Opinions for maximum comfort

Should I use the ease barrier strips with these or not? Those that have read my first post know I've dealt with painful pulling around the top (where the tape would be on other appliances). These are Convatec brand Sur-Fit Natura Stomahesive barriers for better reference.

I’m just guessing here since I don’t use anything like that but I’d say you don’t necessarily need to add the extra barrier strips unless those barriers aren’t sticking properly. Plus, since your new, I’m guessing you’re not super active so needing extra protection shouldn’t be needed. Like I said, just a guess. 

I'm using these right now and find that they stick really well. However, if you try to flip a corner or lift it at all it doesn't go back to sticking as securely. I've tried products from Hollister, Convetec and Coloplast in the one month I've had my ileostomy. This barrier product is pretty secure on it's own and I'm an active person (already). I've also showered with it on and it stays put. My only issue is that the overall size of the barrier is big to me. It covers my midline incision and I'm tempted to trim it but don't want to lose security. I'm looking at one piece options that don't have this big adhesive area. I'm a small person and it takes up a lot of real estate on my body. 

Have you tried a kid sized bag?

These I think are actually a smaller size, and I too have an incision that's still healing so when I measure, mark and cut my stoma I shift the stencil over just a tad so the wafer is a bit more offset if that makes sense. What size is the one you're using?

That's actually kind of funny, after the initial onset of my issues last May and the resulting weight loss I am actually getting my daughters outgrown clothes....

Also, do you use rings or paste with them?

I haven't tried the paste. I did try a Hollister ring Cera Plus and hated it. I used it because my skin was getting weepy under my stoma so I wanted to protect it. It took forever to get the adhesive off of my skin. Won't use that again. I'm thinking because my stoma size was changing that my skin was exposed. It healed quickly without using any product and adjusting the size of my barrier opening. I am finding that the Convatec wipes work really well, both the adhesive remover and the skin prep version. 

It's on my list of things to try. :)

I just measured yesterday and I'm at 22mm. It's changed a lot in the last 2 weeks. 32mm to 29mm to 25mm to 22mm. My surgery was 12/3/22. 

I did notice my first change with this system using the ring it was a bit more work to remove the adhesive left behind, not to mention the rings were hard to work with and manipulate....no preheating means it's not pliable, too much makes for a hot sticky mess, I'm thinking about trying the paste this round. My stoma is ovalish so getting that perfect fit isn't easy.

I was actually asking about the wafer size, sorry....I can't really tell by the package the size but this is the label information.

Oddly enough my surgery was 11/29/22...just a few days before yours.

Oddly enough my surgery was 11/29/22...just a few days before yours.

If you’re having an issue with removing the sticky residue, you should really try the adhesive remover spray to take your wafer/ring off. Mine literally falls right off with about 4 little squirts. Then, I take two adhesive remover wipes to get around my stoma well even though there’s basically nothing left to take off. If you’re having a hard time getting a barrier ring to fit around your stoma, just apply it to your wafer/bag opening and stick the whole thing to your body, that’s how I do mine. 

Before I got established with a supplier and was getting limited equipment from the hospital and home health, I was only given the wipes, not the spray. I do have spray now but just hadn't tried it yet.

👍. It doesn’t take much spray, let it do the work for you. The wipes work well to do a final cleaning but the spray is ideal for getting the bag/wafer/ring off. 

Hi WF thats the product i use, and if i get irritation usually at the bottom of my stoma i put some paste on the wafer in that spot, but i have a dip in my skin at the bottom of my stoma so i put a peice of a ring there i stick it to the wafer and flatten it some, i get 3full days and change it the morning of the 4th day.   

I decided to try paste this time, just squeezed it all around the perimeter of the stoma hole on the inside of the flange before putting it on, we will see how that goes. So far I haven't really had irritation because of leaks (close to stoma), more so because of adhesive around the outer edges. Do you use any kind of tape or strips around the outside of the wafer?

Hi WF i use a pink tape from walmart called nexcare and tape around the wafer before i shower or swim.

I have a urostomy and I have learned through experience preparation is the key to having a skin patch to actually stay in place for a decent amount of time what I have learned is that after it's cleaned and washed thoroughly around the stoma, now this will sting but you take an alcohol alcohol pad and clean the skin where the patch is going to go down this will take off any residue from your shower or your cleanup any lotions from the soap that will keep your patch from sticking and next if you have any kind of cuz her hair or anything like that it will cause your patch to come loose sooner so just take a disposable razor and clean up around the stoma being careful not to cut the stoma now I use a no stick skin prep pad from Hollister what this does is it smooth the skin very well and it leaves just a very tad bit us a stick it helps the patch stick to it very well and washes right off when you go to clean up but remember the big thing is preparation of the skin areas most important to make the rest last

Good question. We use both a ring and paste along the left side. Plus the groups recommendation of using a belt was the best ever. It really made a big difference holding everything in place.

Pretty sure I tried this one. I did have leakage issues with it. But I couldn’t use the extended barrier strips bc my skin was allergic to something in them so I was stuck with what I could do with silicone tape. I ended up with a different system.