Tips for Saving on Ostomy Supplies and Finding Affordable Options

I'm new to the ostomy world and totally overwhelmed by the differences in available products and the ridiculous prices of most of them. Some 2-piece pouches cost $10.00 each! Others are as low as $3.00. I realize it's a "get what you pay for" market, but how the heck do people afford this? The adhesive removal pads and liquids are beyond ridiculous. Yes, I realize they have to be gentle to skin, but $25 CAD for 30 ml? That's $833 per litre! These companies are taking advantage of a group of people who have nowhere else to turn. In order to have my purchases partially covered by my provincial medical coverage, I have to purchase them at a pharmacy that only offers specific brands (the most expensive). If I order them on Amazon, they're not covered. And if I try the cheaper brands, I imagine I'm going to have all sorts of issues. Hollister impresses us 'newbies' by sending a sample kit that's worth around $100, but all they have to do is sell two packages of pouches, and they've made the money back. I'm offended by this treatment, but I have no options. What do you do to cut costs? Are the less expensive products acceptable or a waste of money? Is there anywhere products can be bought in bulk? Why wouldn't I buy 50 pouches at once rather than make frequent trips to the pharmacy to buy 5-10 at a time? I'd appreciate any money-saving hacks that you use.

Hey, I am from Ontario and I know what you mean. Firstly, Ontario had an Adaptive Devices Program that gives you a grant of about $1K per year. In addition, you can get an income tax deduction (Disability Amount) to help you a bit more there. Otherwise, insurance if you got it. In terms of getting stuff in bulk, have you tried ordering your supplies online? There are a number of retailers. I use SCI Supply. They have been very good. It's all expensive though.

I afford it by paying my monthly insurance premiums through my work. I pay $0 for my ostomy supplies. There are lots of organizations out there that can offer donated supplies; maybe you can find something similar in your area. Good luck.

Hello Mummmeee.
Welcome to our world and thank you for posting such a pertinent question. 
I have long-since pondered on possible and probable reasons why almost all medical equipment is so expensive and have come to the conclusion that there is probably no single specific answer to that question. 
Over here in the UK we (as end users) do not have to pay for our stoma gear, so the question you raise does not often arise.
However, that should not be an excuse for complacency and, as you say: "I'd appreciate any money-saving hacks that you use" & "What do you do to cut costs? "., I'll take yet another opportunity to share my own approach  to this vexing subject. 
First of all I would like to reply to your comment: "And if I try the cheaper brands, I imagine I'm going to have all sorts of issues."
This seems to assume that you won't have all sorts of issues with the more expensive ones! Which is what happened to me when I first started on this journey.
I tried loads of different samples which all 'failed'. It was so frustrating, but nowhere near as frustrating as it might have been if I was paying upfront for this stuff. Also, (at the time) there were correspondents on here that were in a much worse position in other countries where they had virtually no supplies at all. This got me thinking about what I might do in that situation. I also thought about what was going wrong (for me) and how might I rectify that by making what I needed for myself. 
After much thought and experimentation, I decided that 'my' problem was that the manufactured items di not fit or stick adequately to my skin so I set about making my own baseplates, (which fit more precisely onto my stoma) to which I could either attach any old (cheap) plastic bag, or attach the manufactured items (which, for me, were still 'free'). I have even used condoms as an alternative to bags) and they work just as well, as long as the baseplate will accommodate them.
For the most part, I have used an adaptation of the manufactured 2 piece systems attached to my own baseplates. These can last a long time (sometimes months) with the right amount of care and cleaning. 
The DIY baseplates were deliberately made from recycled material which cost me nothing except time and effort to make them work (for me). 
I often think that it is this time and effort in research and development that possibly contributes to the high cost of our gear. Another factor is that the stuff doesn't last very long, so any 'hacks' that help with this will lower the overall costs to the consumers. 
My DIY 'system' works well in this regard, even though it is not strictly necessary for me. 
When thinking about this, I came to the conclusion that with making things to 'fit' each individual, we would have to approach it in a similar way to things like hearing aids or prosthetics, where the devices are tailor-made for each individual. If the individual cannot make them for themselves, then the upfront/initial cost would be high, but the long-term costs would be much lower,
In several previous posts, I have proffered the more modern concept of using 3D printers to get the baseplates to fit precisely.
However, in the meantime. I will still knock mine up in my shed with whatever is at hand. 

If you want some pictures of my own efforts, there are a couple on my profile.
Best wishes

Bill 

Forgot to mention that I'm retired, so I have only a portion of the coverage I had when employed. Haven't heard of donated supplies in Canada, but I'll search. Thanks.

My Ostomy Journey: Ryan | Hollister

I have actually considered the DIY approach to modify products to suit my needs, but since I'm still new to this, I actually believed that the available products were made to work properly. But you're correct - one-size-fits-all has always been a ridiculous concept. One of the immediate things I did was avoid purchasing the disposal bags that I was given as samples and, instead, I purchased a box of 600 Doggie Poop bags online. (Still disgusted that all this stuff is going into the landfill, but that's another issue).

Hello Mummmeee!

I live in Ontario, and right from the start (12 years ago), the fine people in the hospital helped me apply for the Adaptive Devices Program. In BC, you should be able to get help as well. Pharmacare?

https://www.ostomycanada.ca/ostomy-supply-reimbursement-in-british-columbia

I order my supplies from Canmeddirect.ca in Ontario. I'm not sure what's in BC.

Granted this is the US, not Canada, but eBay is your friend. No, they are not covered when buying on eBay ... BUT I have found pouches that work best for me for as little as $30-50 per box of 60. You have to hunt and wait for the bargains, but they are out there, and buying 60 at a time (or even 2 boxes, so 120) can give you a comforting feeling of "safety" and having enough supplies on hand not to run out. Here in the US, our problem is that Medicare limits the number of boxes you can get at one time to less than I actually use. So, eBay to the rescue.

Hi Mummee,

One thing I have found is that the adhesive removers and many other accessories are not necessary once you find the product that works best for you. I have had my colostomy for almost 2-1/2 years, and after much trial and error, I have settled on Coloplast Sensura Mio flat closed pouches. I get precut because I have arthritic hands, and the cutting is very difficult. To my surprise, they remove and restick easily multiple times and are very comfortable compared to the Hollister and Convatec.
You should contact each manufacturer to talk about your individual situation. They will recommend and send you samples for free, then follow up to make sure you have found something that works.

I hope you are able to find help with the cost.

You should qualify for the Disability Tax Credit with CRA. I attempted this but was denied. My surgeon wrote that the ostomy may not be permanent. However, if you check with the Ostomy Canada website, there are ways to get the proper medical specialist to write a letter supporting the disability. Join your provincial or local ostomy group, who should have a way to chat with members who have been through this. I know in Newfoundland, my local support group has a nurse practitioner who has written letters and gotten approval through CRA. The cost of supplies can go as a credit under medical supplies on your tax return as well. I have some supplies I can send to you that I am not using right now. You can send me a message if you are interested in them.

I've gotten my total cost down to $60 per year without insurance, averaging 12 days between bag changes, spending less than $2 per change. I have oily skin. So for me, saving money on bags is mostly about making the bags adhere longer between changes. I buy my supplies from Amazon, using cheap bags. I use a generic version of TegaDerm™ to extend the life of the bags and make them more reliable. TegaDerm™ is a very thin, flexible, breathable, waterproof urethane sheet typically used as a protective barrier in wound care, and also to protect new tattoos. I use it first between my skin and the bag because bags stick poorly to my oily skin. Then I adhere the bag and finally add a layer of TegaDerm™ 8” x 8” over the adhesive area of the bag. The bags are 5” in diameter, so there is at least a 1-1/2” border of clear TegaDerm™, giving plenty of warning when it's time to change the bag.

A side benefit is that total bag failures are no longer unpredictable or catastrophic.

It's a difficult process to master and nearly impossible for me to do by myself, partly due to my being overweight and unable to see over my belly to my stoma, and because my belly is shaped like a medicine ball. I need to come up with a hack for DIY when needed.

I've left out a lot of very important details – important because TegaDerm™ is incredibly difficult to work with. I really need to post some photos (or better, a video!) when I get my head above water.

Until then, a very simple hack is the careful use of a hair dryer, first to dry your skin, then to help your bag adhere.

[WARNING: Do everything by the book until your wound has completely healed. Any deviations might not be safe until the skin has grown back around your stoma!]

I buy my supplies on Amazon. I use Konweda bags at $1.40 each ($27.99 pack of 20).
My latest choice is all hydrocolloidal; without the bandaid-type adhesive rim (leaving more area with hydrocolloidal); with hook & loop closure; in clear.
KONWEDA KD-20-A (according to the box but not the Amazon photo!)
Per Amazon, ASIN: ‎B0BP6VHYW6

I buy generic TegaDerm in a 6” x 10 meter roll for $9.99, using one 6” x 6” piece and two 6” x 8” pieces per bag change totaling 6” x 22” per bag change, yielding 18 bag changes per roll at $0.56.

No adhesive remover. No lubricant. A little alcohol. Some dandruff shampoo that is antifungal to clean the skin around the stoma during changes. Occasionally some foaming organic baby wash for washing out the bag.

Thanks so much for all your suggestions. I have found that I get help through Pharmacare, but this only applies if I shop at the one pharmacy in town that sells supplies. As I become more familiar with the process of changing bags, etc., I find that I use fewer supplies and some I don't need at all. I still don't understand why there aren't more 'bulk buys' available, but maybe that will change in the future. I cringed at buying the plastic trash bags that were sold on ostomy sites, but, of course, there's a huge choice of other small bags on the market. I'm using, appropriately, doggie poop bags - got a great deal on a box of 600 on Amazon! Thanks again for all the help and thanks to Eric for this forum and VeganOstomy.

I've never looked at trash bags on ostomy sites, but I'm guessing they're expensive. I use the Walmart brand that is like $4 for when I change my stuff.

I have found that https://www.canmeddirect.ca/ has the best prices in Canada. https://shop.wellwise.ca/ currently has a 20% off sale, although that makes their prices about the same as CanMed. If you don't mind buying products from China, https://www.heagi.com/ has a Canadian distributor and their prices are significantly lower than Hollister, Coloplast, etc. My wife has tried them and they worked fine, although we prefer to stick with Hollister and use the Heagi as a backup supply. As someone else mentioned, check and see if BC has a program that provides financial assistance and remember that you can apply for a disability credit on your income tax.

Thanks to everyone for your comments and suggestions. This site is invaluable. Following your suggestions, I've applied for the Disability Tax Credit. I have to comment that I'm gobsmacked that a colostomy makes me 'disabled,' but my scoliosis caused by a lumbar spine infection does not fit the 'disabled' criteria. I lead a nearly 100% normal life with my ostomy. I lead a very limited life with my back issues. sigh Anyway, I've applied. I am also covered by provincial pharmacare, but I can only buy supplies at the one drugstore in town that sells them, so I get a 'prescription' receipt. This store doesn't put prices on products and has a very limited supply. But . . . . I checked with my extended health plan. Absolutely nowhere in my coverage booklet are ostomy supplies mentioned, so I sent an email and I'm very pleasantly surprised that I'm covered for $3,000 every 3 months!! This medical system is absolutely crazy. How could I possibly spend that much? But - don't look a gift horse in the mouth. I'll take it.