Need help with wafer not sticking to stoma!

Hey y'all, so I had a meltdown today. I am so upset. The leak I had has gotten worse. And today with my change, the wafer part where you cut the hole doesn't even stick right around the stoma (sticks everywhere else)... and the red ring right around the stoma is getting worse. My stoma is flush. I have literally tried all that I can think of... I am allergic to every brand but Coloplast. I've tried convex wafers and rings, the convex flip, regular rings (which I can't use, put me in the hospital twice), paste, and silicone gel for the redness... barrier wipe and powder, Marathon... I don't know what to do... I have a stoma nurse, but she isn't very helpful. She says she can't think of anything else besides what I've tried. Anyone have or had this issue and have any success in finding a solution?

Have you contacted Coloplast directly? They have people that deal with this stuff directly.

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Hi Beth, I feel your pain, literally. I get this ring of raw, weepy flesh for an inch or more around the stoma sometimes.

I find that taking a long hot shower with stoma exposed makes a huge difference. The skin changes from red to pink. I carefully wipe and shave all around the stoma during and after my shower. Stay in the shower as long as you can, letting the hot water stream over the stoma area. I use the spray nozzle directly on my skin and stoma.

When finished, I turn the heat on and lie flat (towels under butt for spillage) on my bed with the belly exposed to the air to dry out the raw, weepy circle around the stoma.

I use 4-inch Eakin soft seals under the wafer. I wait as long as my peristalsis activity will allow before I continue. The Eakin seal will begin healing the raw flesh in just a few hours. Put the wafer on top of the Eakin seal and complete the bag change.

These seals are amazing, they start working healing as soon as you put them on. Exposing them to the open air is very effective in getting them healed. This works for me, but it should work for anyone.

Magoo

Yes, I have. We have been in constant communication. They can't figure it out either because I've tried all their products.

Hey Magoo,

The rest of my skin is fine, but I will still do the same thing: I air her out as long as I possibly can before she starts moving. The red ring is literally right around the stoma. It's from output from leaking, and I wish I could use rings, but I can't for two reasons. One, they put me in the hospital, and two, my stoma doesn't protrude. My stoma will disappear under my flat wafer.

Stories of Living Life to the Fullest from Ostomy Advocates I Hollister

Hi Beth,

I hope you get some relief soon. Your stoma nurse should see you post haste and help you to apply the next appliance. That's pretty much the job of a stoma nurse when you are having troubles.
My apologies for not having any advice to give. I have gone through phases where I can apply my new pouch like an old pro, then other times I can't get the damn thing on or to last longer than 48 hours.
I'm certainly no expert, so I'll shut up now. But I am thinking of you and want nothing more than for you to find a solution and relief very soon.

Abe/Paul

I see what you mean, Beth. Why did the ring put you in the hospital? Really curious. Are you allergic?

There are two-inch seals that I have used when I get this problem. Warm up the 2-inch so it's nice and soft and moldable. Put it on first over your stoma. Then the 4-inch seal goes on top of that, get this warm and soft also. The 4-inch on top will push the 2-inch down onto your skin, into the dip around the stoma.

I'll add below in case it might help someone else. Open up a Vitamin E Liquid Caps capsule and squeeze it out onto your problem area, gently rub in the liquid onto the raw skin. Let it sit for as long as you can and wipe it off before applying the 2-inch seal. I used the Vit E liquid on all my wounds and it really helps healing to begin.

My stoma is pulled in around the edges so it was always a problem. Using the smaller Eakin seal underneath always gives a tighter seal and usually works to heal the skin.

Magoo

Magoo,

Thank you for the vitamin E tip. I will have to try that... Does it have a problem sticking after you wipe it off?

The rings swell up too much around my stoma (even with some room) my stoma gets strangled. I have tried skin protective sheets too, but they are too thick for my stoma.

I get it! If I take off the wafer with the 2+4 inch Eakin seals the same day I put them on, I find that the seals have melted and merged. But the smaller one has melted into that troublesome gap/dip that is around the stoma, and this usually works for me.

So sorry you have this problem. I hope you can find a solution, Beth.

Thank you, Mayoman. I am sure trying everything and searching...

I'm sorry this is happening to you, Beth. I use Brava alcohol-free paste (Coloplast) around my stoma. But I guess if you are already speaking with Coloplast, they would have suggested it. So I will just send loads of love and positive vibes your way, my friend.

Thank you, abeforeman, for all your support. I really appreciate it.

Hey Sally,

I did try the paste, which the first time it seemed to work. Then the next 3 times it didn't, and then one other time it did. Then my stoma had a weird reaction, lol. Then I held off for a while, tried again, no idea... I know it doesn't make any sense...

It must be so frustrating.

Good advice, Mayoman. Are Eakin seals different than the seals made by other manufacturers? Not everything is available here and they cost ten times as much as in the US. Are Coloplast seals just as good? What's in Eakin that has skin healing properties? Best wishes.

Hi Beth

Have you tried this, worked well for me

https://www.3m.com/3M/en_LB/p/d/v000123657/

There was a fella on this site that used small pieces of "3M Micropore Tape" directly over the irritated skin underneath the appliance until it had time to heal, the tape sticks to moist skin and the appliance sticks to the back of the tape, he said it worked very well, cheap and readily available at most pharmacies. I tried to find the thread but couldn't locate it. May give you some relief until you get it sorted.

You will get a handle on this, will just take a little time unfortunately.

Axl

Hello all, if you can get ahold of this, it is called CORONA ointment. I use this every time I get that nasty rash or if my skin is red from having to wait for changing my bag. You can find it online. I use it for lots of other things also, like cracked hands, on my feet when they dry out. I put it on baby diaper rashes and it's gone. If you can sit without a pouch on and wrap towels in case the ass decides to talk crap, you can clean up easily when you let air get to your skin. It helps with the healing. Good luck, many adventures already.

Hi, so I heat up my pouches with a blow dryer. It makes them stickier! And I have a flat stoma too. I use a one-piece drainable Hollister mini pouch 88725. It has a super soft flexible flange that helps with flat stomas.

Hey cat,

I use the blow dryer trick too. Isn't it wonderful that way? I tried Hollister. I was so allergic, it was crazy. I am so happy though that Hollister works for you, with you being flush too and having no issues. That's amazing!

Hey Sally,

It really is. I had my meltdowns yesterday. Lol, trying to keep chucking and I have to go back to fighting for a solution.. Somehow, someway, I will find one. Lol, there has to be.

Hey Axl,

That is great news to hear.. Sounds hopeful. I have not tried that yet but I am definitely going to. And the wafer sticks the back of the tape ooo I am intrigued. Gonna try this!!

Wee-wee,

I like your sense of humor in there .. in case your ass tries to crap on you, I love it. Lol! Some days, I can let her sit out for a while, a good while, and other times she acts all nice and quiet and BOOM she starts rolling after like 3 minutes .. but the cream, do you put it on, leave it for a while, and wipe it off?

Hey Axl,

I just clicked on the link you posted.. Is it the Calivon spray you tried? And I just looked up the tape you mentioned and I am highly allergic to that tape.. Bummer, darn it!!

Hi, the soft squishy material the Eakin Seal is made from is the same material they use on diabetic ulcers. This material promotes healing of weepy/bloody raw flesh. It is infused with vitamins, etc., to help regrow skin. I put a new clean piece of this on a cut I had on my finger, and it healed in 1/4 the time it should have taken!

All these seals probably have the same makeup, but I've only used Eakin. When I use the 2-inch around the stoma and put the 4-inch on top, there is a new layer of skin grown in one day! I peeled it back to have a look at the progress and was pleasantly surprised!

The Hollister bags I use have a stiff plastic pad with the sticky stuff on the underside. This stiff plastic is curved in at the hole for the stoma, so it pushes down around the edge of the stoma, forcing the 2-inch seal down around the stoma edge, creating a tight seal. The 4-inch seal secures everything in place. Then a strip of Micropore 3M tape on all four sides.

This has virtually stopped leaking when I do it very carefully.

Magoo.

Yes, it's the spray. I used it for a long time. For a while there, many here have used it. Less is more, and spray it on the back of your hand to get a feel for it. And you're allergic to the tape, damn...

Hello

Yes, if you can let the cream absorb for a long time, it is best. Then use soap and water to clean up. They also make this stuff that is called Meda Honey. You can buy this also. It isn't cheap, but it also helps with healing. One of the things I have learned is sometimes you just have to sit without covering your stoma, letting air heal the skin. All the shit we have to use just to hope the seal stays on. It is like makeup. After a while, you need to do a deep cleaning to get the skin good and clean. I use hand sanitizer, the strongest on the shelf, for the whole time I have had this ostomy. It's been a pain, so believe me when you think life wants to take a crap on you, we have a first-person view of life taking a crap on us.

Ok. I get it. Thanks.

Hey Beth, I hate to say it but the real solution to this is to see an ostomy nurse or even a gastro who can hook you up with a surgeon to do a revision to pull the stoma out about an inch. I had the exact same problem and that was the best thing I ever did for myself. It is a very minor revision and you can be out next day. When I did it, I took full responsibility and signed myself out of the hospital on the same day of the revision. I never had a problem after that 30+ years. Mike

Supreme,

I agree.. I went to my surgeon over 2 months ago for that reason and he isn't going to, says she is working (her flow is good) so he isn't touching it. Stoma nurse say she looks healthy.. and tried telling them yes she is healthy and moving but uhhh nothing else works and it's leaking.. I am moving shortly so I will have to find another doctor. So you said you had yours done.. how is it afterward.. is the healing and swelling the same as when you had the first surgery?

.

Hi Beth, I've been reading through all this good advice you've been getting and all the strategies you have been trying. I'm so sorry you are having to go through this. It sounds like you have really tried pretty much everything, and I have to agree with Paul that a revision might be your only answer. Isn't it funny (not funny, ha ha) how your surgeon says she won't touch it because it's working. I guess it's easy to say that if you don't live with a stoma yourself! If you are moving anyway, another surgeon will hopefully be a little more compassionate and use some empathy. In the meantime, it sounds like you've got a few more tricks to try out. I sure hope you can find something to get you through until then. Sorry that I don't have anything else to suggest. It sounds like you are hanging onto your sense of humor though, so good for you!

Terry