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Has anyone made their own support belt?

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Alida
(@alida)
Joined: 4 years ago
Posts: 29
Topic starter  

My stoma is flush so I need to wear a support belt with a convex flange.  I love the idea of a stealth belt concealing my bag, but the WOC nurse said it doesn't give me enough support.  I was thinking I might be able to fashion my own belt to fit my needs.  Has anyone done this yet?  I'm interested in how it worked out.

With Squiggy since 3/31/21


   
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 LK
(@dlkfiretruck)
Joined: 8 years ago
Posts: 1583
 

Hi Alida... about 2 years ago I was doing some canning of Tomatoes & Salsa. On my feet all day, I was very aware that my tummy needed some extra support as I was feeling back pain & an odd pull or something in my ostomy area. 

I have a few of these ladies T type shirts with great elasticity & spaghetti straps on them. So, in a  hurry, I cut off the straps and small rise above where it would normally  fit over my breasts leading to the straps in an upside down V and I just gave it a straight cut across the top. From there I pulled the top down over my hips & pouch area as it would allow without rolling up any.  I did find it worked great for extra support my body was telling me it needed. 

As I was canning I got to thinking that 2 of them together or even 1 1/2 sewn together with a double layer in the front,  a pocket on the inside or slit made to tuck the pouch into may work for someone like me on tight budget.  I did find that the shirt alone gave me the extra support my body asked for that day and the pull & pain went away. I also put on a good pair of runners with a better arch support for my feet.  

I got the tops at Walmart that Summer about  3 for 12 dollars Canadian. I think it was. All different colours, but they're cheap enough to experiment with if you wish. If you don't sew, maybe a friend who does would try for you.  Someone who does Alterations should be more then able to stitch them together.  If you use the Osto EZ Vents be sure to allow an opening for easy access to that as well.

Its simple enough to stitch a straight longer  zigzag stitch if you don't do stretch & sew. Zigzag stitches can have length chosen on most basic sewing machines.

Any questions just ask. I hope this is helpful! 

Linda 

 

 

Linda


   
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GoatHerder
(@goatherder)
Joined: 4 years ago
Posts: 162
 
Posted by: @alida

My stoma is flush so I need to wear a support belt with a convex flange.  I love the idea of a stealth belt concealing my bag, but the WOC nurse said it doesn't give me enough support.  I was thinking I might be able to fashion my own belt to fit my needs.  Has anyone done this yet?  I'm interested in how it worked out.

I'm in the same boat, a flush stoma and convex skin barrier. I make my own and have for years. I use denim with a nonwoven interface between the layers to give it some stiffness, and sew on hook and loop fasteners for the closure.  I make them quite a bit wider than the commercially available ones, as I'm supporting a hernia, and I also sew a holster into it.

 

Retired engineer, now goatherd
Ostomate since 2015: Mid transverse after cancer
Our goats always live at GoatsLive.com


   
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