Best ostomy products for overweight individuals?

Hi everyone.

I've been using Hollister bags and flanges with an Eakin ring and Attiva flange seal ring, but after I've emptied and cleaned the bag with water several times during the day, there's leakage under the Attiva which sits under a roll of fat. I've tried adding 3M tape in the area but I still get leakage. And on top of that, there's now a red rash all around that area, so my doctor says to switch to latex-free. Ok, ok, I know one solution is to lose weight and I'd love to, but unfortunately, I have a low thyroid condition (honest!). I just know the perfect solution is out there somewhere, but the number of products is overwhelming. When I watch videos of product demos, the people are always flat-chested and slim...why is that?...so everything fits nice and flat and is easy to see looking down. I have to lay down to flatten my stomach and more or less work by feel to apply the seal/tape.

So, I'd like to hear about what other "chubby" people have discovered works best. I keep thinking "What am I missing?"

Judy

I use a 2-pc system. It's Hollister's New Image skin barrier floating flange with the closed pouch with filter. I also use stomahesive paste and Hypafix tape for the edges of my flange. My belly isn't flat so the flange edges ripple. The tape helps with that and I can cut it to the size I need.

Hi LoMac66,

I tried the stomahesive paste in the beginning, but then got a really good deal on Eakin rings on eBay. They work pretty well and the price was right. I haven't heard of Hypafix, I'll check it out for sure. Thanks.

Judy

Skoorbs

I am not overweight so I cannot help with that problem. But I would guess that the soreness is due to the leaks, not an intolerance to latex.

I think it is your technique of fitting that is the issue. Do you have access to a stoma nurse, stoma department at the hospital?

I think a "refresher course" in bag application would help you. Plus, you need some barrier cream to enable the sore areas to heal.

Take care

I have an antibiotic cream prescription from my doctor which should take care of the rash, but thanks for your advice, ladygunner.

Hi Judy,

I have an RN/ET nurse who told me to use calamine lotion before using the flange. It stops the redness, rash. I am now using Convatec flanges. They work better. Go online and order samples to see if they work for you.

Hi Judy/Skoorbs, I just read this post, after I sent you a private message. During my 50 years of having an ostomy (before the days of stoma therapists), we all relied on each other for problem solving. If you have a rash under the wafer, there could be a number of reasons... First, make sure you're not allergic to the wafer on the flange.

Or if it's under the bag, make sure that you're not allergic to that. I read that you "wash out the pouch" several times a day. That could be the cause. If you're using a two-piece appliance, you should be able to fill in the spaces around the stoma with paste or stomahesive powder. That will form a barrier. But letting water output wash up against the stoma inside the pouch makes leaking easier. Moisture under the wafer can cause a rash. It's really trial and error to see what works. Back in the "old days" with rubber pouches, I used to wash them out because they held odor. But with the disposable pouches (that I wear for 7 days), I don't bother rinsing out. I think of it as my "colon," holding waste until ready to release it. I never gave myself an enema to wash out the rectum, so I'm not spending time washing out the pouch. I have a friend of 50 years who always rinses... so it's really a personal choice. I opt for not taking the chance of rinsing and causing leaks when I don't have to. And yes... I'm chubby too!

If you have any other questions, please write. Best of luck, Marsha

I like the Hypafix tape because it comes off easily when you want it to (doesn't hurt) and it's pretty resilient against water. It comes in different widths but I get the wider one and cut it to what I need.

Marsha, how does your friend who rinses manage? After taking laxatives for 50 years, I now "go" if I drink a glass of water. I'm going to ask my supplier for samples of all your suggestions. Thanks guys for the excellent ideas. I'd like to respond in more detail now, but my cat is crawling all over my keyboard.

Judy

Hi Judy...

Just reading this thread... I'm a chubby girl, too. My stoma is new. I had surgery just a couple of months ago. So getting used to my stoma is a trial and error thing for me.

I use ConvaTec as well. They have a two-piece pouch system with a moldable flange/wafer. My stoma is not that big. Maybe 7/8 of an inch. It also doesn't stick that far above my skin that well either. Maybe an 1/8th of an inch or so, but it's almost flush with the skin on the belly button side. I do use Eakin rings as well. I haven't had a leak in about a month and a half and wear my appliance for a week. I change on Sundays.

I make sure my skin is DRY after I shower. I pat with a towel. I don't rub though. I use my hairdryer. I put a layer of skin barrier on (little packets, but I can't remember the name. My surgeon gave me some mastisol samples but I've not used them yet) and I blow dry again until dry and tacky. I put my ring on and I flatten the outer edges of my ring against my skin before applying the wafer. I mold my flange (they make these in convex, too) and put my wafer on and then I use the blow dryer again (on a medium setting) to get some heat there and I firmly hold that against my skin for a good two minutes. Then I put my pouch on, like Tupperware. I can audibly hear it snap together, so I know it's tight.

The one thing that I feel has helped the most is I wear a belt with my pouching system. It just helps hold the wafer tighter against my stoma to prevent leakage. I rinse my pouch out at least once to three times a day and I know that if I didn't wear a belt, it would all run under the wafer and under the ring. I think those rings are the best thing ever invented.

I've experimented with a few different pouching system brands like Hollister and ConvaTec and NuHope and I still like ConvaTec the best, but I did find that one of the brands I tried had a horrible reaction with my skin. It was awful. It left blisters under the wafer. But... I've also heard that if you use Milk of Magnesia on irritated peristomal skin and let that dry before applying a new wafer, it will help, too.

One thing I forgot to mention is that I don't use soap of any kind where my wafer goes. I wash that area with hot water only. I think there are a lot of additives to soaps nowadays. I think it's meant to leave a film for soft skin. This regimen works well for me. :)

Holly

Try Coloplast FlexPro flanges. I love them and I think you will too.

Hi all, reading this thread is very informative. I had surgery in April and I have been hunting for the perfect pouch since. Some are better than others and just today used a two-piece for the first time. How exactly do you rinse it out? I was actually going to have a spray hose added to my toilet for that kind of thing. What do you all do? I am going to start irrigating in the next week or so and hopefully that will end all my problems with bags because there won't be one... I hope!