Emergency Preparedness for Ostomates: Ensuring Supplies During Crisis

This is a topic I have never heard addressed, and I think needs to be. How do you make sure you have enough supplies on hand at all times during a crisis? What if you run out, or general emergency services can't help? Has anyone for a device that is reusable in this type of situation, or developed a sustainable system that can remedy this until supplies are available?

Same here, never heard this subject discussed on this site. During Hurricane or Superstorm Sandy that devastated the East Coast a few years back, we had no power, heat, phone, or internet for close to 10 days. I did, however, build up a "spare" cache of ostomy supplies by ordering the maximum allowable every month. I was able to get through that storm with extra supplies. I still have a pretty good amount of supplies that could get me 2 to 3 weeks through another emergency if need be. I'm not sure if there is anything out there reusable. Maybe a thorough cleaning before reusing!! Interested to hear other members weigh in on this.

Back in the 60's and 70's, wafers weren't disposable. They were made of a heavy rubber or plastic. We then put a gummy wafer on and used a type of "glue" on both the plastic/gummy wafer and on our skin. Both had to dry thoroughly before applying it to the skin, otherwise, it would cause a burn.

To my knowledge, there are no more "permanent" type wafers. Everything is disposable, but I've been in emergency situations and have creatively taken care of the issue. The wafer came off in the Dead Sea in Israel.... I pulled off my bathing suit, and off came the appliance. Without a private bathroom, it was a challenge, but I'm never without tape. So I got into a shower.... washed out the used appliance.... went to a dressing room... to dry off as much as possible, and then double-taped the mushy wafer back onto my skin and taped it to the pouch as well. It got me through a few hours until we got back to the hotel. Did I learn a lesson.... always to have supplies with me? Nope. Silly me. I guess I live on the dangerous side.

But for home purposes, I stash away extra supplies "just in case".

Even though I usually wear closed pouches, I keep a box of drainable ones as well as a box or two of wafers and a tube of stomahesive. I always carry a few extra supplies in my purse for emergencies if I'm not at home. Is there an expiry date on supplies? I know extreme temperatures can affect the seals and adhesives, but they must break down over time.

I put all I need in a ziplock and put it in my jacket. My wife also has a kit in her purse. For anything overnight or longer, I have a pouch loaded with 3 or 4 of everything. That is the Boy Scout in me.

Keep a kit in the car, kit in the office, kit in a backpack, kit in a briefcase, etc.

Kit is: flange cut to size, pouch, stomahesive paste, wipes, disposal bag.

All courtesy of the much maligned but incredible UK National Health Service.

It makes me weep to hear that people cannot afford the supplies that they need. Keep a bag on till it smells.

Keeping kit in the car (and spare trousers etc?) is an idea, but watch out, because they can go 'off' (the kit, not the trousers or the car!) if the car gets very hot. I remember stripping off a 'spent' flange in a service area toilet once, then discovering my 'spare' had baked hard and couldn't be used. Thankfully I'd left my OH in the car, and I had spares in my luggage because we had been away: I phoned her from inside the disabled toilet, and she brought me more.

All very difficult to explain to the queue building up waiting for the toilet, and it taught me a serious lesson about being ready for anything!

I've wondered about this too. I never go through all my supplies each month (only change my bag once or twice a week), so I stockpile my extra stuff. I break down my supplies into quart zip lock bags. One Eakin seal, one flange, one bag already prepped with a clip (I also cut off the tap for burping the bag because it irritates me). I use the Ziploc to dispose of the used bag, so everything is pretty self-contained and ready. Some washcloths and medical tape and I'm ready to roll.

Also, I too keep spares in my purse, car, and at the office. When I travel, I pack a change for each day I'm gone, just in case, and I put it in my carry-on in case they lose my luggage.

So all in all, I'm fairly well prepared, except if it's a long-term issue, like a zombie apocalypse. Lol. Now my bug out bag (yes, I'm in the process of making a BOB because I'm a dork) is another matter. How many supplies do you pack in a BOB? You want to have enough, but you also don't want to take up a ton of room. So I would most likely hunker down unless I really had to bug out for some reason. I can't think of a reason why I would need to, but that is the whole point really. Being prepared for the unexpected.

Bug out bags are great and I agree that everyone should keep at least one. It's a quick backpack to grab and go in an emergency where you can expect to be gone from home for a few days. You never can be too prepared.

So glad to find folks talking about this. Over the summer, I had to cut short a trip to Canada because I had "issues" and went through the supplies I had brought with me. However, when I got home, I discovered that I had squirreled some extra supplies away in a luggage pocket I never checked! I'm also very interested in preparing for an emergency. I keep change in my purse, but I also want to have a useful and efficient BOB. I live in the North Country of NYS on the Canadian border. You never know when we might be snowed in for days. Not to sound too doom and gloomy, but what if there was a major problem with transportation and the mail or other delivery services couldn't get supplies to us? What could we use instead and not have major skin breakdown? Questions I'm looking for answers to.

Interesting question, godswoman. Heaven forbid if we have to figure out what to use if we couldn't or didn't have supplies . Maybe now would be a good time to experiment with, I don't know, plastic bags and medical tape??

I keep a smaller plastic "tub" with a lid in my car at all times with the essentials. I also have a tackle box with more than enough of all supplies that I will need for travel - carry on planes, would NEVER check it through baggage. Every trip I check, re-check, and re-check again to make sure everything I need is there. Ha, I don't even pay attention to my suitcase LOL.

I use drainable pouches and always use water to wash the pouch clean when emptying. I have a small backpack just large enough for 2 water bottles which has zippered pockets that fit flushable wipes, spare flanges, bags, etc. that I keep in my "tub" and carry with me whenever I will be somewhere for any length of time. It can be a hassle always having it hanging on my shoulder but something I live with.

Mmmm,

I've enjoyed reading this. I often wake up to the fact when I'm out that I don't have one spare ostomy item with me. Bit of a contrast to two years ago after my op. I'm not sure if this is confidence or stupidity. I do keep tape at work and have had to use it once. Maybe I will look at this. The point about old stuff is a good one. Good idea maybe to rotate spare stock.

Wow, are you resilient! Bravo for your tape idea!!

I am purchasing extra ostomy supplies every month. I expect civil unrest and interruption of supply for most goods that are delivered JIT. I expect this here in the US, but can see it in the EU and GB with the refugee invasion.

There is only 3 days inventory of food on the store shelves.

Like the Boy Scouts....always be prepared.

very wise, i too wouldnt be surprised to see some civil unrest especially in larger cities. thankfully i am in a rural area nbspand am pretty self sufficent. i would advise some     nbsp
means of protecting what you have, imagine what people will do after that 3 day food supply runs out !!

Hi Gerald. Your advice is well taken. Over the years, I have scrimped on my ostomy supplies in anticipation of a day when the federal well runs dry. My monthly allocation of federally funded supplies allows me to change every 2 days, but my real need is actually every 4 days. I am able to build a stash while helping out some folks who need a little help with an extra bag or flange. I have always feared that hard times are coming, and I want to be in a position to do some good. Several years ago, just before Hurricane Sandy in Jersey, I walked the aisles of supermarkets and saw empty shelves. No bread, no milk, no staples. Anything can happen to disrupt the harmony of a world we take for granted. Sure, ostomates will be inconvenienced with the absence of supplies, but so many others with basic necessities. Readiness is all, said Shakespeare. Let's just hope what we want to make available can be made available without hesitation. Resources should be identified and delivered without fanfare to the needy. Maybe in our zeal to benefit humanity, we could inventory our resources and make them available for the general good. I would love to share my bags, flanges, strips, powder, etc., with any poor bloke who needs help.

John, your good character, as always, is shining through. I think 95% of people would share and pool resources for the common good of mankind. However, we must not forget that other 5%. I have an image burned into my mind from the Rodney King riots back in the 1990s. That image is of miles of burned-out buildings... the only thing not destroyed was the few places that contained "good guys" that had the forethought to arm themselves and were willing to defend what was theirs, in that sea of destruction, a very few "islands". Not a pleasant thought, but still a reality. Be well, my friend.

Hello, I often wonder, what will happen if such does really happen. I do hope that you guys are fine and that you do not run out of supplies. Keeping a reserve is a good idea for self and others. It's scary.

I am new to all of this - my emergent colostomy was on 4/28 of this year. While I have insurance coverage, there was a problem with the ostomy supply order being filled. In one sense, that was good because the flange/pouch I was using turned out to not be the right fit. Once we found the right fit and I was again waiting for my supplies through my approved vendor, I ended up ordering from Stoma Bag dot com a one month's supply of everything I need. That is my backup. I know that others cannot afford to do that and some folks do not even have coverage so....

When my reversal is done, I will be giving my surgeon all of the unopened supplies I have on hand. He had asked if I would consider as some of his patients do not have insurance coverage. I didn't give it a second thought. I remember seeing a poster once that said "don't repay kindness, pass it on."

That is so wonderful. Good for you. I can't imagine how those patients feel. I am want to start investigating for several reasons, but specific to less maintenance with the pouches. Good luck on your reversal. I have a permanent colostomy.