STOMA PLUGS

STOMA PLUGS.


I think stoma plugs are great
but that’s because I irrigate.
They are a very useful tool
so I will use them as a rule.


Most of the time the stoma plug
will slide right in and fit quite snug.
then when it does it works quite well
to stem the flood and quell the smell.


Although they’re not a panacea
I think they are a great idea.
They’re not without their problems though
as in these verses I will show.


There were some things that troubled me
when I first plugged my Ostomy.
Because they took me by surprise
and meant I had to compromise.


There has been more than just one day
when plugs from wafers came away.
Then they got stuck way down inside
there their end just seem to hide.


At first I searched the stoma spout
to find a way to get it out.
No doubt it was a quandary
as to how I’d pull it free.


Then as I looked around my shed
I found a tool to use instead.
Some forceps made of stainless steel
transposed it into no big deal.


Now when it happens I’m not scared
for now I know I’m well prepared.
It’s just another job to me
to pluck those plugs from ostomy.


B. Withers 2013

Hey Bill, what brand plug are you using? My first ones are Coloplast. Anxious to see how well they work. How long can you wear them typically? Thanks, Gary.

Hello Garfish.I use the Conseal 45mm plug from Coloplast and they are really quite reliable.Don't let the rhyming verse put you off as the plug has only come away from the wafer a couple of times in thousands of usages. I tend to write poems when things go wrong to capture the moment and the experience but usually it's no big deal. I feel sure the plug would have been pushed out by the motions and peristalsis given time and it's not as if they would do much harm whilst waiting.I have no idea how long they would last as I irrigate every night and have a change of plug each morning. I seem to recall that in past posts people have talked of not needing to irrigate for a couple of days or more. However, I only lasted a day and a half and it proved to be inconvenient(excuse the pun) not to be in complete control of timing so hence it's every night for me.

Understood, thanks for the output (pun intended). Can't wait to try them.

Hahaha, I love it!!!! Thanks Bill

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

OMG!!! Where can I get these plugs??? I live in the U.S. and have never heard about them. I irrigate every other day. I went against all odds though. Not my doctors, surgeon, or nurses advised me on this. I found out on Google, haha! When I went back to all my doctors' appointments, you should've seen their faces when I told them what I was doing and how. So I told them all to Google stoma irrigation if they wanted more info on this procedure, hahaha!!! Please, someone tell me how I can go about getting these plugs. Coloplast in the U.S. doesn't carry them.

Hello B.red. Thanks for the comment on the verse - It's much appreciated to know that others have enjoyed the read. Best wishes Bill

Hello 619newbie. whilst I am really happy with the Coloplast plugs I cannot help myself with continual experimentation. At present I'm trying to obtain some Hiko calving teats with a 6mm hole which I think might do the same job with a bit of wafer additional adaptation. I will of course let you all know if it works.Best wishes Bill

Can someone with an ileostomy use a plug?

Hello Emma.The stoma plug is generally used by people who are irrigating. The irrigation technique washes out the faeces in the large intestine and leaves us free from output for at least a day. The plug helps ensure that 'if' there is any residue then it stays within the stoma until it's time to irrigate again. Unfortunately people with an ileostomy are advised that they should not irrigate so they 'suffer' with a relatively constant output, therefore the stoma plug seems a bit irrelevant. Another consideration is that the faeces for people with a colostomy tends to have more moisture removed by the time it's ready to come out so the faeces is slightly harder and is therefore stopped by the plug. With an ileostomy the output tends to be more liquefied so I'm not sure if the plugs would work in the way that they were intended as they are porous enough to let air through and so may well also let the liquid through as well. I do not know if there are any medical reasons why people with an ileostomy would not be able to use a plug but as my previous comments indicate I feel that there might be very little advantage in doing so. Also - always get advice from a professional when trying out new things as they 'may' know stuff that we don't! Best wishes Bill

Bill, how do females respond to your situation? I am trying to date again. I went on a couple of dates and found that the men would not go forward with me. I want to move forward, I just don't know how. I was sick for so many years. I am 60 now and so ready for a relationship. When do you tell someone????

Hello Emma, Thanks for asking this question as I feel a little bit flattered that someone would think that I might have an answer. I have been married for nearly 50 years so my experience of dating new people is somewhat limited and looking back beyond 50 I recall that I was never much good at dating from the off. However,I have learned a lot from other people along the way and I can therefore give you the benefit of what wisdom I have accumulated.
Firstly, a problem like having a stoma is not usually 'the' problem in a relationship. The biggest problem is a psychological one in that it is about how 'you' perceive it. If it is a 'problem' for you then it's going to be seen as a problem for whoever you share it with. If you can get into the frame of mind where the stoma is not a 'problem' for you, then you will be less likely to be passing on your own psychological anxieties to a potential partner. Secondly, We all have our good points and bad points and many aspects that are pretty neutral. If you have control over the psychology of the situation then that leaves the physical. If you have an overwhelming desire to tell someone that you had a physical fault of any kind then I would suggest that you have not yet got control over the emotional/psychological side of things. Relationships that are based on the physical are shallow and likely to fall apart as soon as the physical aspects start to deteriorate.( At 60 you will know what I'm talking about) However, relationships that are based on the psychological, attitudinal and personality elements of people tend to be much more resilient to the pressures of daily life than those based on false assumption that we only like people who are perfect physically. IF you don't let the stoma bother 'you' then why should you share what is a physical problem with someone else until such time as they find out for themselves.
Most older people who find suitable partners do so because they value their company, not their physical attributes so I would suggest that you stop worrying about the stoma and just go out and enjoy yourself in the company of others. Whether you tell people you have a stoma or not is a choice you would need to make for yourself but just bear in mind that 'IF' having the stoma poses a 'problem' for you then sharing it with someone else is laying the problem on them. Think of it another way, many people- particularly women feel that their age is a problem so they try to hide the reality. Age is not the problem! it's the perception of age that poses the problem for some people. Those who ignore it or have come to terms with it simply don't have a problem with it at all.
I hope this helps in your deliberations on the subject of relationships. Best wishes and good luck.
Bill