@iebrowne

If you aren't using a filtered bag, make sure you start with a little bit of air when changing your appliance (or after emptying it) or roll up a wad of toilet paper and that will create a gap between the walls of your bag to prevent pancaking. 

Let us know if that helps. 

Sorry to be a Debbie Downer but I have tried both of these things with no luck.

When you say roll up a wad of toilet paper, what does that look like? When I put the pouch on it is like a vacuum. How much to use?

No need to be sorry! For me I use 3 sheets crunched up. That creates enough air to allow room for flow. 

@iebrowne

No need to apologize! We're all here to learn and share!

Posted by: @iebrowne

When I put the pouch on it is like a vacuum.

When I put on a new pouch or when I empty one I've already got on, I'll make sure that there's a little air in it before I closed it up. If you don't get a little air in there to start, then the vacuum effect will be quite strong. 

For the wad of toilet paper, I maybe take three sheets and roll it into a ball then put that in my appliance (not too big or you'll have trouble emptying your bag!). Even with the toilet paper, I still make sure that my bag has some air in it. 

@veganostomy

Thank you, I will give it another try.

Hi,

Thanks for your reply. The issue seems only when I change my appliance, I have tried everything ( blowing air into the pouch, putting tissue in it ) and nothing is working.

I had been using Convatec pouch 401521 with a 401754 flange. Until I discovered a more comfortable flange 413165. However the issue seems to be with 413165 I wonder if they are not compatible?

The only problem is that I in Mexico for the Winter and have a large supply of the new product so I have to find a way to make it work, as the product is not available here in Mexico.

@iebrowne

Welcome to this  amazing site! Merry Christmas🎄 and Happy 2020🥳🎆 to you and yours. If you live in my neck of the woods feel free to bring me back some Vanilla...lol. 

I have an ileostomy. When I deal with pancaking it is usually because I am not drinking enough fluids before, during or after a meal. or the filter is actually working.  Could this be an altitude issue for you?  I wear a one piece and it has a filter.  The first 2 - 3 days I have suction issues and some upper accumulation of output.   I have learned to put some tape over the filter till about the 2nd. or 3rd.  day.  By then it is usually clogged a bit and won't work as well.  The filter gives my arthritic hands a chance to rest.   *I also use the liquid gel deaoderant in my pouch right away and then the regular liquid the rest of the time.  I smoosh it between the layers of plastic and then  rub it up and around to make for a more slippery place for the output to go down. I find smooshing it around to the top of the pouch helps a lot. I have never tried the TP trick but I find this gel deaoderant works well for slipping output down where it belongs. 

 Plus, it gets a bit into the filter and then air can not escape so easily.  To help a bit with clearing the filter, I take a square of TP and fold it over the filter and the back of the upper pouch and squeeze it, then slide from right to left a few times to squish some of what blocks the filter our of the filter area.   I once cut a pouch  apart to see how the filter  works and noticed the little bits of plastic framing the filter. Most filters if you get 2 good days and a 3rd. mediocre day out of it, your lucky.  But I put the squeeze on and it seems to help it work a bit longer to keep it working.  I also put the Osto EZ Vent on my pouches and use that to let air in or out as needed by pulling the sides gently apart but not by the vent. But I still find the gel deoderant keeps the output moving. I put it in after  every empty time also. It comes in an individual measure amount.  To keep the gel up  into the bag and not  around the opening at the bottom, I will slip the little packet in the pouch just past the neck and squeeze it a out from there thru the little spout area in the packet.  I always  rinse my pouch too,  this helps for a clean little packet when I take it out. Could it be your clothes may he a bit  snug¿  I hope you find a solution that works for  you! All the best. 

Linda

Posted by: @iebrowne

Thanks for your reply. The issue seems only when I change my appliance, I have tried everything ( blowing air into the pouch, putting tissue in it ) and nothing is working.

I had been using Convatec pouch 401521 with a 401754 flange. Until I discovered a more comfortable flange 413165. However the issue seems to be with 413165 I wonder if they are not compatible?

This is very strange! 

Can you list the order of steps you use when putting on your bag since that's when you said it happens? Maybe we can identify where the air is escaping. 

After you've changed your appliance (say, after 2 or 3 days), are you able to keep air in the bag without trouble? 

Do you notice any other problem like leaks or smells from your appliance? 

Thanks again for your support. It is so nice to talk to other people that understand the issues to have to face.

I follow the steps outlined in the video "How to change an Ostomy Appliance". Yes, after I change my appliance I can keep air in the pouch.

The one small change I did yesterday, is that I put tissue in the pouch but first rolled it in a ball and that seemed to work!!! I am hopeful that will work again next time.

Merry Christmas to everyone.

@dlkfiretruck

Hi Linda,

Thank you for your suggestions, I am so glad I have joined this group, everyone certainly tries to help one another.

I live in Vernon, BC back there in April from Mexico, so what neck of the woods do you live in?

Posted by: @iebrowne

The one small change I did yesterday, is that I put tissue in the pouch but first rolled it in a ball and that seemed to work!!! I am hopeful that will work again next time.

That's wonderful! I hope that's the solution for you :) Update us when you can.

On the video you said you use wipes. Were you saying adhesive wipes or wipes to clean your skin? If they are for cleaning what wipes do you use?

Hi Ray,

The only wipes I tend to use are adhesive remover wipes. For cleaning the skin, plain water + gauze works well.

I will note that some adhesive remover products are oily, and that might require soap to remove. I don't recommend those for ostomy care, as they can still interfere with the wafer's adhesive.

I use a water-based baby wipe to gently clean around the stoma, then an adhesive remover wipe over the wafer area followed by a warm wet Chux-style cloth to clean off the adhesive remover. Next step a barrier wipe and so on.

Hi Eric,

Was your ileostomy done as open surgery or laparoscopically? I have recently learned of risks that are unique to laparoscopic surgery as opposed to open surgery.

Thank you

Hi Garrett,

Mine was laparoscopic, and I'm glad my surgeon went that route. It greatly minimizes scars.

There are risks to both types, but is there anything in particular that you're worried about with laparoscopic surgery?

• Hey Garrett ,I had both my ops using laparoscopic surgery ,and my surgeon for my second surgery remarked afterwards that there was very little scarring from my colectomy and made my protectomy a lot easier , best of luck with your surgery

Hi there,
New to the ostomy world but glad I came across your website. I have an oval stoma and have issues getting it properly measured to cut the opening. I accidentally found a guide for oval stomas since no one bothered letting me know there was such a thing. Every sample comes with round template but no oval. And they are only available in paper. Why isn’t there a template made out of plastic that can be reused and easier to use? If there is please guide the way. I appreciate all of your advice and research and making me feel like I’m not alone.

Hey Trisha, glad you found the site!

Yeah, those paper templates are annoying. I guess they are cheaper to make, so that's what we get. 

The only plastic templates that I've ever come across came directly from manufacturers (I think they give these to nurses), and I was lucky to get my hands on them.

I'm not aware of any suppliers who sell them separately, but that doesn't mean they aren't available. 

One thing you can do in the meantime, especially if the release liner on your wafer is plastic, is to trace the measured hole onto that, and then reuse it. I did that for years, and it works well. 

You can even use any other plastic material that's thin and flexible. Something like thicker sheet protectors/sleeves could work!

Good luck!

Trisha... Hi! Welcome to VO!  I know it's very frustrating having a stoma that's hard to measure & cut a hole for.  After about 8 years, I started with leaks all over again & very painful skin under the wafer & around the stoma. 

On advice from others here, I remeasured my stoma & was upset to learn it was now a down facing capital letter D with kind of  football ends to it. No straight lines. 

On a lighter paper, less weight then the circle patterns in the box, I made a new circle & cut many wedges in it like a pie & then placed it over my stoma and one at a time, using a mirror & tweezers on some, I folded back each little wedge to fit around my stoma.  Once dried, bcuz the stomas fluids had wet the paper, I taped down the bent wedges & then traced out a new pattern on better paper & gave the new pattern a try.  I ALWAYS cycle the plastic from the wafers to be sure each new one fits & I test it against the new cut. My leaks became so much less I was overjoyed! Waking at night, is not an event I was wanting to repeat.  The new pattern works well for me still, but over time there have been small changes & then I just make another pie to check the fit. 

It seems to me Hollister had a plastic one available not too long ago.  But, they have no way that I could see of keeping the paper one on my boxes of pouches & I couldn't see it as being much use to me anyways,vbcuz,I just use the plastic from the wafer  & I reuse that on a good fit. I use a black marker to date the plastic for good fit reasons as well.

You could use the plastic from a milk jug if that'll work for you too.  *One thing you should be aware of is that bcuz your stoma is NOT round, measure it frequently.  Leaks can be a sign a change has been formed.  If you loose even 5 pounds it can affect the fit of your wafer, so as it's relatively new to you measure your fit with each change.  

We all know how precious the skin beneath our wafer is. Its going to be vitally important to care for it as you would a newborn babies bottom! 

Good luck going forward & I hope you enjoy the videos & information Eric has put together on so many important topics.  Don't be a stranger here. If you have any more questions please know that no question is a stupid question no matter how long you've had your stoma...