Need advice on irrigation for better quality of life

Shitt Happens,

I have posted pictures of the supplies (on my profile) that I received for irrigation. I also posted several samples that I received of different type caps. I think I saw you posted something similar with just gauze and a medical strip. Your way may be cheaper unless your insurance pays for everything like mine does.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Puppyluv

Puppyluv,

No, unfortunately my insurance does not pay for cotton and film adhesive, they pay 80 for bags and collars with product numbers in their list after a deduction of 50.00 from us each year. The Government of Quebec gives us 700.00 / year for our bags ... etc ..... So if I pay attention with my irrigation with all my products, I would say that it costs me about 1000-1200 per year .... and oh yes + the stress ...... lollll it, it's too expensive for the government .... lollllll

Wow Danelle, that is pricey. Well, I say that but I have a $5000 out-of-pocket that I have already met for the year, and now my BCBS pays 100%. Luckily, my Medicare will start in Oct, so I will carry this as secondary, and they have no say in what my primary pays for! That is still apt for Ostomy stuff. I have not paid anything! Glad too! Hospital bills were enough! Chemo was paid at 100%, so that was good!
Candy

Puppyluv,

In Quebec, we do not pay for the hospital. For a stay of 2 days or 2 months, it is always free, and also all treatment like chemo, radio is also free. And I have insurance at my job that pays 80% of drugs (pills etc...) However, if our banks or our disability insurance request a medical report, which is requested every 3 months, the oncologist charges $45.00 for each company that requests it.

Yes, please do keep me posted on how the irrigation thing works out. It can take a couple of months to really get it down pat, so have patience with the process. If everything works out for you as it should, it's something you will never regret. It is the path to freedom. It's as close as it's gonna get, anyway, for someone with an ostomy. Good luck on it!

Hey weird new life,

Things are going well so far. My time to irrigate has lessened to less than 15 minutes with no mishaps, then another 30 or so to wait and clean up with pouch attached and ready for bed. I have not gone the full 24 hours without output yet but have not used a full 1500cc yet either. I tried last night but for some reason, it did not want to take but 1000cc. The night before about 1250cc. Guess I just have to play with it! At least I do not fear any leakage when I go somewhere as I did before. Getting better! Only on day 5 so things are looking up! Cannot wait till my colon has been trained and I no longer require a pouch! Your medical coverage sounds pretty good. My husband still works so I am fortunate to have his insurance. It gets more expensive every year but once I have Medicare as well as his insurance, I will not have any out-of-pocket expenses. That will be nice. I always had two insurances when I worked so was spoiled at never having to pay anything!

Puppyluv

Puppyluv,
A little thing that I do every day now, I introduce my index finger with gel in my stoma to make a way to my cone and let my stoma relax. It only takes a few seconds to relax the stoma with the index finger and the cone is introduced much better. And as a bonus, no water leak. This is how I managed to put 1500 cc now ... :)

I did that the first time to feel the direction of the colon but will have to make that a habit nightly! I don't think I will achieve at least 24 hours without getting that 1500cc in!

Puppyluv

Hi all,

Just to keep you posted. I have irrigated for 5 days now! Yay! It has gotten much easier and finally last night I was able to use a full 1500cc's. I had output during the day for the first 3 days but none yesterday or yet today! Glad for that because I really want to go to using a cap versus a pouch! Still being cautious for now and just using up a boatload of supplies I have. Thanks for all the advice and encouragement because this has changed my life already! Not afraid of leaks and ready to go anywhere now.

Question: There was a member that was asking for supplies for their mother that Medicare had cut her off and would not pay for supplies. So many advised her and offered to help, me included but I cannot find any of these posts. Did anyone see them or know who this member is? I thought it was Anonymous and then I think it said Past Member. Not sure?

Puppyluv

Hi everyone, I am on the 9th day of irrigating! I find getting the wheel to continue spinning is an issue. Sometimes it seems it is not the issue of direction but of pressure, and I think I tend to put too much pressure on the cone. But sometimes lessening the pressure is a fine line between a nice flow and it spewing back out! Working through that, but my question is: how long will it take before I can be assured there is no output the following day so that I can wear just a cap? Mine has varied. The first few days with 500 to 1250cc of water, I understand it may not have been a complete irrigation, but I have been at 1500cc for about 5 or 6 days. The first few days of 1500cc, I had no output, but the last two, I have had to empty my pouch several times. I would expect it to take time, but I'm just looking for your experiences on that time frame to be confident with a full pouch.

Puppyluv

Hi Puppyluv. Congratulations on the irrigation thing. Sounds like it's going pretty well for you.

As for how long to wait... well, I'd give it a couple of months at least. It takes that long for you to really get the whole process down and for your colon to be completely trained in. Think of it like you would if you were house training a puppy. You're going to have a few accidents before you can completely be sure the puppy has got it down pat. Haha

It took me at least, I think it was about 4 months, before I got brave enough to just wear a stoma cap. Before that, I continued to wear the pouch... just in case. Just nervous, I guess. You'll know when the time is right for you. I imagine it varies a little for everyone.

Thanks for the encouragement! I was hoping before my cruise on Nov 1. But glad to wear a pouch as long as it is not constantly producing output. I feel confident just knowing that, if there is output, I am not going to leak everywhere! Time will tell and I can't wait! Have a great night and Labor Day!

Puppyluv

Hello Puppyluv56. Like most things  stoma related, irrigation is a very personal thing and techniques vary for each of us. I could never get on very well with the cone or the gravity feed system, or the amount of water in the bag. With a lot of experimenting, I came up with a portable camping shower attached to the normal control mechanism, with an adapted anal catheta to get the water past my hernia. I also use 3 ltrs of water but, a lot of that is wasted with splashback. I appreciate the initial splashback because it pushes out any hard residue output from the day before, which might otherwise cause a blockage. I need to irrigate every evening because I cannot go for more than 30 hours without output and I dont' want that happening midday.

I would suggest trying all sorts of things to find the best approach for yourself.

Best wishes

Bill 

Well, irrigating has become routine. I think I am about 3 weeks in! I have changed things up a bit by irrigating only every other night. I continue to have output every day. I had gone as high as 3 consecutive days without output when I was irrigated every night. I may consider going back to every night but am in hopes of training Betty to behave in between irrigations. I find it a pain in the butt to do every night and enjoy those nights off! My savior has been switching to a two-piece appliance, currently Convatec because that is what came in the irrigation kits I ordered. Waiting on the Coloplast two-piece sample to come in the mail! I love their one-piece better than anyone else's so I may like this two-piece better as well!

Hey...I use SenSura Mio 2 pc from Coloplast with disposable liners. This is my 11th day and I didn't really need to change it yet but thought I better. My Dr told me the longer you can keep it on the better...less chance of getting sore. I also use Eakin seals...have you tried them?

I am a big fan of the two-piece even though my Ostomy Nurse said "Oh, you won't want those. Two pieces are a pain" ha! The one-piece are the pain and are actually 4 pieces that leave more chance for issues when lining up all the pieces.

You say disposable liners. Are you saying you use a closed two-piece pouch? I have some of those from Convetec but I am always in a hurry to empty my pouch when even a little is in it, I would go through so many a day! Lol! I do not mind the drainable pouch except it is bigger than the closed-end ones!

I have a Coloplast two-piece sample pouch on the way to try! I liked their one-piece pouch that I had to cut. The pre-cut ones were not a good fit and I do not mind cutting them. Better than molding them.

I am trying to irrigate so I do have to change the flange about every 4 to 6 days because of the splashback of water when I irrigate. It goes under the barrier some and by the 6th day, it is all gooey!

Puppyluv

Yes, I just put a disposable bag from Aativa inside. Take off front...pull out liner...replace with another and way to go....I'm down to about 4 minutes now.

Nice! That is the first I have heard about the disposable liners! I will have to look them up. I would suspect they would fit down in any two-piece appliance, right? Your pouch lasts a long time as well. As long as the flange. Could be weeks for both, right? I think you said you were on day 11 of your flange, is that day 11 for the pouch too?

I love getting info from people on here! There is always something better than what you have. Are the liners flushable? Now that would be nice! Lol probably too good to be true. Lol

Puppyluv

Yes, my flange lasts the same as the pouch. Yes, the bags are flushable... I wouldn't use any other thing.... Today is 11 days....

Yes, Puppy, there are biodegradable and you can flush them in the toilet. I have been using them for 1 year now. I just make sure when I flush them to drop the open side opposite of the hole of the toilet to make sure it will not fill up with water when it flushes in. But I use them only now after my irrigation with the large sleeve bag for irrigation that I cut about the same size as the liner. I use my Foodsaver to seal it and it works fine... because I have residue 3-4 hours after. :( :(

Danielle

Hey Danielle,

I looked them up last night and saw that they were biodegradable! I am definitely ordering them! I would think the odor would be less as well! And the cleaning of the toilet! Lol

I am waiting to reorder my supplies because Coloplast is sending me a sample of their 2-piece and I am hoping to like them. I like most of their products better than the others even though I have had pretty good luck with the Convetec two-piece. Hollister is not bad either but I certainly like the end of the drainable pouch much better with Coloplast. The other companies are hard to open because of the flimsy plastic at the very end instead of something thicker. I will let you know once I order the liners as to how they do with me! I did not understand what you use the seal-a-bag for. Can you explain that?

Candy

Hello Candy
I take a large irrigation bag that is very long (about 2 feet). You know the ones you buy with the irrigation kit. I cut it about the same length as a disposable bag (the liners) and I seal it with my FoodSaver machine. I insert my liners in it. I hope I explained it better ... lolll .... I just put a picture on my profile to show you with the liners.

Ok, I see! So you have made your own closed irrigation bag and use liners for it! It seems I have more fluid than that would handle when I irrigate, but you use the open one to irrigate and you use this one just for the few hours after you irrigate to catch that extra spurt and then use the pad and adhesive till the next time? I wear the irrigation bag for about 20 minutes after irrigation and then go to bed! I have no activity until the morning when I eat, I will have output within a few hours. I may start to take some Imodium now that I irrigate, maybe it will help! Before, it made everything thicker and it would pancake and bust open my barrier but not thick enough for solid stool. I still wear a full two-piece pouch so the liners would do well for me to save on pouches and they won't be stinky! I love it!

Candy

Lady,

That is absolutely awesome and I cannot wait to order some! How easy can it get and so much more sanitary!

Puppyluv

I find that even with irrigation, I still need to wear a bag, and I still get output. I don't get any leaks though if I irrigate fully. It usually takes 2 irrigations to clear out my bowels.

Deaglun,

I still wear a full pouch as well because I have output most days even with irrigation, but my pouch and flange last about 6 days. They get nasty and the material around the stoma gets gooey and lifts up around the stoma, so output and water from irrigation goes under it. They never leak anymore and they do not just come off. The pouch gets a little worn from friction with my clothes. Use the opaque and it starts to look a little nappy or picked! Hopefully, I will graduate to the caps one day but not in the near future I am afraid!

Great post guys/gals, I'm getting my irrigation kit next Thursday and my reasons are so different from above. My stoma "Alice" never learned to poop, so only Milk of Mag gets her to give output. But I got worried, what if that stopped working? So, I'm going to try irrigating. I got my lil stoma cap samples yesterday. Wow, that will be great! They're so tiny and smooth, no plastic rings to show in my clothes, etc. But it looks like something you need to have at least 30 a month because you'd be pulling them off to irrigate daily.

What type of irrigation kit did you use where you didn't need to snap it onto a flange?

Good luck Puppyluv56

Hi Sadie,

Good luck with your irrigation! I use the Convatec kit. I thought I was ordering just one kit and they sent me 10! So, like them or not, I am stuck until my time to reorder. I like the Convatec and because I use a two-piece system, you have to use all the same products. The irrigation sleeves, the barrier wafer, and the pouch all fit together. I only have to change the two-piece barrier wafer every 6 days, so it does save on the skin using a two-piece. I have tried several Coloplast products. I like the one-piece pouch so much better than the Convatec one-piece, but their two-piece is fine, so I will use them up or find someone to give them to if I get to where I cannot use them. Irrigation really allows you to live again without the fear of leaking. I would not wear a cap in the beginning but continue to use a full pouch because you will be training your colon and it takes time. You may do very well right off since your problem is completely different. Irrigation is not bad but would not call it fun, and I have good days and bad! The bad days were relying on the clip in the kit! DO NOT use it, from experience, you will be mopping up poop for the rest of the night! Go buy some regular clothespins. They come in a 24-pack that will last you a lifetime! Lol Be sure to watch the YouTube videos on irrigation. They show you everything! The kit's supplies are not proportioned. The water bag and IV tubing will last a year, the cone for 3-6 months, but there are only two pouches, so order the supplies separately after you get the kit. If you look at my profile pic, I took a picture of what all comes in the Convatec kit. If you do not use a two-piece pouch, you will need the belt in the kit, and it should last a year too. Your insurance probably allows lots more than that though. I tell them to send me everything my insurance will cover for three months! Lol I may not need all of it, but it never helps to get a stash, especially knowing Medicare allows less than my private insurance. And I will have Medicare as Primary in 3 years! I am currently irrigating every two days! I found every night kind of intrusive! I can live with every other night. Unfortunately, I have only gone output-free for the two days only twice but have much less than without irrigating! Hopefully "Betty" will get the hint and cooperate with the 2-day schedule! I wish you the best of luck with your irrigation. I am sure you will be successful!! There are bunches of great people that have helped me along so far. They will also chime in when you need advice too! Please ask anything! Glad to help!

Sassie, I am sorry I called you Sadie! My darn autocorrect kept changing it!

Good evening Puppy,

The stoma and other people on this site have always told me to irrigate every day for the regularity of the colon is important if you do not want to have a leak for 22-23 hours. You are lucky to irrigate every 2 days, I have been irrigating since April and I must really irrigate every day :(