Having an ostomy doesn’t mean you have to limit the things you enjoy. Many ostomates play sports or work demanding jobs, yet driving often becomes a source of stress because of one thing: the seat belt.
Feb 2020: The company Weir Comfees was bought out, and you can now purchase this seatbelt protector from The Ostomy Clothing Company: https://ostomyclothingcompany.com/product/seatbelt-protector/
Table of Contents
Intro
Depending on the location of your stoma, there’s a good chance that your seat belt will either go right over your stoma or over your pouch, which restricts the flow of output.
I often resort to putting the belt under the bottom part of my pouch, but that only works if the pouch is over my pants and even then it’s uncomfortable.
Neither of these options are ideal, especially if you plan on being in a vehicle for a long trip, and not wearing your seat belt can be dangerous and is often illegal. So what do we do?
The Comfee Drive
One solution to this problem is the Comfee Drive seat belt cover, which I received during a local ostomy chapter meeting “open house” through the manufacturer Weir Comfees.
The idea is so simple, yet it works amazingly well.
You simply secure it to your seat belt using Velcro and center it over your stoma when you’re ready to go.
That’s it!
You can now enjoy driving without your stoma or pouch being crushed and uncomfortable.
You can even leave it on the seat belt and slide it off to the side if you’re sharing your vehicle with another driver. Of course, you can also remove it when you like.
Video Demo
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I wish I had one when I was go-karting on my son’s birthday, but I’ll be sure to bring it the next time around.
Conclusion
At the time of this writing (Jan 2022), the Comfee Drive, which is sold under the name OCC Seatbelt Protector, sells for CDN$24.99 and the product ships internationally.
The Comfee Drive is a one-size-fits-all product and comes in three different colours: Denim, beige and black.
Because this is an accessory, it’s unlikely that insurance companies will cover the cost of the Comfee Drive, but it’s something that I’ve personally used for years and it still looks great – it’s an investment worth making!
Pros:
- Effectively protects your stoma while driving.
- Small enough to take anywhere.
- Doesn’t add much bulk to your seat belt.
- Can be left in place or quickly removed for convenience.
- Available in several colors (Black, denim, beige).
Cons:
- Sometimes twists up and needs adjusting.
Highly Recommended for some
I have zero complaints about this product, other than the fact that it sometimes needs to be adjusted on the belt.
While it’s not a product that every ostomate will need, those that have a stoma at the same level as their seat belt may want to check it out.
It works and works well. I no longer have to worry about fiddling with my pouch to get my seat belt to be comfortable.
For more information on the Comfee Drive, please visit https://www.weircomfees.ca/This product can now be purchased from The Ostomy Clothing Company https://ostomyclothingcompany.com
Question: Does your seat belt bother you?
Hi there, just curious if anyone has come across a replacement product similar to this one? I’m a new ostamate and my job requires alot of drive time and I’m having seatbelt issues…so aggravating! ? This product looks perfect but seems is no longer available. Just hoping to find a similar one.
Thanks!
You can now get these from https://ostomyclothingcompany.com/product/occ-seatbelt-protector/ !
How do you get the seat belt
Hi Deborah,
Unfortunately, the company making these stopped taking orders a few months ago. You may be able to search for similar products, but I haven’t had much luck with finding a direct replacement.
I see that you are wearing your appliance vertically not horizontally. Is that the only way to way for this particular product? I’m also looking and wondering if there are stoma guards that work with horizontal? Thanks
Great questions.
1) I wear this seatbelt cover when my appliance is both vertical or horizontal without any trouble.
2) Because of how most guards are held in place (i.e. an elastic band), I don’t think this would be an easy task! The stealthbelt hybrid has worked quite well as a stoma protector and horizontal support belt.
Every time I try to finish order it tells me site unprotected and to go back. Trying to order seat belt cover. No luck.
Hi Barbara,
That’s a shame. The page looks secure on my end, but I haven’t gone through an entire order to check. I would contact Weir Comfees directly to see if they can take your order another way: https://weircomfees.com/contactus
Good luck!
Hi Eric,
I was able to go on the Weir website and order their comfee belt, however, I have not yet received it after four weeks. I have been keeping on top of things and getting replies from Justin concerning its arrival date, but it has been a no-show so far. I keep hoping that today is the day when I receive it.
Stella
Hi Stella, let me know what happens. From what I understand, the company stopped taking orders many months ago, but I’d love to know if they’re still taking orders.