Acidic Stool Burning Ostomy - Need Advice!

Hi all,

For about a week now, my stool has been pretty much diarrhea and was burning through my wafer, ring, and even the bag. I finally decided to get my stoma looked at. My doctor diagnosed me with a severe yeast infection around the stoma. To help the skin heal, I have to

1) Carefully remove the appliance

2) Pour high pH water on a washcloth and gently pat around your ostomy

3) Spray Flonase on it, let dry for 10 minutes

4) Smooth in a cream called "Major Clotrimazole, let dry 10 minutes

5) Stick back on the appliance as lightly as possible

6) Smooth down the wafer (appliance) and you should be good.

MAYO is what caused my problem, yours may be different. Thanks for reading!

Hi Shadowchick.  Yeast infections are horrible!  Unfortunately, we ostomates are more at risk than most other folks.  Hopefully, you'll follow the Doc's instructions and in a few days you'll be in much better shape.  If not please let us know.  There are some real experts here to help you.

Wish you the best,

Mike

Shadow, have you done all those steps yet? I hope it's working. I would never survive such a routine; my stoma would not stay dry all that time. You, I, and many of us here could probably write a book regarding stomas and infections. I have to make an appointment with the wound care nurse. Infection is better (at least I can eat now), but it's still present. Keep us posted and go away, infection!

Yes. It hurts like heck, but it has to be done. The infection is improving, but the pain is still very much present. I completely agree with you about writing a book, I have been through so much regarding my ostomy including having it switched to the other side, and re-made twice. I don't think people understand all the pain and hassles that people with ostomies go through.

Hello Shadowchick27.

You are so right about 'people 'not understanding all the pain and hassles involved in having and managing a stoma. Indeed, if a person has not experienced these things first-hand it is difficult to see how they can understand.

Fortunately, we have sites like this, where we can at least share our concerns and frustrations with others who do have that first hand experience. 

I hope your infection clears up soon.

Best wishes

Bill

The discomfort, pain and flat out agony we experience can't be expressed too vividly.  We attempt to empathize if not sympathize with others experiencing this dilemma.  Unfortunately I know my pain perfectly well.  It would be impossible to share that knowlege accurately with any other human even if the've had similar symptoms.  One might say, Big deal. it's a rash".  Another might say, "If it comes back I'll slit my wrists".  I have much more control but if I knew it was coming back I might volunteer for the Mars mission in my Prizm. There's nothing magic about the advice we offer each but I can't imagine the horror of going it alone.  We're fortunate to have each other's experiences to evaluate and attempt our own remedy.  We owe it to ourselves to carefully read all that's offered and share our own good experiences.  We're blessed to have this venue.

In the meantime I'm attempting to devise the appropriate retort to the next person who suggests, "It's just a rash".  Wow, nothing pretty about the options so far.

Mike

I happen to be an aspiring writer, and I am already working on a project about ostomates. I want to try to turn it into a book, but I guess I'll never know unless I try.