Blood on wafer of appliance

Hi, me again with another question! Has anyone had small amounts of blood on the wafer of the appliance? I try to cut the wafer to the size of the stoma all has been good until now. My stoma changes sizes all the time (is this normal?) and sometimes it’s flush with my skin and sometimes it pops out ugh it’s never the same. On the last 2 bag changes I noticed there is blood on the rim of the wafer. I’m sure it’s from the wafer rubbing on the stoma but I don’t know how to stop it. I tried cutting the hole a bit bigger and now I have raw skin. I have a colostomy and use coloplast drainable 1 piece. I already use 1/2 a mouldable ring because I have a small dent under the stoma so now I tried using 3/4 of the ring around the stoma…. So how do I prevent the ring or appliance from rubbing my stoma and making it bleed?? Maybe it’s from sleeping or bending. Anyone have any advice or suggestions?? 

Yep, your stoma will changes sizes all the time…..it’s ALIVE. 😁 what’s a bit bigger? Mine isn’t perfectly round but I cut my hole round, so it’s tight on this edge but a little skin showing on that edge, if that makes sense.  🤷‍♂️ Do you rinse your bag when you empty? Do you shower with no bag? Use Head and Shoulders on your peristomal skin? IMO, and I’m just a dumb guy, rinsing your bag when you empty, showering/airing out your skin with no bag on, and using Head/Shoulders on your peristomal skin works wonders to keep your skin in good health. I very rarely have irritated skin by doing these 3 things. 

Hi,  my stoma does the same thing yours does, the stoma is a living organ and it can bleed, my nurse said that is ok as long as stoma is red in color (blood flow). And it can be cauterized to stop bleeding, the, moldable ring with the larger hole, is what I use my stoma is an oval shape, and after I us/e the skin Hi prep and powder, I lock in the powder with a second I skin prep sheet, the skin prep and powder will heal your skin. The dip you have you could put pastes to fill in the dip, or moldable strips. Coloplast has every thing you need, best of luck to you.

I used to cut the wafer hole very close to the size of my oblong stoma.  Result was "uncomfotable" feeling most of the day.  And occasional stinging feeling.  Also had red spots around my stoma's base. 

I changed my method, now use a moldable barrier ring. 

I fit the ring around my stoma, then cut the wafer hole much bigger than my stoma.  So the ring seals around my stoma, and the wafer seals to the ring.  Very comfortable and no more stinging or red marks.

I have a colostomy.  And it changes size all the time.  And it sticks out a lot, then later shrinks back.  It is a little beast.

Hi Moe

As others are indicating it sounds like the edge of your appliance where you make the cut might be nicking the stoma and making it bleed, no big deal it will happen. What you don't want to see is obviously a huge slice in your stoma so just make adjustments as you go. After you make the cut also run your finger around the cut edge to smooth it incase there are any sharp bits.

Hello MoeMoe.
Sorry that you are having these sorts of problems as they are sometimes difficult to find an effective solution to, especially if one’s stoma changes shape or size.
Recently, I had a prolapse of my stoma where it suddenly popped out and became much bigger than normal. The result was that the wafer cut through the stoma almost all the way round (What a ‘bloody’ mess!).
I have tried all sorts of rings and things before, with some success but they would never have coped with this sort of situation.
I decided to try a Salts Dermacol stoma collar (www.salts.co.uk) 
These collars need to be accurately measured to fit the stoma and work quite well as long as the stoma ‘fits’ (and is reasonably ’round’).
This design seemed ideal, but would have been no good for my situation where the stoma expanded suddenly and dramatically.
I tried adapting a cut-off condom, but it needed a ‘special’ baseplate to keep it in place and that became too much of a hassle to be doing on a DIY basis. 
So, back to the Salts stoma collar. I ordered two different sizes for experimental purposes. 
One was just right to fit the ‘normal’ size of my stoma and one was two sizes too big, which left a small gap between the stoma and the collar.
I redesigned my own baseplates to facilitate the stoma collar with a gap, which was filled with folded-up toilet paper, wrapped right around the stoma, and held in place with a plastic screw-on lid ( made from a hand cream jar) with the bottom sliced away so that any output could still escape into the bag. 
I have been using this device for about 4 months, and so far, it seems to be working well.
The toilet roll gets soaked with mucus and ends up a bit like wadding, but it is relatively easy to remove along with any output that has stuck to it.  The interesting thing is that the output no longer gets to the skin at the edge of the stoma, which is a bonus.
I haven’t tried using mouldable rings for this, but I think that they would probably work just as well as toilet roll. However, the toilet roll is so easy to dispose of down the loo along with any output.
I realise that not many people have the skills to make suitable baseplates and/or experiment in this way.
However, I would recommend trying Salts stoma collars.(with or without a ‘special’ baseplate)  I found the Salts staff very helpful in sending me different-sized samples for me to experiment with before deciding on which ones might work best.
 I do hope you manage to find a solution to your problem soon
Best wishes
Bill

Hi Double M,

  I think you've gotten some good advice.  For me I used to cut the barrier so it would snuggly fit around my stoma.  But although the skin side of the barrier is made of a material that will form around your stoma it's still bonded to the fabric on the outside, so it can't move or mold itself instantly.  After feeling some discomfort I switched to using a barrier ring, which I flatten with a rolling pin and stretch in all directions like a pizza dough before putting it on.  My stoma only sticks out maybe a 1/4 inch, so I don't want any extra thickness to my ring, just the sealing capabilities.  The ring, because it's not attached to any fabric top layer forms to your stoma very quickly (from your body heat).  So now I cut my barrier about a 1/16th to 1/8th inch bigger all around and first apply my barrier ring tightly around my stoma before sticking the barrier over the top.  I don't go nuts with the ring, just make sure it sits right up tight against the stoma, but not choking it.  I also cut my ring on one side thru the middle so when I apply it it's more like a piece of tape than a solid ring.  This way I can walk it around the stoma with one finger while guiding the rest around my stoma.  If any overlaps when I get completely around the stoma I just cut it off with my scissors.  I've never had a leak this way and it stops the harder barrier inside diameter from rubbing against my stoma when it changes shape.  The silicone rings I tried awhile back (Trio brand) are even better at changing shape to accomodate a stoma that changes drastically, but found adhesion to my skin not great (as others had experienced on here).  But those might be worth a try for you if you're so inclined.  They send free samples quickly.  I plan on trying them again, but this time only use a very small ring, maybe 5 mm thick or so just around my stoma, so the adhesion won't be an issue, as the barrier will keep it put. 

Also, I know that when I'm cleaning the area around my stoma while changing barriers.........even the slightest nick of my stoma with my finger can cause it to bleed.  It's literally a tube of blood vessels with the end cut off, so of course it will bleed easily.  If I do nick it I just hold some paper towel on it and hit it gently with the hair dryer on low to get it to clot quickly. 

I think with a little experimentation you'll get your problem fixed quickly.  

;O)

You got some great  advice from everyone  ... good luck.

Hi Alex! I shower with my bag on, I’m still scared not to LOL I do air out the skin on bag change day for about 30 minutes or so. How often do you rinse the bag? It grows and shrinks but not by much but sometimes it’s perfectly round and sometimes it’s not LOL so using head and shoulders, I would have to to that when the bag is off, helps?? Haven’t heard of it but I’ll try. Thx!! 

Wow - so many variables in our stoma worlds…. I precut my bag first then press barrier ring onto my bag making sure the barrier is tightly sealed (bonded) around the bag hole.  To do this I stretch the barrier ring to an appropriate size (after warming it a bit between my palms) and firmly press the two open holes (raw edges) together.  Then place the whole works over and very close to my stoma’s edge.

My rolling pin has never yelled from my kitchen “use me, use me” this may be the direct result of rarely using it in the kitchen so it is pretty much dormant.  I can only think of one reason I would want a rolling pin in the bedgroom (opps Freudian slip) bedroom and it is illegal!  Just joshing ya…

I have learned, on this site, that many have different “abilities or disabilities “ as the case may be.   There might be a good poem in this statement, Bill, and you may have already written it.  

For example - I have a hairless belly so I have come to realize some may have a STICK-ABILITY issue with that (hair growth) - my issue is AIM-ABILITY as I opted for cataract surgery where one eye sees close up the other sees distance resulting in perception issues.  Bottom line is - we are always learning new things on this site.  Some of the same issues pop up every day as new folks come along, some continue to learn even as things are repeated.  Right now I am still trying to grasp FIBER and DEHYDRATION   jb

You are right JB.
I have already written rhymes on ability and disability and have posted them on here, so I won't post them again just yet. (That is until I forget that I have done so before!!)
Best wishes

Bill

And perhaps I have read them before - but if it was any earlier than 10 minutes ago I will have forgotten by now…lol. jb 

Hello JB.
Thank you so much for this reply as it mirrors my own memory. (or lack of).
Sometimes I cannot even get to the end of writing a rhyme without re-reading it to remind me of what I have written!
However, the great advantage of getting old is that I have now got an acceptable excuse for this lack of memory, whereas when I was younger. this excuse did not seem valid. 
Best wishes
Bill

The best thing about having the ostomy surgery, I talked to my LPN (I call her my fairy godmother) and got a temp handicapped zone sticker!!!  How great is that!There is something good in EVERYTHING!!!

Yes, the “acceptable excuse” which I refer to as “The Old Peoples Card” and some days I must play it I usually try to avoid this card game tho the older I get the harder it seems to avoid…🙃jb

Bill, this is awesome!! IDK how you thought of that but that’s fantastic!! Wow!