I got my illeostomy in 1978 and have always used the Hollister one piece with Karaya seal, which they discontinued last year. I am currently using a one piece with the Cera-ring which is working okay, but the price to use these is almost twice what I was paying for the others. I was told I would get 2 -5 days out of the new ones and so far am averaging about 2.5 days. At $15 a pop that adds up quick. Any suggestions as to something else or a way to elongate the usage time of the ones I am using currently? Thanks.
Cack
Jan 03, 2025 10:15 pm
Bill
Jan 04, 2025 9:21 am
Hell Cack.
Thanks for sharing your problem.
When I first started with a stoma, I had problems with almost all of the sample bags they sent me and I concluded that the issues lay with the wafers not sticking properly to my skin. My solution was to make my own baseplates and stick the bags to them. This resolved the issue and some of the bags lasted months.
There are photos of my baseplates on my profile, but (at first) they were simple free DIY devices made out of PVC skirting board, held on with a narrow belt and stuck with a prosthetic glue. Nowadays, I have adapted a convex , 2 piece, Assura irrigation press plate, 12820 60mm. which will accommodate a 12836 irrigation sleeves (which last about 6 months) and their equivalent 60mm bag (which lasts about a month or two - until it splits at the seam).
I do not need to worry about cost because the stoma equipment is supplied by the NHS on a free at the point of need. However, there is little point in wasting stuff that doesn't work, so finding solutions that do work seems to be the best way forward.
Many people on here do not need to resort to DIY, so hopefully you will get some replies that resolve the problems without having to make your own baseplates.
Best wishes
Bill
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Posted by: Primeboy
Hi Mike and all. I am not sure how panoramic my perspective really is as my peripheral vision shrinks with each passing year. I can tell you that when I came to this website six years ago I was truly ;impressed by the positive attitudes of so many members, especially the younger folks who refused to let their ostomies define who they were or what they would become. I also came to appreciate that having an ostomy is not the same thing as having a disease. Pardon ;my pun now, but ostomies and cancer don't belong in the same bag. One is a solution, the other is a problem. Celebrating National Ostomy Day ;is also well outside my comfort zone. That's like celebrating National Wheel Chair Day. Come on!
I think there is a ;need for improved ;public awareness of ostomies, but I am not sure how that's best done. There ;remains ;some social stigma attached to our situation, and it's acutely felt among our young. We need to get out of the dark ages on this issue, but not by going 'in your face' to everyone else. I think Bill and NDY are 'spot-on' when it comes to telegraphing the right message to friends and family. People will know how to react when they ;see ;how we accept the cards we were dealt. I also appreciate the contribution some people here are making to this effort through their publications.
On a personal note, my son has been suffering from ulcerative colitis for years just like I did. I am very concerned because people with UC are at a higher risk for colon cancer. Years ago my GI told me to get annual colonoscopies to be on the safe side. I am glad I did because he eventually found pre-cancerous cells which led to several surgeries and my becoming an ostomate. Since then I have always ;conveyed a positive attitude to ;my son about wearing a bag because it has kept me alive to enjoy many more years with my loved ones. I think he got the message. We both go to the same gastroenterologist in NYC and get scoped on the same day. Father and Son moments!
Someone once wrote that our children are the letters we write to the future.
PB
AlexT
Jan 04, 2025 12:36 pm
Could you go to a 2 piece system if the wafer part is cheaper than a 1 piece bag? I’ve never priced ostomy products so I don’t know if just the wafer on a 2 piece is cheaper than a 1 piece bag. 🤷♂️
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Hollister
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aTraveler
Jan 05, 2025 3:25 am
What is preventing you from using the appliance for more than 2-3 days 🤔
Cack
Jan 06, 2025 5:15 am
That is just how long they last. When I remove them after that time it is because the itch is driving me crazy and the seal has not held.
My Ostomy Journey: LeeAnne | Hollister
