With the cost of ostomy supplies so high, one has little money left over to purchase 'luxury' items like ostomy support belts, the device that 'helps you discover newfound freedom'. One suspects the prices for these things are so high because the manufacturer hopes that a person's insurance will pick it up, something that fits right along with the other inflated medical product costs.
When my oncologist recently saw me wearing my ostomy support belt, the first thing he said was, "You could have fashioned one of these yourself." My thoughts exactly when I first received the belt. It was nothing more than a cloth wrap with snaps in strategic places to hold the wrap in place. Hardly worth fifty bucks, I thought. Then, when one of the snaps came off, no doubt because of the lack of backing for the snaps within the 'breathable cloth fabric', I realized that for me, this device was not worth it.
I purchased mine from C&M Ostomy Supplies, a company I found online. There is another company selling a similar device that doesn't offer peristomal hernia support. At about the same price, I see no better solution than the one I acquired.
The belt does conceal the appliance well, but so will other things, given a little creativity on your part. If you don't feel like being creative, then this would do, but be careful with the delicate snaps. I will be writing the manufacturer and requesting a more sturdy design, as fifty bucks is a lot to spend for crap.
Peace,
Ken
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Hubz had a regular checkup with the oncologist on Friday (his numbers are improving), and as they were asking how he's feeling since surgery, they became curious about how he's doing so well with his ostomy, both physically and mentally. He credited doing research online, trying different things, and especially the support from this group. They were asking because they see so many patients struggling to adjust.
We described this group as folks with every kind of ostomy, some for days while others for decades, but all willing to share what's worked for them with the caveat that every individual is different.
We described the most valuable element as feeling like you're not alone in this. That really piqued their interest, and they wrote down the link. It seems they had a few people in mind that might benefit from the community and thanked us for telling them about it.
You know, we can't remember exactly who we learned about this group from, but we're grateful for it every day! Thank you all! 🌻