Urostomy

[Yvonne]

Has anyone with a urostomy found the ideal bag and how many times do you have to change them. John's new bag is fine because the glue comes off easily but has to be changed every day as it begins to leak after 12 hours.  His old one he was using stayed on for 2 to 3 days but left a lot of glue behind that is a job to wash off.







EDITED:Moved to other severe medical conditions topics area-kitkatz,moderator

[Gramapat]

I use a 1-piece Hollister Premier with convexity.  It lasts me 3 days and I just love it.  It took me a few years of trying different bags before I found this one.  You can email or call the different companies and get samples.

[Yvonne]

Hi Gramapat Thanks for that info, I guess that not many people on this dialysis site have a Urostomy as I have only had the one reply. Have you got a web site for the company that make your bag, to see if they are obtainable in England 

[Gramapat]

Here is the website.  I looked at the UK site and couldn't find the type I use but it might be called something else.
You can request samples online or there is a free number you can call.

http://www.hollister.com/

[kitkatz]

Convatec sure fit still. It only wears three days for me at the most.  Also I notice an odor problem if I wear it any longer. The Durahesive other people swear by, but I only swore AT it.  It came right off of me and ripped my skin apart. When I was 12 to 17 years old I had one of the old rubber bags that was cemented to my skin.  Glory be, when I found new lite weight stuff. You have no idea what that was like way back 33 years ago!

I found out you have to clean the skin throughly when changing, other wise the stuff builds up and whammo the skin breaks down.  I have had my urostomy for 33 years.  Anymore questions?

[Yvonne]

Hi Thanks I have linked to the UK site, there are so many products, will have to take my time to go through them.

Have either of you got a Hernia on the stoma site?

Kittatz You have had yours a long time!  John has only had his since July 2007, after about 4 months he got a hernia on the site and over the next few months it has got so bad, the only way I can put the new bag on for him is for him to lay flat on the bed so his tummy then goes flat and I can then put on the new bag for him. He takes the old one off and maybe you are right he has a build up of glue and the new bag will not stick. He also has a skin break out, that doesn't help either.  Oh what people have to put up in life,

John has 2 hernias now, he has been fitted out for a belt, picks it up on 28th

[kitkatz]

No hernia that I know of.  I have been really lucky with all of it, except for kidney failure coming along.  Keep that skin as clean as he can get it. There are skin products out there that are especially made for breakouts. I use Neosporin when it gets red around my stoma, but that does not happen often.  See his stoma nurse if things get worse.  There is yahoo group called Urostomy2 that is really helpful.  Just go to yahoo groups and look them up. 

[Yvonne]

Kitkatz Thanks for the info, I phoned up the stoma nurse and straight away they have sent out samples of medication that they hope will help John's condition.  I will also look up the Yahoo site.

[Gramapat]

I don't have a hernia at my urostomy stoma site but do have one at my colostomy stoma site.  It's not real large and doesn't bother me at all so I can't complain.

I've only had skin problems a few times in the 14 years I've had my urostomy.  I had a yeast infection twice and boy! those were so itchy and weepy.  I also had a bacterial infection once and that really scared me.  I thought I had that flesh eating bacteria.  I had a really deep ulcer but it cleared right up with a burn cream the doctor prescribed.

I hope John's skin break out clears up fast and also that the hernia belt helps!

[Yvonne]

Thanks Gramapat  I phoned up the firm that suplies John's bags and told them about the skin breakout, she said she would send out this specail medication.  Believe it or not it all arrived the next day, there was powder to put on the broken skin, a tube of barrier cream and also another dabber like thing that you put on after the skin has healed, it's like a barrier glue that builds up around the skin to stop direct contact with the bag on the shin.  Well I'm pleased to say that after a few days the skin has healed up.
The Low Clearance renal clinic have told John his kidney is still holding out and might not have to have dialysis for some time, he now feels so much better about life 

[kitkatz]

Good news about everything.  I bet it was nice when the skin healed and it was back to normal again. Lean on the stoma nurses and the pouch suppliers to help when things get rough or change.

[Gramapat]

I'm so happy to hear that you found something for John's skin that has helped!  I hope that's the end of the skin problems.  Great news about about his kidney!  Hope he doesn't have to start dialysis for a really long, long time!

[kitkatz]

The Evansville Ostomay Association has a great newsletter.  This month they had the Introduction to an Ostomy in PDF format booklet and the traveling with an ostomy certification note.  If you want them I can email them to you if you send me your email in a PM.

[draven]

Hi KitKatz

I also have a Urostomy bag and use Hollister Bags. Before starting dialysis my bags usually lasted about 4-5 days before they started wearing out.
But since i have been on dialysis i have noticed after about 3 days it starts to smell pretty bad. do you experience something similar. is there a way to prevent it diet wise. i personally think it maybe because were not Drinking enough (fluid restrictions).

[kitkatz]

God knows, wish I did. I have the same problem.  Got change it every three days without fail or else I smell like barn yard. I think it is because the stoma secrets mucus and the fluid restriction doe snot flush it all out all of the time. I find eating cranberries can help the odor a lot! Plus cutting down on soda drinking can help too.  Good luck!