Hi all,
My name is Marsha, and I've had my ileostomy for more than 50 years, since I was a kid of 15.
Back in the day, pouches were rubber, and had to be reused, the flange was made of plastic, and was also reused. We had to use paste from a can to glue onto the plastic and the skin, and both had to dry first before they could be put together on the skin... or it would burn the skin. And there was no such thing as a stoma nurse, so it was other ostomates, or trial and error, or support from the supply company that got you through the complications.
Compared to "back then," today is a breeze.
I think sometimes ostomates are encouraged to rely or wait for stoma nurses to tell you what to do. Yes, they are helpful, but it's your body, and trial and error is the best educator.
The companies here in the US offer free samples of anything you want to try.
I've had very few issues over the past thirty years... but as I've aged, my skin has become more sensitive and less firm (especially on my lower belly), so I've had more leaks in the last 5 years than I've had in the last 40.
First off, I never use soap on my skin. I found early on that for me, it leaves a residue that makes it difficult for the wafer to bond with the skin. I also gave up hot baths and hot tubs because it melts the wafer and causes leaks. Showers are no problem, and I swim in both the pool and ocean. I used to wear a belt, but I found that it pulls the wafer and pouch up and has irritated the stoma. I use a great tape that's like a second skin and actually dries. Scanpoor. It's not readily available... but you will find it online. The distributor I use doesn't carry it, so I buy it on my own until I find a Medicare supplier who carries it. Because my stoma is pulling back into the skin (on the bottom), I switched to a moldable convex wafer (Convatec) with a detachable pouch/2-piece system. I use Eakin seals (thin) when I need to, but they don't always solve the leaking problem. The moldable wafer doesn't have to be cut to size, and after I put it on, I am able to spray stoma powder into the gap... helping to reduce the possibility of leaks. It takes being flexible and trying new things to find what works well for you. Best regards, Marsha