Anyone tried Nu-Hope non-stick ostomy bags?

Hey y'all...

Anyone ever heard of a non-stick ostomy bag called Nu-Hope? I saw something online about it but haven't read anything here about it... just wondering... seems like a wonderful alternative when your skin is inflamed... like mine is now. Can't seem to get it to clear up... the idea of a bag that is not stuck to my body sounds so amazing.... lol...

Thanks,

Lori

I wouldn't say they're non-stick. They have an adhesive foam cushion.

Thanks.   Have you tried them?   If so, what's your experience or opinion?   Thanks.   Lori

Hi Lori,

I just spoke to Nu-Hope last week for someone else on here... they make 4 different versions of an adhesive barrier system and one non-adhesive system. The 4 adhesive systems are designed for folks having skin problems and each has a different level of adhesion. The non-adhesive system uses a rubber O-ring that's held against your stoma by a belt. I haven't used their stuff, but have a friend who used the non-adhesive system. He said it worked well, but you can't go nuts in terms of physical activity, because if the belt slackens (like when you do cartwheels) the O-ring will lose contact with your stoma and you'll get a leak. So as long as you're not training for the Olympics, it works fine. Not sure if NYT is talking about the adhesive barriers or the O-ring, but I think the O-ring is adhesive-free.

Regards,

Bob

Inflamed skin is a common problem for new ostomy patients. It is easy to overcome this, but it will require that you spend time and prepare the "foundation" correctly since the whole thing depends on the condition of your skin.

1. Clean the skin with YELLOW DIAL soap. 90% of soaps contain oils or perfumes.

2. If the skin is irritated, put a thin coat of Mylanta on it. Yes, that Mylanta. Let it dry.

3. Use a wipe or spray-on skin prep over the Mylanta. Be advised that skin preps vary; some work better for some skin types than others. Try them all and find your "ideal" one. Call the companies and get some free samples.

4. Most people have the best luck with a convex flange. Be advised that the flange adhesive also varies by brand. Try them all, FREE SAMPLES AGAIN.

5. Most people have the best luck with the EAKIN rings. They are far superior to the "paste".

6. Wear a belt. It's cheap insurance. You can do away with it later once you have everything else "perfected".

7. When the skin under the flange starts to get itchy, CHANGE IT. Do not wait until the seal completely fails.

I hope this helps a little. It can be discouraging at first, but have faith. You can and will master this in time :) Keep us posted as to your progress.

Mild-mannered superhero...

Thanks for your reply. Most everything you said is the exact opposite of what I've been doing...lol...

First of all, I've been using Ivory soap, thinking that it is the purest, without any extras.

Second, I've been using Marathon, which helps some but has not cleared up my broken skin. And it's expensive...

Last week, I started trying some Calmoseptine, which was my go-to butt cream when I would get butt burn with my J pouch.

It seems to help but if I put too much on, more than a very thin layer, it compromises my barrier ring and I get a leak.

I do have skin prep wipes but I don't use them. I will start.

I do use a convex flange...the Mio Sensura 2-piece system. However, the barrier rings that they make (Bravo) seem to be the source of my skin irritation. So my ostomy nurse suggested I try the Eaken rings. I got a sample (2 rings) and they did well. However, I can't order any more supplies for a few more weeks, so I'm stuck with my Hollister rings and the Bravo ones. I think that's why my skin is not healing.

Haven't tried a belt. Will do that.

Lastly, I think about changing when I feel itchy but don't always do it, especially when I don't see a leak. But I will start changing when I itch instead of waiting.

Thanks so much for all of your tips...I'll keep you posted...

Lori

Well, I'm glad I posted that long-winded reply then! I have a ton of Eakin rings which I no longer use (I irrigate and wear a patch rather than a pouch). If you would like a few, PM me your address and I'll mail you some. What brand prep do you use? I think I also have some Coloplast wipes if you would care to try those. Good luck. :)

Looks like I can't PM you... I'm not a paying member. If you can initiate the PM and I can respond, that would be great.

The wipes I have that I haven't been using are Convatec... Sensi Care Sting Free Skin Barrier Wipes. I was ordering those and remover wipes in the beginning and then found that I didn't really need them... so I stopped ordering them... but I have several boxes.. so I'll start using those to treat the skin too. The Mylanta really puzzles me... what about Mylanta heals skin? Lol

Thanks so much for the advice and offering the Eakin rings. That would be great to have some until I can order my supplies again.

Lori

Thanks for the info, Bob. I'm gonna talk to my ostomy nurse about trying the non-adhesive one for times when my skin is inflamed...

Hi Lori,

Just my 2 cents... I stopped using soap altogether, after trying about 10 different bars. I started reading the ingredients and they're all full of crap. If you want soap, you need to make it yourself. Of course, if you find one that works for you, that's great, I just never did. I also find soaps remove the natural oil from the skin, which your skin needs for protection. In place of soap, I use Adhesive Remover Wipes from Cardinal Health. They do sting, but I like pain... I know, I'm weird. They also make an alcohol-free version. I prep my skin with straight Clorox bleach... again, the sting feels good. Then I rinse that with plain water on a paper towel and dry with the hair dryer. If you have lots of broken skin, I don't suggest you use bleach, but I've found that during the summer, my skin under the bandage surrounding the barrier is in better shape than the rest of the year. The only difference is I swim in my pool in the summer... and the bandage gets soaked in the chlorine water. So now I use chlorine at every change and it's working better than anything else I've tried. Your mileage may vary. After that, it's stoma powder followed by two applications of Protective Barrier Wipes, also from Cardinal Health. Again, more stinging... I bet you're sensing a pattern here. Then I get my rings on as fast as possible and apply the barrier. I say rings because I use two. One I leave intact and just stretch it a bit to fit my odd-shaped stoma, and the other I cut in two and roll long and flat with a rolling pin before I start changing my barrier. Then I take those two halves of the flattened ring and curve them and put them on the skin that's outside the first ring around my stoma. So basically, I cover as much of the skin under the barrier and the bandage part of the barrier with the second flattened ring. For some reason, my skin is fine with whatever the rings are made of, but doesn't like touching the bandage part of the barrier. I've been to a number of dermatologists, including the whole dermatology team at Georgetown, and no one can figure it out. But the second ring does the trick. Then I hold the barrier over my stoma for a good 60 seconds, attach the bag, and get on with it. Oh, my barrier is convex... I started out using a flat one, but quickly changed to convex... it's a no-brainer. And I wear the belt 24/7. Can't tell you how many times I've snagged my bag clip on something, so having the belt on gives me peace of mind. Just don't make the belt too tight or it distorts the barrier and can cause a leak. Snug is fine and when you lay down to sleep, you should retighten due to gravity no longer pulling your gut down toward the ground. Just remember to loosen it when you get up in the morning.

The other thing that helps is letting your skin get as much time without a barrier covering it. My bowels slow considerably in the morning and I know I have about an hour after it spits bile in the morning (after I wake up) before anything else comes out. So I take my motility meds then and can take a shower with my barrier off, and leave it open to the air for another half hour or so before I need to get a new barrier installed. Airing out the skin does wonders. That's basically how the Nu-Hope non-adhesive O-ring works as well. Anyway, my fingers are getting sore, so I'm off to go make something to eat. Trial and error is the bottom line. What works for each of us has no guarantee of working for anyone else... so get experimenting. And good luck.

Have a great night,

Bob

Lori, I did a search for your non-adhesive ostomy supplies. If you go to the website Nu-hope.com. There you will be able to download their catalogue. On page 4 is the table of contents and halfway down you will find non-adhesive products. I hope this is the information you are looking for. You can order free samples if needed. I use barrier spray and adhesive remover by Coloplast Brava. I also use no soap, I use Gentell wound cleaner. It works great, I order it from the company Gentell.com. It is inexpensive and the best thing I've found. I have some extra supplies if you will tell me what you need, I may be able to help you out. Good luck on your quest. God bless and wish you well.

It may sound crazy but after suffering from skin irritation for years, I decided to try some different methods.

I had switched manufacturers, different appliances, etc. I tried all their miracle creams.

After working on farms when I was young, and having the hands to show it, I remembered that we used to use O'Keeffe's Working Hands.

Started using it and within a week, it cleared up my skin. I did consult a doctor about using it, and he said to just try not to get it directly on the stoma.

I also switched to Coloplast Mio products. It's been four years now and I haven't had any problems since.

Not sure if it'll be your reprieve from irritation, but it was mine.

My year 54,

Googled O'Keefe's and here's what it said

O'Keeffe's Working Hands Hand Cream is a concentrated hand cream that heals, relieves, and repairs extremely dry, cracked hands. Creates a protective layer on the skin's surface that instantly boosts moisture levels and helps prevent further moisture loss.

So about that protective layer..........are you saying your barrier will stick to that layer? I've been looking for a product like this that leaves that layer, but everything I've tried leaves a greasy/oily layer that nothing will stick to. So I'm anxious to hear your reply. If I head down to Tractor Supply later, I'll see if I can check it out further.

Thanks,

Bob

It doesn't leave an oil or grease on the skin, it disappears almost immediately. I found that it helps with adhesion. If your skin is inflamed and seeping, it will take a couple to a few days for the skin to heal enough for full adhesion. I had a reaction to the barrier I was using, my skin was pretty torn up, and it was seeping and bleeding.

Thanks myyear54.............I'll pick some up this weekend and try it. Awesome! And thanks for the quick reply.

Have a great weekend,

Bob

You do need to rinse the area off after using it.

Hi myyear54,

I picked up a tube of the O'Keefe's at Walmart last night and used it this morning during my barrier change. As you said, it isn't greasy or oily and fully works its way into the skin and then dries with no residue. I only used a dab, as the instructions state, and I only put it on the skin that's under the barrier adhesive, and not the ring around my stoma. So far so good. I'll start out slow and continue to use it and see if it makes any difference. Will let everyone know how this works.

Thanks,

Bob

So, did it help out any? Just wanted to know.

Hi, my,

Well, I've only used it twice so far, the third time will be tomorrow morning, as I change my barrier every other day. So with only two barrier changes under my belt with it, I honestly can't say yet if it's making things better, but it's definitely not making things worse. And if all it does is moisturize the skin that's under the bandage that never sees daylight... that's still a good thing and I'll keep using it. I take photos of each barrier change so I can tell over time if things are getting better or worse. Let me use it for a few weeks and we'll see what the pics say. Now this second time I used it, I used more than just a single blob. I rubbed it in really well and then dried the skin with my hair dryer on low without the heat on. And again, it all got absorbed and didn't leave my skin greasy at all. You just have to give it time to dry fully, which isn't very long.

This website needs "sticky" posts that don't disappear and folks can continue adding to them. If we had such a thing, I'd start one entitled "Skin Remedies" or something like that and have everyone list what works for them. Then when a newbie joins, they can go to the sticky and make a quick list of products to try. That would be way easier than having to remember which post someone said they used something that worked for them. Maybe when the forum gets a makeover. Ummmm... not that I'm saying it should, my dear moderators... you know I love you guys and would NEVER say anything bad about this site. (Wink, wink).

Regards,

Bob