Ostomy: Adapting to life after colostomy, ileostomy or urostomy

@foss I would love to hear your invented tricks. Please share if you want as it might help others in similar situations. I had a urostomy almost 4 years ago and have had a lot of issues with skin irritation. I too decided on the coloplast products.

# 1 when changing bag the important thing is to make sure you use barrier cream, I wash around stoma and use a hair dryer to make sure it’s bone dry then a thin layer of barrier cream wipe of access . Use dryer again till dry make sure it’s dry or you will get embarrassing leakage .
#2 when showering I use Saran Wrap enough to cover bag and use adhesive tape to tape top of bag. Have also used plastic bags and taped them at top also.
Hope these little tricks help you
Good luck …Foss

Forgot to mention I use protection ring after barrier cream before putting on pouch. I use only Coloplast products. To me they are the best. Foss

In response to the post about showering...I simply take the pouch off when showering. It's never been a problem. I seldom shower before I've basically finished pooping for the day. Hey! I'm old (84) and retired.

I have a stoma for urine removal i use a 2 piece coloplast ostomy bag with protective ring , barrier cream and ostomy belt. Been using same system for years with very little problems although I do have the occasional leak.
I usually change it every 4 days. Drain it often. Hope this helps. Foss

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@piki The self (husband)-cathing ended almost two years ago and I was given a urethral catheter. Then by accident (!) I learned of the suprapubic catheter which my NEW )March 2005) urologist gave me in April 2005...if I seem a tad bitter, well I am...I was basically hung out to dry by urologist #1... But then we could trade similar stories forever...

So now I have no liquid restrictions at all.

I don't use any barrier cream mainly because I wasn't shown that possibility. I do use Skin Tac to keep the barrier/flange/wafer securely on and then on top of the edges Hollister's extenders. They are three pieces but easier to place on and wider than Coloplast's 2 pieces. I am a dedicated Coloplast old lady.

For anyone with a navel or other crater type problem...here's my solution. My surgeon put my stoma right beside my very deep navel and I started out using stick paste to fill it in and make it smooth and level. Ugh. Not fun. Messy. Hard to do. Unpleasant to have to clean all that paste out again. I happened to have in my stash of 'stuff I have no idea where it came from' some Convatec Duoderm Extra Thin Hydrocolloid Dressing 6" x 6". So I made a little cardboard template of a piece to cover said navel and cut it out of the Duoderm sheet. I can get 8 pieces out of one sheet. Voila! Problem neatly solved.

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@foss I use Hollister bags and they stay on while showering. Never had a problem. no more saran wrap.

@piki

I agree I also take my bag off when showering or soaking in a nice hot tub with no problems When at home I use skin tac I only use barrier strips when I go out I have found out the less I use the better off I am. I use a Coloplast Mio Flex one piece disposable bag so I change my entire bag 3 to 4 times a day and have my routine down to 5 mins I am 86 with bad arthritis in my hand and this system works best for me. I dont have to worry about cleaning a bag or bacteria building up in it. Everyone has to find what works best for them. Since this is my life now I try to make it as simple as possiblee