I know this is an old video, but I wanted to thank you for your information and pass on what I’ve leaned over time. One thing to consider is where your os is located (the opening of your stoma). Not everyone has an os directly in the center of their stoma; mine is unfortunately at the bottom of my stoma, pointing down. If my stoma were a clock, my os is at 6:00, and I had trouble getting a good fit at first. As a result of trial and error, I’ve learned I need to leave a little extra room at the bottom of my ring to make sure output goes into the pouch and that it’s not being pushed under the adhesive and causing pancaking, leaks, or even having the pouch fall off (I use a one piece, closed pouch). I’m not sure how common a weirdly placed os is, but it might be a reason some folks are having a bit of trouble with fit.
Your videos are so helpful. I have UC and was diagnosed 10 years ago. I’m getting my colon removed tomorrow and getting an ileostomy. I’m excited and feel prepared thanks to your content.
I've had a Illestomy since 1991...I cut the holes in my Bag every time...You can buy a cutter for the size you need. They have a round hard plastic circle handle with a real sharp stainless pipe inbeded in the handle to the size you need ......I cut a piece cardboard from the box the bags came in about 2" wide and 8" long and slide it up inside the Bag then align the cutting tool up to the center of the hole on the Bag and firmly push down and Twist a little...The cutting tool has a clear top so you can see the bag to help center the hole....Don't push to hard or you'll cut all the way through the card board and plastic into your counter...Try cutting a little and pull the cutter out and see if you cut through enough ...You can put the cutter back in and cut more if needed....I use my left hand to hold the Bag and cardboard in place so it doesn't rotate.....I've had the same cutter the whole time... A little confusing I know...Sorry... Hope it might help you...🤔🤔🤔🤔
I have watched this before and I'm rewatching it because there's been changes in my stoma so I'm having leaks and trying to make adjustments😮😮😮 honestly you are a godsend from your friend in Toronto😊
I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease at the age of 20, I’m currently 50 years old, and during the past 30 years, I started off with a toxic megacolon a.k.a. ruptured colon at the age of 21 (thankfully I was already hospitalize when it ruptured, because I was literally flat line by the time they rushed me to the OR table, but they were able to bring me back) where I went through a three stage J pouch, from that point until now, I have had. 8 ileostomies, a j pouch and 2 k pouches (similar to a BCIR). Four weeks ago I had surgery number 37, to remove my malfunctioning K pouch, And got my 8th, and hopefully last, ileostomy. However, this time, because I only have 5% of entire gastrointestinal tract left, the surgeon didn’t have much to work with, because my abdomen, both inside and out, is so horribly scarred, he did the best he could with what little he had to work with, unfortunately resulting in a stoma that has two major divots on the peristomal skin on both the right and left sides, making it next to impossible to get the flange to stay on without leaking more than a day or two. I’ve already used up a two month supply in less than 2 weeks. I have tried almost every product on the market, and I have extensive knowledge of ileostomies, especially since I’ve had so many of them, and, I come from a medical background, having my masters degrees and laboratory medicine in medical radiation sciences. I focussed my career towards the workings of the gastrointestinal tract, but this time I am at a loss, and simply cannot find a way to stop the leakage, which of course has completely burned all the skin around my stoma so bad that it’s bleeding. I am in constant agony, and was forced to retire because I simply cannot trust my own body anymore, and I’m hoping and praying that maybe somebody out there may know a few tricks that I have not yet thought of. I am in desperate desperate need of help, I’ve already spoken to both my surgeon and my gastroenterologist, along with my stoma nurse, and none of them have been able to help me. The only thing my surgeon can do is try another operation, but after having 37 surgeries already, including the removal of my rectum, entire colon, and all but a few feet of my small bowel, I really do not want to take the surgical route again, because Quite frankly I am fed up with having surgery. Since 2012 I’ve had 12 surgeries alone, and my body is paying the price for it. I’ve gone from 240 pounds down to 149 pounds in less than six months, and I’m still loosing, because my body simply cannot absorb any nutrients, I don’t have enough intestine left to do so efficiently, so I rely heavily on supplements which I grind into a powder. I have considered TPN therapy, but it is a step I do not want to take, although I’ve been on TPN many times in the past, this time, if I do choose that route, it would be permanent for the rest of my life, and I’m desperate to save what little normalcy I have left in my life. So I beg you, all of you, if you have any advice that’s worked for you when you could not get your flange to stick because of uneven skin around the stoma, please tell me what you did to accomplish this. Thank you so much, I greatly appreciate any and all help I can get, cheers from Toronto!
Wow, TJ. You've been through a hell of a lot! How many stoma nurses have you worked with? It sounds like you'd make a great case study because. I'm sure the solution to your problem will be quite valuable to other nurses and patients.
What a story. I'm really curious about how everything is going for you now? Have you been able to get any help? Sorry I don't have any advice on this, I'm brand new to the ostomy game. I also have Crohn's but luckily I'm only 2 surgeries in. 2 small bowel resections and a reversible ileostomy. I have my entire large intestine left but I'm really tearing through my small pretty fast.
Thank you so much for all your videos. My husband had to have his bladder removed due to cancer and your tips have helped with the problems we have been having. I did order a pair of the scissors!!!
Eric, I have only just got onto you and I am going to have my J-Pouch removed and go back to an Ileostomy bag. I find you the most interesting person in regards to having a day to day action with a stoma. I notice all this info is at least 2 years old, I wish you would come back with some more up to date info. I will be talking to my surgeon who made my J-Pouch originally in the next week or two after I do some testing with Colorplast 2 part units. I am going for Colorplast because of your information, so thank you. I hope you return to doing the best information for people with a stoma. Regards from Australia Keith (IGGIE) Hindley
Hi Keith, I really appreciate your kind words. Most of the videos that I've created tend to be considered "evergreen" and will be relevant for years to come. While I do have plans to continue to make videos, certain life circumstances have prevented me from doing so. I am also currently nursing a broken shoulder, which is made life even more difficult, but I'm Learning a lot and I have a lot to share at some point. Be well. I wish you the best with your ileostomy.
This is so important! I was wearing the wrong size for two years after surgery and i got granulomas i have to burn off with silver nitrate. I went down two sizes with the wocn now im trying to figure out to go down another size or keep the new size. Wocn nurse is on leave for another 2 weeks so this is my reference until then!! Thank you.
These videos are so helpful Eric. Thank you! I am a new ostomate due to colorectal cancer and the information you share here has been invaluable. I have a loop ileostomy that is basically oval and am wondering if you can direct me to a place where I can find tips on fitting a wafer for this.
Hi Juliana. Thanks for watching. Loop ostomies are a bit challenging to fit and I would first recommend seeing a stoma nurse who will be able to assess your specific stoma and give you pointers. Sometimes the use of stoma paste or barrier rings may be necessary to get a proper fit.
From Canada had an illosomy since I was 9 years old due to hursbrungs disease very impressive be neat to have a hose attachment to avoid the need for a bag
Thanks so much for this video. Here is how I do it: At a restaurant, ask for one of those clear take-home cups they send home with take-out salads (for the dressing.) Invert the cup over your stoma at a quiet time. Trace the outline of the stoma with a marker on the bottom of the cup. Then, cut the hole in the cup and use that as a template to trace the exact size and shape of the stoma on the back of your cut-to-size wafer or one-piece pouch. Easy, quite accurate, and costs nothing extra for tools except what you ight have paid for a take-home salad.
Thank you so much. Very big help as I believe I do need a slightly larger opening in my wafer and I now have a better idea how to measure it so I get a better fit 👍😊
Hi Eric great video and interesting to I get mine pre cut so I don't need to worry to much though I'll still make sure my fallange still fits as it can change size some times. see you in your next video from Ann.
Pre-cut are definitely the most convenient if you're stoma remains a consistent size! I'm so glad that they work for you, Ann! Unfortunately, some stomas aren't perfectly round or are slightly smaller/bigger than the pre-cut holes, so cut-to-fit (or mouldable) ends up being the best option. There are new products being worked on that use custom-fit wafers that are 3d scanned/printed... exciting stuff being worked on!
Hey Eric! I'm 3 mo out from a colostomy and still figuring stuff out. Your videos have really helped me. My big fear is cutting the hole too small and strangulating my stoma. I measure it and cut to the size of the guide but it fits snug around the stoma. What are possible problems if the hole is cut too small and what would the stoma look like if hole is too tight of a fit? Thanks!
Hey Wylde, cutting the wafer too small tends to be pretty uncomfortable. You might notice sharp pain, especially when you're passing stool. You might also notice bleeding around the stoma. I personally error on the side of caution and cut larger than too small. Most wafers swell and any gap (a reasonable size gap) will fill around the stoma, so making the hole a few mm larger is ideal. 👌
Thank you thank you thank you. You’ve helped me so much since I found you and watching your videos . They didn’t teach me this when my son was in the hospital. Can I get the scissors from Amazon
Thank you so much for sharing this video very helpful tips I have just got an ostomy put in 3 weeks ago and it's been really hard I have been having leaks to the point where I ran out of bags I can't seem to get the hang of sizing the wafer right! 😣 It's been really fustrating but I really like the scissors can I just look on Coloplast website to order? Or if you can just point me in the right direction? Thanks buddy!
Wow. For $8.30 and free shipping I might try them too! My Hollisters do not seem to cut to good. I think they screwed up on the price though, so get 'em while their hot! The 2 pack is $60.58 and the 3 pack even more, so something is wrong somewhere :)
Ps: your informations & Delivery is nice: I am Immunizer , PHARMACIST ( MT, retired ,sort of), *& hope my Consultations Contents that good, Thouhg I miss one to One ,patients, etc. I done Oncology in Hospital Nine years plus……
Hi Cleome. This guide was intended more for new ostomates who need to measure their stoma for several weeks after surgery, or someone like me, who has an ever-changing stoma! The lucky ones who can use precut wafers don't have to worry about it :)
Yes, that can be more difficult to measure. Some guides have a "half-circle" you can use to measure each side of your stoma. I would definitely keep the backing after you've cut out a shape that fits and hopefully you can just trace that over your next wafer without needing to remeasure everything.
Great question! The short answer: If you have a colostomy or use a closed-ended pouch that needs to be removed/replaced often, go with a regular wear; if you have an ileostomy or urostomy, or wear your appliance for more than 3-5 days at a time, go with extended wear. Extended wear products can better handle liquid output, but they aren't meant to be replaced often (as you would with a closed ended pouch) because they may cause skin damage. Regular wear tend to be more gentle on the skin and can often be removed without the use of adhesive removers, but they don't handle liquid output very well and may break down more quickly. I hope that helps.
I have several types of scissors that were given to me at the hospital and by my home healthcare nurses. I do have one pair that looks to be identical to yours. I have, however, discovered the a pair of craft scissorssors works the best, by far, for me. I have them for cutting Lexan RC car bodies before painting them. They are small and curved with blunt tips. The brand is Excel and Amazon has them. A hobby company has them for just $4.99, though. Amazon Prine is $10,40mmuch more than Integy.com. I am not affiliiated with them in any way. There are planty available with a Goodle search (Search Lexan scissors. Don't buy the straight ones. Despite being short, I find them to be easy to use faster with fewer errors.
Hey Ron, What kind of RC cars are you running? I got into the hobby earlier this year with my son, and we just picked up two Traxxas TRX-4's to add to our collection! Lexan scissors look like a great idea! I'm worried that the pointed tips may be a problem for some (puncturing the bag as they cut their one-piece) or an issue with airport security. Do you have any experience with that?
Vegan Ostomy Hi, Eric, I’m sorry to be replying after two months, but I just got the like notification. As dar as those scissors go, the actual cutting blade length is (In your language, lol) two centimeters. Also, the tips are.quite rounded. I have used then with one piece. Pouches with no issue at all. You should look them up for a photo. I gave a number if places to find them. Ok, so RC cars. I first built an RC10 buggy in the early 89’s, for my son. There was in RTR those days. I was in a car accident in 1985 and that put an end to the hobby. Then, about 8 years ago my son bought a 4X monster truck and later a 1/16 Revo. I bought a 1/16 Rally, but converted it to a more manageable road car. That was pretty fun. Also, my first rc was a Associated 1/18 scale 4X truck. Oh, I did have a 1/10 scale HOU Firestorm for a while. It was constantly overturning, so I sold it. I wear braces on my ankles snd feet for foot drop. A side effect of an SCI. I recently painted a new Camaro body for my Rally and I’m pretty pleased with the results. Take good care my friend, Ron PS; Those TRXs are very sweet.
No worries on the late reply! I actually ended up getting curved lexan scissors because I needed to cut a few bodies for our trucks. I haven't tried them on ostomy wafers yet, but they do look good for the job! RC is a fun hobby! 😁😁👍
How will I know when my stoma is staying at a certain size ?I am 8 weeks out of surgery and want to be able to buy the precut ones, it would be much easier. Thank you
There's no guarantee that it will remain at the same size all the time, but if you find that the size stays the same week after week, you should be safe to get precut wafers. 👌
Lol, basically not for me since mine is not round. And there is no "one size up" for me (on the sides). I created my own template that I use each time.
That's an interesting question, but I think part of the answer has to do with the wearer. Many of the moldable wafers (Hollister/Convatec) swell considerably, but they also deteriorate faster than other wafers, in my experience. "Regular wear" wafers also appear to swell more than "extended wear" wafers, but this could be anecdotal.
Size up! Most wafers will have little measurement rings where you cut the hole. If you find that your stoma is reaching the largest ring, then go for the next largest wafer.
64mm is large, but you should be able to fit it within several types of wafers. I would recommend seeing what is available to you in both 1pc and 2pc systems. Most 1pc appliances I've seen will accommodate 65mm.
I have a few suppliers I use (in Canada). Contact Coloplast directly to see where to buy them from in your area. Some countries don't have the full product range, or they'll have different variations.
I have one. It's on cleaning the outlet of the bag. I found myself washing out the whole bag because I;d put water in just the outlet but dirty water kept coming out. I use the clip bags so now I clip them back further than I plan to wear it and wash it. The clip stops the water from going back too far and when I'm done cleaning it I re-clip it further down and then dry it. That way also saves my wafer from leaks. P.S. Hey Eric, we have the same size stoma's! :P
My stoma is oval shaped darn it. The templates don't really help. And some products won't let me cut the hole as wide as I need. I use a baggie to trace the stoma size on it and use it as a template now.
Oval stomas are a challenge. When you say that some products don't allow you to cut the hole as wide as you need, are you referring to the wafer? They should come in various sizes which can accomodate very large (even double-barrel) stomas. Have you looking into the next size up from what you're using now?
@@VeganOstomy yes where you cut the hole to fit on the wafer. My ileostomy nurse has ordered so many bags for me. I'm 7 weeks out after surgery. All of the wafers I have I have to cut to the max line in width. One type I have to roll and pinch the wafer hole and mold it, not cut it, and it's width is almost too small for my stoma too. If the virus weren't going around I was to have my ileostomy reversed this month. Now I'm praying I can have it May. I absolutely hate it, can't wear my regular clothes and have to clean it sometimes 2-3 times a night messing up a good 8 hour solid sleep. My Nurse doesn't recommend a high output bag either. She said just eat earlier in the evening before I go to bed.
@@passbottleman Do you have a product number for the wafer you use? How wide is your stoma at the largest point? It sounds like, even until you have a reversal, there are things you can do to make life a little easier, so perhaps start with a larger wafer. I know that the Hollister 1pc Premier will allow for a hole up to 64mm, which is considerably larger than the maximum size on their 2pc wafers (which goes up to 57mm). I wonder if this might be an option to consider.
Hi Eric. Good to know about the wafer swelling a bit. I thought maybe I wasnt doing something right. Have you done a video on how your stoma shrinks? If you did I can't find it. How did you come up with the name vegan? Alberta kid here
I don't have a video on shrinking stomas - are you looking for information on why it shrinks? The "Vegan" before "Ostomy" is to show that my content is a reflection of my lifestyle (i.e plant-based). Because I had been looking for information on how to be a vegan with an ostomy before my surgery, I felt that including it in the name would be the easiest way for others to find that same info.
Vegan Ostomy Oh ok. Just wondering about the name. About the shrinking I was just wondering how long before it becomes the size it's supposed to be. My size is becoming stable but I heard it changes a lot I went from one and a quarter now to one inch and holding. Stoma was born sept 1
The stoma shrinks a lot during the first 4-6 weeks for most people due to swelling after surgery. But things like weight loss/weight gain can also affect it. Adequate hydration will also cause it to be more "plump". If you're like me, you may find that it never truly stabilizes 100%, and I often find that the template I cut during the previous appliance change no longer fits and I have to remeasure.
It's a little bit frustrating. But it's better than it was. I simply detested it. Now it's just part of me. Ugh Keep posting videos. You've got real good info. I watched most of them on one day. In the hospital. You are helping a whole lot of people.
Yes/no Here's a presentation I gave with a lady ostomate from BC - we discuss clothing options for men and women: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-t8zkKs2x9Io.html But more helpful would be the written guide (4 part series) for ladies: www.veganostomy.ca/dressing-with-an-ostomy-clothing-for-women At some point, I hope to put together a video version of that series - considering I'm not a woman, it's hard for me to record anything for it without the help of ladies sending in video, voice over, etc.
Hi Geeta, you can often see the edge of the wafer around the stoma begins to get puffy as it absorbs fluids. This is easy to see if you wear a clear bag, but you can still notice it when removing the appliance and looking at the wafer. Some products will swell more than others and some will "melt" as it swells due to moisture absorption.
Hi Eric, I love your videos and they are really helping me. I am 11 weeks post op following end iliostomy due to UC. I am using Confidence Be 1 piece but the flange around the stoma goes white extremely quick and then im getting leaks. My output is very thick and I have had pancake issues but do you think cutting the whole wider will help or is it I just have too much moisture on my skin and the bag doesn't suit. When I remove bag there is no stool just flange has broken down. Any advise please would be greatly appreciated.
It's normal for the flange around your stoma to become white as it absorbs moisture. The leaks are a problem, though. I don't really have access to those products here, but do you know if they make an extended wear version of it? Extended wear products tend to better handle moisture - although the leaks may be caused by something else. I'd have a stoma nurse investigate it with you.
