Concerns about Stoma and Liquid Output - Need Advice!

It could be constipation. Ask for an appointment with your stomach care.

I now have a little output that is less liquidy. I had a lot of fiber yesterday, so maybe it causes an issue.

Gem,

It looks like maybe the hole for your stoma on your pouch or wafer may not have been large enough for your stoma to expand. This can cause the stoma to swell to larger than normal and cause the skin around it to raise slightly. The hole should be cut to the widest size as your stoma. It's okay if a little bit of skin is exposed as long as you use a skin prep.

I wouldn't worry about the purple part as long as the rest of your stoma is a nice bright red like it is now. If it turns pale or light pinkish, you're not getting enough blood supply to it.

Do you use a 1 or 2-piece system? And where did it leak?

Bain

The usual rule of thumb is when applying your pouch/bag, leave 1/8 of an inch from your stoma. But if you are in doubt, go to your ER and have it checked out. Some swelling around a stoma can be normal. I had mine checked awhile ago by my surgeon since I have developed a small hernia, but I wear a stoma/hernia belt and it helps.

Ah, perhaps I did cut my hole too close to my stoma. I lost my stoma-hole scissors (waiting for new ones in the mail) so my sizing and cutting is a little off. But that seems to make sense for my stoma. Thanks.

The leak was to the side, looks like the Eakins ring got kind of....disintegrated from diarrhea and so the diarrhea leaked out.

I use a one-piece.

I also use a one-piece Hollister 8331, and when mine leaks, it is always to the inside (seldom). You can go to any pharmacy and purchase a pair of bandage nursing scissors to cut your pouches with. That is what I use, and they work really well. Also, Walmart pharmacy carries stool softener for $4. Your stool should be the thickness of pudding, so if you need to thin it, use one or two of these a day (AM and PM). I don't use anything except my pouch and water to clean with, then apply a fresh one every 5 or 6 days. Just make sure the area around your stoma is good and dry before applying. Then, I use a warm washcloth and hold it over the whole pouch, then a dry one and hold for a few minutes. This seems to help with no leaks. So far, it has worked for me.

Really liquid output can be from a number of causes, everything from a bug, to the barium smoothie they give you before a CT scan sometimes, to a slight blockage. Hard to tell sometimes; there are a lot of factors that can affect it. However, beware of taking what I call "fiber in a jar" or fiber supplements like Metamucil. While I understand many people take them with no problem, I have found that even a mild dose can cause near-crippling gas, cramps, and very soft/liquid output. And while I can eat beans and other natural food sources of fiber with no problem, they do need to be properly cooked - I used some split peas in a soup and did not cook them long enough, and ended up with severe gas.

I have also found that popcorn and some seeds swell up in my intestine and will not easily go through my stoma (although it may be that they won't let my stoma expand enough for them to go through the hole in my wafer). Everybody is different in what causes blockages, though. Good luck, and hope everything successfully passes eventually.

Oh, and a stomach bug is the worst. Especially when traveling. 11 pouches in a day and a half. Miserable. I certainly hope you haven't had that!