and we would need to know more about your situation. Mike
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Hi, I don't use the disposable pouch system, but there are some on here that do. I am sure they will chime in. One thing you can do is call or go online to the different suppliers and they will send you some samples to try. Of course, it is always good to hear from someone who has actually used them. Best wishes and stay safe.
Hello Nungsr.
I'm fairly new to this journey as well. My APR surgery was last October.
There are so many different products and opinions out there. It can be so confusing and overwhelming. I'm very fortunate to have amazing Ostomy nurses, and with their guidance, I was able to try different samples from several different brands. But, as many people will tell you, it truly is about what works for you personally, as each Stoma/Health issue is uniquely different. Moreover, of all the products I tested, I settled for the brand Coloplast, specifically the "SenSura Mio" Two-piece system, cut to fit, with a disposable bag. There's no going around cleaning feces, and in a very direct tangible way, with a reusable bag or disposable one, but I find the latter so much more practical and easy. It suits me mainly because I don't have to deal with where I dump the output. I can change bags in my bedroom if I want to. The feces stays inside the disposable. I dump it into a small plastic trash bag Coloplast provides, clean the stoma and the barrier with baby wipes, put a new disposable bag on, done in 3 minutes tops! I change the barrier/wafer every 5 to 6 days.
Personally, in my opinion, Coloplast products are of the highest quality. The "SenSura Mio" system is their newest line. The bags don't have that crunchy plastic sound when you move. The front and back of the bag are covered in a super soft, skin-colored waterproof fabric, very stealth. The bags have the best air-filter in the market. It addresses gas output and keeps the bag from ballooning. The clip to secure the bag onto the barrier/wafer is super reliable and sturdy. The Brava adhesive strips are second to none and allow me to keep the barrier/wafer on for 6 days, even though I shower daily, go to the gym, and I'm pretty active. Yet, I never had any accidents like leaking or the barrier coming unglued.
But, nothing is perfect, and all brands/products have limitations and shortcomings. It's all about what you're willing to compromise for and what your health insurance is willing to pay for. However, most brands offer several different systems that include the choice between a reusable or a disposable bag.
Call the three most recommended brands, i.e., Coloplast, Hollister, ConvaTec. Talk to their Customer Support agents, ask them questions, and tell them about your particular situation and needs. They will send you free samples of most everything. Try them, then you can make an informed decision.
Good luck! You got this, buddy!!
Hi there,
I use a disposable pouch system. It is called a closed-end pouch. I use a two-piece system from Convatec. I irrigate so I can often wear a pouch for maybe six days. Sometimes not as fortunate. I change my barrier every 10 days. I too prefer the closed-end pouch. Just pop it off into a sealable zip lock baggie and in the trash. For away from home, I buy black zip locks. Pop a new one up and you are done. Less odor than draining as well. I guess just because exposure is less.
When there is a problem, I can just pop on a drainable pouch to the same barrier. Nice to have versatility for any circumstance.
Now there are disposable bags that can be inserted down into a closed-end, two-piece pouch system. You just pop it off, put it in the toilet, and flush. They are biodegradable.
Lots of options out there,
Puppyluv
You are so right about Coloplast being a superior product. I love the bottom Velcro seal and the material the pouch is made of. I just do not like that two-piece click system. They have failed me, so I moved to the Convetec. I just wish their quality of pouch was like Coloplast. nbsp
puppyluv
So far, Coloplast never failed me (fingers crossed) unlike the Hollister two-piece system. What a mess!!! Thank God it happened at home!
I could definitely get a lot more than six days of use from the barrier because it looks intact when I change it. But for me, I feel like the stoma and the skin that surrounds it get a lot of benefit from a break, a lukewarm shower, plus I have some minor shaving to do as well. I like to pamper the surrounding skin with a nice fragrance-free oatmeal bar soap, then rub Tea Tree Oil and Organic Coconut Oil (both powerful natural anti-fungal and highly humectant). They are very affordable at Trader Joe's. I let the skin get some air and hydration, then wipe any trace of oil and treat it with 3M Cavilon protector film, put a new barrier on. I do this when I know my stoma is the least active during the day, allowing the skin to breathe and hydrate for at least 30 minutes. Though I keep some paper towel near just in case.
We tend to focus so much on managing the output that we forget the stoma and the skin surrounding it need some TLC and pampering.
Thanks once again, you are a wealth of knowledge, my friend, and I really appreciate all the tips... of course, I too have to shave the area around my stoma.
Hey Nungsr!
You're welcome, dude! Like you, I'm here to learn and meet other people on this crazy, life-changing journey. But we're blessed to do it in this time and age with so many more choices and solutions, just in the last decade alone (the silver lining).
I'm naturally curious, but even before surgery, I had an incredible team of professionals - a colorectal surgeon and ostomy nurses - who I consulted with and continued to support me. But there's hands-on knowledge that comes with experience and time that isn't written in books, hence why I'm here on this forum. nbsp
Anything I can be of service, if it's in my grasp, count on it! nbsp
There are many different products out there. I have used the disposable ones when I had my hand surgery. It was easier to use with one hand. I prefer the one that empties as I only have to change it out every 4 days. However, I am soon to have rotator cuff surgery and will be using the single-use ones again. I liked them but they had to be changed out 4 times a day which got a little tedious after a while. You might like to email a couple of different companies and ask for samples to try.
Can you give me the actual product numbers you're using... It's really confusing and whenever I order free samples, they send the older products... Please help!!!
Hey buddy! I'm sorry for responding so late, just reading your message now. I'm going to take pictures of what I use and put names and numbers on pics. I will include two different barriers and bags. One that I previously used, and which you have to cut yourself. By the way, your stoma is going to change sizes the further along you're recovering from surgery, so having a barrier that you can cut to fit at the beginning is very useful. However, my stoma has settled into a definitely smaller circumference size, so I changed the system (bag and barrier) that's a "cut to fit" model, meaning I don't have to bother with cutting the barrier to size. It already comes that way, one step less in the process.
Coloplast includes a paper stoma ruler which includes different sized circumferences for you to measure your stoma against. Knowing and keeping track of your stoma size changes is very useful and will help you decide for a "cut to fit" barrier in the future.
I'll include names/pics/numbers for both bags and their subsequent barriers, as well as all the other components of the system I use. Everything in the pics is available for free samples, including the scissors to cut the barriers. Coloplast and most all other brands are very keen on people trying their products. They know it's a possible lifetime customer.
Check out my profile for pics and numbers.
Hope this helps!!
Hey, just finished uploading all the pics and products I use. Hope I didn't make a mistake typing the numbers, and I really think you will be better served calling Coloplast and ordering the samples directly from them to make sure the bags fit the barrier.
Moreover, the only product I use that's not from Coloplast is the brand 3M's Cavilon No Sting Barrier Film. But Coloplast has their own; it's called "Brava Skin Barrier Wipe". Ask for samples of those as well!
Good luck, and I sincerely hope it helps!
Later!
Hello! It can be so overwhelming choosing the right system! If you have a wound/ostomy nurse, I would consult them first. However, you may request samples from all brands. Most every company offers either a one-piece or two-piece one-time use system. The pouch will be completely closed, so when it's time to change, you'll throw it out.
Honestly, I had considered this, but I was concerned with my skin integrity if I needed to place new pouches more than once a day. I use a one-piece drainable. You could consider the two-piece, where your wafer remains attached, and then you can throw away the used pouch and clip on the new pouch!
Hollister, Convatec, and Coloplast all have versions. I would also consider one with a filter, so you don't need to worry about gas build-up. The service reps on the phone are very helpful too!
Good luck to you!