Need advice for itching near stoma under plastic

I need some advice. I have been itching like crazy just under the plastic right by my stoma. I can't get under there to scratch so I don't know what to do.

That usually means you have sprung a leak, unfortunately.

Yes, I agree with Latina. When I start itching in that area, it means it's time to change the stupid thing; even if it's before your usual changing day. Something has gotten in between your skin and the plastic area. I get in the shower and spray the stoma and area around with gentle spray on the showerhead, warm water, wipe around the stoma with a clean, wet washcloth, then dry as well as I can. I usually use the wafer to fan it more dry. Some use their hair blowers.

An itch under the flange may be the first indication of a leak. It may also be telling you that you should shave the hair growing around the stoma more frequently. You could actually have a very securely mounted flange but also suffer from hair-pull irritation. So, do a little crime scene investigation and remove a supposedly good flange and see if the condition continues. My itching is fairly quickly resolved with a few passes of a good razor blade over the affected areas. Good luck and let us know your results.

PB

I'm almost always dehydrated when it starts to itch really bad. Try drinking water or a sports drink?

My Ostomy Journey: Bruce | Hollister

Best thing I have found for the itch is using an aloe plant..or calamine lotion...

And your leaking for sure...change the wafer, clean area, apply aloe or calamine lotion, let set, apply a skin barrier or something then your wafer and bag

Thats the way I was taught by an ostomy nurse

Lots of fluids but stay away from sports drinks. They do no good and have no proven benefit and are more likely to make you hypersensitive. Good advice here though: shave the area and keep it shaved; use pure soap to clean around the area, dry the area properly after washing and use a hair dryer; use a barrier fluid such as 3M's Cavillon around the stoma between your skin and the dressing.

Gin dulls the itch when taken internally, with ice and a slice. Invite your friends round and it will take your mind off it.

The most likely cause of your itchiness is a leak. Leaks usually form on the downslope toward your surgical incision, navel, and/or body midline.

If leakage is the problem, also check for candidiasis (a fine, red rash). My ostomy class (I'm a nurse) taught us to treat with antifungal powder rather than lotion because candidiasis is caused by moisture, and lotion is... moist. Apply the powder as lightly and evenly as possible, and gently rub it into the skin. Then pat skin barrier over the powder before applying a new pouch. This method has worked well with my patients and my spouse.

Words of caution and frugality using this method: do not use barrier prep pads containing alcohol over broken skin - it stings something fierce! If you have alcohol-containing pads, use them directly over a rash. For the frugality part - my hospital pharmacy substituted much cheaper foot powder for Nystatin powder, and it worked just fine.

Hi Pammer. I see you are a female. Most likely you have no hair under the baseplate. If you do, I would try shaving the hair. If you do not have hair there, and when you remove the baseplate you do not have stool in the area of the itch, obviously neither one of those is your problem. I get itching also. I am extremely sensitive to all adhesives. I get a rash from tape. You should have seen my belly when I had the woundvac on my abdomen. Anyway, you might want to try a skin prep on the skin prior to applying the baseplate. I use Hollister Skin Gel Protective Dressing Wipe - Hollister #7917. I am not allergic to it. I like the gel because it has enough product in it for three layers. I cut the top off and take out the pad, wipe the skin and let it dry. I then do it a second time and let it dry. At this point, I pour the rest out of the packaging onto the pad and wipe a third time and let it dry. Make sure you let it dry completely. It should not be sticky to the touch, your fingertip should glide over it. This helps me tremendously. I also use a Hollister system, a cut-to-fit convex, not the extended wear baseplate and I can get usually four, possibly five days out of one. Hope this helps you, nothing worse than an itch you cannot scratch!!

Nickie

Hi Pammer - like nbaker, I'm a female, no hair under the flange and no leaks when I itch.

I too, am very sensitive to the adhesives. Funny thing is that the issue comes and goes.

But when itchy I use Stomadhesive powder and dab with skin prep (don't rub). Let it dry. Repeat.

If a rash develops, I use nystatin powder/skin prep pad dab.

Hope you get some itch relief soon.

You might be allergic to the adhesive, so change brands. There are lots of them and they will all send you free samples. Click on the link on the home page.

One other thing that no one mentioned that really works is to give your skin a nice dose of air contact when you change. If you can manage it, try to go 20-30 minutes (or less or more, whatever you can manage) before applying a new pouch. Watch a little TV and have some toilet paper ready to catch any rogue output. This does wonders for me when I get a bout of rash or itchy skin.

Also, itch and rash seem to come and go, so hang in there. We all experience it sometimes.

I agree, the itchy can be a sign of leakage but also you might just be broke out. I agree with Hotrock, the best thing I have found for this is to "curst" as my ostomy nurse said and that is to use the powder followed by the 3M Cavillon pads to spread it around and protect that area.

Yes, I agree with all. I had that bad itch at first. I began to make sure I rinsed my stomach area very well. Also, I was at first allergic to adhesive wipe removers. Now, 5 years in, I still get an itch every now and again. Lol. And so it is.

Could also be a yeast problem.

I too am allergic to the adhesive remover wipes and the pain and itching that went with it! Oh my.

I have found that less is more with Tomi, my Colostomy. If I used all those lotions and potions, creams and wipes, Tomi totally rebelled and itched like crazy. Now I only use the barrier cream if he's got a problem. Otherwise, I use nothing on the skin.

However, if he's itchy and rashy, I use Stomahesive powder teamed with Coloplast's Barrier Cream.

Then I whack on a fresh appliance and slap on a new bag and wait to see how long it takes for Tomi to complain. If he's really itchy, he'll splutter within a half hour, but most of the time I don't hear a grumble from him for days.

Tomi sprung a leak recently because I trapped some of his flesh between the appliance and my stomach. It caused a blister and that wept for days and caused itchy skin and a whole host of appliance failures. Not fun.

So remember to look at the underside of your stoma to see if there are pressure sores or blisters - I got my mom to check for me seeing as I couldn't see all that well - and if there are sores or red patches, puff on some stomahesive powder and you should be okay.