Hi, I've noticed that my stoma is shrinking, mostly in terms of its height. This makes it more difficult to use a barrier ring, as only a little tip sticks out enough to expel. I'm worried that it will leak under the flange. Is this normal? Does anybody else have this problem?
niecy
Primeboy
Hi Niecy. For what it's worth, I've sometimes noticed my stoma change its shape while I watch, as if it had a mind of its own. It can be as long as 1.25 inches and as short as .75 inches. I haven't yet considered what may cause this phenomenon but this size shifting feels a little creepy. Anyway, be sure to find out what your surgeon thinks. Unfortunately, our surgeons quickly drop out of the picture within 6 months of our operation, leaving us in the care of our GI's who may not feel 100% comfortable commenting on a colleague's work. I am sure you'll be getting some great responses from other ostomates who have had your experience. Good luck! PB
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gee07
Hello Niecy,
Same thing for me. Mine was okay until I had a stoma hernia op in 2005 and they had to resite a new stoma on my other side of my tum. As the weeks went by, mine started to sink too. Mine is no bigger than a small cherry and the opening is level with the skin surface.
I went onto to Dan sac shallow convex flange but mine still was sinking after lots of leaking. I then started using Coloplast Assura integral convexity flanges or base plates as they are known as too.
I also pack out the skin dips around the stoma with Pelican Cohesve paste.
As my stoma is too sunken to put a ring over, all it does is melt and cover over the stoma so the paste is the best. Assura inspire midi soft cover drainable bays.
Sounds like you may have to go down the same track as in a convex which pushes down around the stoma keeping it up.
Good luck and hope this helps.
Mine is okay with these products and I wear mine from 3 to 5 days.
If I was to not use the convex then my stoma would sink.
Gee07
Same thing for me. Mine was okay until I had a stoma hernia op in 2005 and they had to resite a new stoma on my other side of my tum. As the weeks went by, mine started to sink too. Mine is no bigger than a small cherry and the opening is level with the skin surface.
I went onto to Dan sac shallow convex flange but mine still was sinking after lots of leaking. I then started using Coloplast Assura integral convexity flanges or base plates as they are known as too.
I also pack out the skin dips around the stoma with Pelican Cohesve paste.
As my stoma is too sunken to put a ring over, all it does is melt and cover over the stoma so the paste is the best. Assura inspire midi soft cover drainable bays.
Sounds like you may have to go down the same track as in a convex which pushes down around the stoma keeping it up.
Good luck and hope this helps.
Mine is okay with these products and I wear mine from 3 to 5 days.
If I was to not use the convex then my stoma would sink.
Gee07
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Past Member
Hmmm, I thought everyone's stoma did the waving around by itself thing and assumed it was the natural movement of a bit of digestive inner tubing - peristalsis, I think it's called (well, spellcheck knows the word anyhow, whatever it means)! Mine is sometimes quite flat, sometimes pointy but not recessed at all yet...though of course it's only quite new. It has shrunk a lot in diameter though, and become round whereas it used to be oval...