Today's my changing day but I'm going to the beach today.  I'm at day 4 but still holding just fine so I'm going to try and squeeze out an extra day and change it tomorrow.  I hope I won't have to do any quick changes in a beach bathroom!

Yeah.. I appreciate everyone's input here! I can't tell you the comfort that comes from just knowing others have gone brought what I'm into and have succeeded.

I was planning on changing today too but I didn't do it first thing and now I've got some food making the rounds.. the wafer seems fine I just get a little itchy every once in a while. I might wait until a few hours into the afternoon and give it a go. 

I definitely feel more confident after this thread, to be honest. 

So thanks to all!

Chris

Welcome Jeff. 

Its always great to have a new voice here.

and, Chris...good luck today. This whole 'thing' does get better!

Welcome, Jeff!

Thank you for sharing your experience!

I just did a relatively relaxing change. I'm deciding to keep my bag going for this change. I took a bunch of water and filled it up and rinsed it out well before I took it off. 

I went 6 days without a leak and it seemed like it could go another day but I was feeling a little itchy lately. I have some red areas.. I'll show a gross pic.

i out on powder and wiped the powder down with a barrier wipe and then I used an eakin ring attached to the wafer. I feel pretty good about it. I mean.. I'm concerned about the redness and I don't think I'll wait 6 days again, but still..

Hey Chris, for me, that's a little too much poop on the skin to stretch it another day. I try to minimize that from happening as ileostomy output will eat away at the skin with frequent exposure (the itching and redness are telltale signs of this happening). 

Try changing the appliance one day sooner (i.e. 5 days) and see if your skin heals up and the itchiness goes away. 

Eventually, you'll find a consistent pattern balance long wear time with ideal skin health. 

But getting six days is already a feat! So this is a great start!!

Posted by: VeganOstomy

Hey Chris, for me, that's a little too much poop on the skin to stretch it another day. I try to minimize that from happening as ileostomy output will eat away at the skin with frequent exposure (the itching and redness are telltale signs of this happening). 

Try changing the appliance one day sooner (i.e. 5 days) and see if your skin heals up and the itchiness goes away. 

Eventually, you'll find a consistent pattern balance long wear time with ideal skin health. 

But getting six days is already a feat! So this is a great start!!

Are you referring to the yellow on the skin in the picture? I had wiped that and I think that's eakin ring residue. I'm not 100% though.. I was trying to look at the old wafer but it was a mess and I couldn't be certain what had happened.

I guess those of you who use eakin rings would know if you get a similar colouring.

Maybe  it was poop. That's brutal. Yeah.. I'm going to try to cut it back a day and see how it looks. 

I just put in a large order with Starkmans as they are having a sale. I'm also working on getting insurance. Once I do I may not have to be as concerned about getting that extra day and damaging my skin.

Ah, yes - it may be the Eakin ring that sticking to that part. Keep an eye on it and see if there's a pattern! 

Good luck with the insurance!

Hi Chris,

I also use Eakins rings under my wafer ( convex, Hollister). I looked at the picture you posted, and I agree with Eric, you should change a bit sooner. The yellow 'stuff' is leaking out of your stoma. When the rings break down they are about the same color as they are when you put them on ... no real color change. So what you are seeing there is not ring residue. As Eric said..the stoma output is really hard on your peristomal skin  ( to be guarded at all costs!). You really do not want to have damaged skin there.

When you get to the point in your change that you posted in your picture, the best thing ( for me at least) is to take a shower and wash all that stuff off from under and near your stoma. I have to carefully scrape some of it off with my fingernails. I use a rough wash cloth and PURPOSE ( brand ) bar soap. It is not vegan...but was recommended by my dermatologist ( amazon..has it...of course!). It leaves NO residue.

Anyway. Good luck! You are doing great. I only get 4 to five days wear time.

Thanks. I will definitely try a day earlier. I'll also give a better scrub.

Plus, I'm also trying to extend the bag for the full change. The only thing I'm noticing re wear on the sensura mio bags is its fraying a little at the bottom where the Velcro is. Otherwise it seems in decent shape. 

...as long as the velcro stuff stays shut!!!

Are you using two piece bag or one piece? I can see if its a two piece you could change the wafer part and reuse the bag that you have washed out.

That's a good point re the velcro. That could be disastrous. I'm using a two piece and I only rinsed it with some water when I emptied it before I changed it. It wasn't spotless that's for sure. 

It doesn't have to be spotless to work! A good thing, since they are all 'unspotless' pretty soon after they are put into action!

So.. I woke up this morning attached to a hot air balloon and I was hanging from the ceiling.

The biggest challenge with reusing the bags, as I believe Eric mentioned earlier, is the reduced function of the filters. Now, I just ordered my firs batch of EZ Vent, and that may change things, but I had to put new bag on just to deal with the gas.

Chris, I always get the hit air balloon at night when I'm sleeping.  I'm worried one day it will pop.  I burp the bag in my bed which is also risky but it beats getting out of bed yet again.  I'm now up to waking only three times per night.  When I first got home from the hospital I was having to empty every single hour.  Three times a night feels like a luxury.

What is EZ vent?

This is from Erics site. They look fantastic because in another tip he irrigates the bag with a water bottle.

https://www.veganostomy.ca/osto-ez-vent-review/

I ordered a box of ten to try

EZ- vents have saved me MANY hours of sleep. Its great to be able to vent gas ( discretely) all day, but at night its really necessary for me. I got much better over time at venting and re closing ( do NOT forget this step) while not really waking up all that much and NOT getting out of bed.

I put them up at the 'top' of the bag ( Hollister) near the vent that comes with it ( that doesn't work).

  A TIP on getting the gas out.... be sure to work the 'output' below the venting hole and squeeze GENTLY. Sometimes 'stuff' gets stuck in the vent ( watch those chia seeds) . I have had a lot of luck just scraping my nail across the other side of the bad which kind of clears the area near the EZ-vent hole. Be extra careful if your output is liquid or you will create a fountain effect..not good. Just make sure that the gas is at the top or near the vent.

I think they might be hard to attach to one piece bags? anyone try this yet?

Like everything involving your new reality it gets easier! Whoo-Hoo.

Posted by: Dona

I think they might be hard to attach to one piece bags? anyone try this yet?

Yes, on a one-piece you'd have to apply the EZ-Vent after you've cut a hole big enough for your stoma (unless it's precut with a decent sized hole). 

Chris, if you're using the EZ-Vent on the Mio bags, you'll want to check out this article as it's a bit more complicated than a regular bag: Using the Osto EZ-Vent on the Coloplast Sensura Mio (w/ video)

Hey Chris.. I like your new picture! Is that your daughter? Lovely.

Posted by: Dona

Hey Chris.. I like your new picture! Is that your daughter? Lovely.

Thanks! Yes thats my little girl. I have an 8 yr old boy too but he was far too busy on his iPad for the photo op.