So it turns out my poop is going upward....

Been crazy busy w/work and not around here.... but I finally made an appointment w/a new nurse (mine has been on maternity leave, and I just found out she's not coming back, happy for her, but sad for me...)

I thought I'd been having leaking problems because the stoma I have now is short -- it was moved to the left after emergency surgery in April for a parastomal hernia at my old stoma site -- but as I've been losing weight, it sticks out pretty well.

So the new nurse said that the problem is that that the opening is pointed to the top (say 10:00 or 11:00 if you're looking at me....) ... it's pointed exactly where the leaks are happening. So basically, my poop goes up, and if it's thick and I'm lying down it compromises the wafer before it finds its way down. Her solution was a bead of paste from 10:00 to 12:00.... her solution didn't work, had a leak at 4 am this morning (not a messy one, just breached the first layer of the wafer), the third night after she changed it. Basically I have leaks on day 3 when I eat so that I'll have thick output and then lie down. I think I'm just going to move to changing every other day for now, as I'm enjoying eating summer produce without a hint of a blockage.... kind of irritating to have to figure out how to change so often, though.... One other thing I thought I'd try was a bigger wafer, maybe it'd hold better.

This nurse had kind of a tough love approach that I appreciated -- she said to mourn my old stoma but understand that no matter what, I'm going to have to change this one more often. Kind of a relief to just let go of false hope....

It doesn't seem bad enough to have surgery to fix it.... I actually feel great in many ways -- probably better than I've felt in ten years..... and when I remember that I was in a life threatening situation less than 6 months ago, well, changing more often isn't really a big deal.

Any thoughts? thanks....

Are you using Eakin's or convex?

What brand of appliance do you use?

I had a stoma which curled upwards and so the opening tended to point upwards too. I'm not sure if it made me more prone to leaks or not, because in the UK people don't wear their bags for as long without changing. In fact I was originally taught to change my bag every day, but I quickly stopped sticking to that and started changing every 2-3 days. Very rarely, I stretched it to 4 days, but never ever 5, 6 or 7 days. So to me your new changing pattern is 'normal', and I don't really know what else to say. If you're not wearing one already, maybe you could try a convex wafer?

I also swear by Dan's BCT :)

My favorite appliance is the Convatec Moldable. I love it so much that I continue to use it even though I have to cut the taped border off due to an allergy to the tape. I then secure what's left of the wafer with Coloplast Brava strips. I love them as much as my moldable wafer. I use 2 Brava strips, one on each side, and then cut up a 3rd one and put 2 additional pieces at the top and bottom to circle the entire wafer. I tried and also loved Sure Seals, but I developed an allergy to them. So far, so good, with the Brava strips.

Now, I am also in love with Eakin seals and use a whole one, even with the moldable wafer. Some say you do not need an Eakin with the moldable, but I absolutely do and I know Eakin's are gooey and sticky, but Convatec's Sensi-Care removal wipes take care of this very cleanly at change time. These awesome wipes leave 0% residue and you can re-pouch without having to wash away any oily residue.

I started with convex, but have now moved to flat and get 5-7 + days wear, so I figure I will stick with the flat. I use my hairdryer to heat the Eakin and the wafer and then over all when everything is in place.

I read about this little trick that might work with the appliance you are using. Do cut your opening just a tad bit larger than your stoma. Use a whole Eakin or favorite seal and place it snuggly around the stoma. Then use part of another seal and roll it into a snake and place around the very edge of the opening on the non sticky side of the wafer. Apply the wafer and then smoosh the bit of underside seal that comes up through the opening together with the snaked seal to form a turtleneck.

It is worth a shot :)

Sorry to have abandoned my post.... so much work, sigh. Thanks for your responses.

So, fingers crossed, but things seem better! My new nurse suggested I get a convatec pre cut (with convex-IT, whatever that means, but it's deeper convexity than the coloplast convex light). The first time I didn't snap the bag on correctly -- used to the coloplast which are much easier -- so I went to the bathroom in a restaurant and had output leaking on me, sigh.... but then with the second sample, I just changed today, after three days, and the seal was perfect, no leaking under the wafer at all, probably could have gone at least another day. I'm going to order some. Wearing the third sample now.

CJ wow you are in love with quite a few ostomy supplies, are they jealous of each other? . It's good to know that cutting the tape off and replacing w/the brava strips works.... not enamored of the tape, not sure if my skin is going to like it. Do you know if it works just using sure seals? I used to do something like the trick you describe w/my old stoma, but I'd be nervous to do it w/this shorter stoma.

EQ Mom, yes, the larger wafer didn't help me at all either. I've always been a side-sleeper, so that's not enough of a fix there. But very good to know that you found something that works.