Ostomy Bag Cover: Securing Tips?

My best friend is crafting ostomy bag covers for me. However, the part that fits over the top half of the bag keeps popping off and then the cover falls off. :( How do covers "fit"? Elastic or....?

Mine have elastic that fits around the back of the pouch.

I don't have a cover that I purchased but I did make a few for myself. I didn't use elastic and just sewed a hem around the back piece. I haven't had any issues with them. Maybe the elastic is too tight?

I don't use transparent bags, so I have no need for a bag cover. I tried them and found the extra layer either got in the way of the bottom of the bag or the top. I've heard of something called a Beband at Target. It wraps around the body.

Check to see who makes the regular covers, then call or go to their website to request some samples of different covers. The manufacturers are usually quite happy to send a few samples. See which ones work best for you, then use one of them as a template for your friend to make some covers for you. By looking over the commercially available covers, you'll get an idea of their design and how they fit.

Why do people use bag covers?

For 28 years, I have used a 12" long opaque bag and tuck the tail into the waistband of my underwear.

I also don't use a bag cover. I have a stoma and umbilical hernia and use a stoma belt, and it keeps everything in place and is comfortable. I am going to order another belt, 4 inches wide, from NuHope, and Medicare will cover the cost if using a supplier and a doctor's okay. I have a left-sided ostomy and have a hole cut in the belt to fit my bag through.

I have a friend who wants to make covers. She's not sure how to get elastic around the back that goes behind the top of my bag and against the sticky part stuck to my skin. Without the elastic, even small movements cause it to slip off.

So far, most opaque bags make me leak or are so opaque that I can't check my stoma. So I like covers for transparent bags as no one wants to see what's in there but me. My ostomy doesn't tuck well into pants.

I make my own bag covers. If you make the top that goes over the bag deep enough, it will hang on the bag and stay on. I make comical ones: Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, smiley faces, polka dots. It just makes me smile when I put one on. I have one that says "Going to the Doc." I wear that to the doctors.

I make my own bag covers. If you make the top that goes over the bag deep enough, it will hang on the bag and stay on. I make comical ones: Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, smiley faces, polka dots. It just makes me smile when I put one on. I have one that says "Going to the Doc." I wear that to the doctors.

I wear a bag cover because I want to wear the bag outside of my pants. When I tuck the bag inside my pants, the waistband cuts across the bag, and everything collects at the top of the bag instead of falling to the bottom.

I make my own bag covers. Early versions did fall off easily. Then I started adding an iron-on stiffener to the top of the back piece, where it sits on the flange, and also trimmed the seam there as small as possible. Those steps helped, but aren't perfect. One commercial design uses elastic around the hole for the flange, but that seems too hard to do for a beginning sewist like me. Another design doubles up the fabric on the back piece, which probably makes it a bit heavier and stiffer there.

My bag/flange has little plastic tabs, for a belt, which I don't use. I'm thinking of sewing a bit of narrow elastic to the top of the bag cover, and looping it through the topmost tab to secure the bag.

Feel free to PM me if you want to toss around ideas.

The hole in the top back needs to be only big enough to fit around the ring in the flange. You can fold the bag to push it through. Here's a picture of my latest attempt:

I bought a couple of tube tops at Target for $5.00 and they do a great job at keeping my bag supported.   Lot cheaper than the $20-25 maternity bands. I also found the pouch covers got in my way so I'm going to try the small baby bibs or baby washcloths   to keep my skin dry when it's hot outside to keep the bag from sweating against my skin.