Struggling to Keep Bag On - Need Help

I've tried the paste, barriers, tape, nothing, the belt, nothing works for me. It depresses me fully...... I thought my life would be easier...... It's really not. I'm really struggling.

The wafer isn't staying on?

No matter what I use, they all start to peel off or leak, or don't suck.

I used to never have a leak for 7 months. Then I had to switch to a smaller wafer. Now they generally last 3 days. Make sure your area around is only water cleaned. No soap, lotion, oil, or baby wipe residue on your skin. I use Convatec products to clean and remove adhesive residue, then use a barrier type wipe. Making sure it's 3 or so seconds and semi-tacky. They also make a rubber cement type of glue specifically for ostomy wafers. It makes it very difficult to remove. And have only used it where leaks tend to be. Making sure it's very thin and nearly dry/tacky. Hope it helps you. Convatec makes really great ostomy products and they are very helpful if you speak to a rep.

Sorry you're having such a hard time on the wafers sticking, hang in there. Everything has a learning curve and we're all here to help and trade tricks we learn.

My process is to lay out your stuff beforehand. The cold weather is here and warming up the paste, wafer, and anything else that needs to be sticky. I use a heating pad on the lowest setting and place things on top when I am in the shower so the glue is sticky.

A good shower and cleaning of the area with soap without moisturizer for the area is a good start. Remove everything to get a good cleaning and gently clean the area but do not rub too hard. You do not want to irritate the skin.

Let the area dry out and if possible breathe before putting on application works great. Start with adhesive remover to clean off any residue and then wipe with a wet paper towel to clean off the remover chemical. Next, a barrier prep wipe is applied to make the area sticky, let it dry.

My trick is to place the ring barrier around my stoma on the skin and put the paste around the opening on the wafer hole sticky side then put it on.

The surgeon had a friend he worked on and he shared his trick. It only works on 2-piece systems. Buy a PVC pipe fitting, it must be round. Mine is a 1-inch to 1-1/4 adapter. I press it over my stoma with the opening allowing my stoma on the inside of it, the sides of the fitting press inside the flange of the wafer and push the barrier ring into the paste. The paste will squeeze through the voids in the opening of the wafer and your stoma sealing it up and bonding them together and against your skin right up to the edge of your stoma where leaks start and failures occur. The fitting will pull away any excess paste. Add half-moon rings to the wafer on the sides for added security. Finish up the rest of the process from there.

Most I have heard some have gone from 2-5 days on the wafer. I replace the bag 2-3 days because of the filter getting wet and failing but have got up to 10 days on the wafer without a failure. That is pushing the limits of the adhesive because the bond will break down over time from sweat and dry out which can cause failure. I would not recommend that length of time for skin health but it is possible if you're short on supplies. High watery output can shorten the duration of changes also.

Winter time is normally when I have seen people having the most issues.

Hope this helps.

How to Adjust to Life with an Ostomy with Bruce | Hollister

Hi Kayc,

I think we need some more info to help you out. What products are you currently using and how exactly do you prep your skin and apply the barrier? And what exactly is the problem - peeling or leaking or both? I won't go down the rabbit hole and make suggestions until we better understand what you're doing. Is your skin in good shape or is it red, weepy, or irritated? What shape is your stoma, and is it at skin level or above? What's your skin like around your stoma - level, folds, dips, etc? Have you talked to any ostomy nurses about the problem? We'll get you straight, but we need a bit more info to see what we're dealing with.

;O)

Hello Kayckay.
All the above suggestions are worth a try. Eventually I gave up and used my own 'homemade/bespoke' baseplates, onto which I stick the wafers. I stick my baseplates with prosthetic glue (I use Probond but I'm sure most prosthetic glues would do the trick). I also use a belt to keep the baseplate firm, but I have found that after a while, it has stuck so firm that i feel confident that it would remain in place without the belt.

It's all about experimentation to see what works for each individual. I wish you luck in finding your own solutions.
Best wishes

Bill

Another question is: where are you storing your products? If they become damaged from moisture, humidity, heat, or extreme cold, the adhesive won't work properly.

After I clean and adhere everything. Barrier ring included. I put a heating pad on the device to warm everything and it sticks better.

Here is what works for me. I always shower with my pouch off on 'change day', and give my stoma and surrounding skin a good soaping up, and rinse really well. I have been told by more than one ostomy nurse and by ostomy products reps, that clean, dry skin, with nothing added, no oils, lotions, wipes, sprays, nothing, just clean dry skin, is the best surface for your wafer to stick to. Make sure the surface is really dry, and warm the wafer with your hair dryer for about 30 seconds before applying. Once you've applied it, hold it in place firmly with your full hand covering the whole area for a full minute, or more (I do 90 seconds). It makes a big difference, and I get six days wearing time. If you are not already wearing a convex wafer, try that too. It made a big difference for me. Good luck!

Terry

What brand appliances are you using? Are you using both the barrier and an extra hydrocolloid ring? Not being weird, just asking if you shave any hair around the site? I find keeping the area hair-free, clean, and most importantly dry when applying a new kit. Any moisture will keep it from sealing. I also can suggest that you use a heating pad to warm up your disc will allow it to bond to your skin better.

I just ordered a heating pad. I was using the hair dryer but I like the idea of a heating pad.

Just one caveat I should mention here. I'm assuming that your skin is healthy. If it is damaged/irritated and raw, you do need to use something to get a dry surface for application, i.e., a barrier ring, powder and spray/wipes, etc. These products do have their place for sure. If your skin surface is healthy, less is more. The ostomy nurses and product reps have all told me that.

Terry

This is probably not a problem that can be answered with chat. W30bob above made good points.

To solve this problem is with a certified enterostomal nurse who will look at prep techniques, surrounding scars, creases, and what happens when you move and bend.

Good luck.

Be patient, there is a solution.

It's a pity because in England I've found these marvelous "infusion independent" wipes! They're like a lollipop on a stick - they really do the job. I wondered if you tried Amazon or a stoma-related site,

Hey, darling! If you use lotion to keep dry or ashy skin at bay, you have to completely skip the area of which your wafer occupies.

A tiny dab of body cream on the inside edge of your wafer can dismantle your whole system in a day. If you're the active type, your wafer (and everything else) could be sliding off your bod within hours. Keep skin protectant pads (or rubbing alcohol pads) nearby to clear the skin where your wafer lies.

Hope this helps; good luck!

You are right perfectly.