This topic is about how people with an ostomy can prevent and manage unexpected pouch leaks when they are away from home. Here are some helpful tips and advice:

1. Prepare emergency kits:
- Pack a small travel bag with all the necessary replacement supplies, such as pouches, wafers/flanges, barrier rings, wipes, and disposal bags. Include a full change of clothes as well.
- Consider having multiple kits: one for daily use and another "hospital/overnight" kit for longer trips.

2. Stage supplies rather than carry them everywhere:
- Store identical kits in convenient places like your car, work desk, backpack, or at friends’ houses you visit often.

3. Privacy and mirrors:
- Public restroom stalls, like those in offices or airports, offer enough privacy for a full change without anyone noticing.
- Practice changing your appliance without a mirror so you can manage in any stall.
- If you prefer using a mirror, small fold-up mirrors are available from brands like Hollister and Coloplast, which fit easily in your kit.

4. Managing leaks at work or on the go:
- Simply take your kit into a stall and change the appliance. Most people find this process quick and discreet.

5. Reducing leaks from a flush stoma:
- If your stoma sits below skin level, consider discussing with your surgeon the possibility of a revision to raise it.
- In the meantime, gently lift the skin and apply a barrier ring to improve the seal and minimize any burning or bleeding.