Do you wear an elastic belt with your barrier?

Hi gang,

Just wondering.........do you wear the elastic belt with your barrier or not? I'm not talking about a StealthBelt or similar product, I mean the cheesy little 1" skin-colored elastic belt that clips to both sides of your barrier. I ask because I do, but whenever I search online (like for stoma tattoos or ostomy bags) I rarely ever see people wearing the belt. I distinctly remember the ostomy nurse after my operation telling me to wear it.....so I have. I wear it for peace of mind mainly because I don't think it would really prevent my barrier from being pulled off if something caught my bag hard enough.......so I'm questioning if I should keep wearing it. Let me know what you do.....wear it or not.

Thanks,

Bob

I only use the belt when I have an issue with the adhesive part of the pouch, like if it folded over sticky side to sticky side when applying it or if it starts to peel after a day or two. I trust the wafer to act as a barrier but not as an adhesive.

Dave

Hi Bob, I only wear the belt when I put a new wafer on, but only for a couple of hours. I've been doing it that way for 30 some years.

I've never worn a belt and never felt the need to wear one either. Since I wear a one-piece bag and change it pretty much daily, leaks are very rare. Even with a full bag, the wafer doesn't come off. But whether wearing a belt or not is needed, I think really depends on things like your stoma output, position on your stomach, and how flat your skin is around the stoma. Not to mention, like you say, the peace of mind it doesn't come off for reasons.

As for putting on a new wafer, a hairdryer does wonders for that. For some reason, whenever I don't use it, the skin always stays slightly damp/mushy, preventing the wafer from sticking properly. But that tip's been said many times on here already.

Hi Bob, I wore the belt just after my surgery but found it uncomfortable and useless. I use a stoma guard that I developed/designed (made on a 3D printer) and it keeps the wafer secure and flow moving into pouch. Stay well. Penguins7

Stories of Living Life to the Fullest from Ostomy Advocates I Hollister

I wear my Hollister belt all the time. More for peace of mind. I am not sure it really does anything but I do not want to take a chance to find out. If I have a really full bag, I am sure it helps to keep it from falling off.

Hi xnine,

Yeah, I'm with you... same reason I wear one. But when I think about it... I always take it off before I shower (because I'm too lazy to dry it off if it gets wet and wearing a wet belt feels weird for a few hours), but I would think if my barrier would fall off without it... it would do so when the barrier is soaking wet in the shower... and it never does. But I still wear one every day. Guess I'm just stubborn. I do remember when I first got my ostomy not liking to have to wear the stupid belt all the time... but I did get used to it and don't even know it's there anymore. But maybe it's time to try going without it during the day and see what happens.

Regards,

Bob

I only use a belt when irrigating but at no other time. Sometimes I use Coloplast two-piece pouches and they do not have a sleeve that snaps on to the size barrier I use, so I use a Convatec sleeve with the belt and it works fine. That belt is so thin I really am not sure it would prevent any mishaps. Now maybe a wider belt that would not loosen like the little one does would be helpful! To each his own!
Puppyluv

I didn't wear it initially but found when I began to wear it that my bag didn't pull down as much. As a result, I can go 3 days (easily) without having to change my appliance.

I have learned so much since finding this site. I had never heard of a belt. I don't work or go out too much, but I have never had a problem with the pouch coming loose from the wafer. Even when I take a laxative and have a lot of output, I use the 18103 pouch and the 14803 wafer. Even when I shower, it does not come loose.

Hello Bob. Thanks for the post and the opportuntiy it gives to chip in.

I found that I needed two belts, one at the top and and another at the bottom of the baseplate/wafer. Because there was no such thing at the time, I needed to make the device up for myself. What I also found, was that the thin belts were uncomfortable and kept moving out of place, so I made a wide belt out of an adapted hernia belt and sewed the ends of the thinner belts to the ends of the hernia belt so that the two of them were still adjustable to suit my body shape. The hooks on these small belts were totally inadequate and kept coming apart when I was in bed. I therefore changed them for picture hooks, which are longer, wider and stronger. I also make my own baseplates and use medical adhesive to keep them in situ.  That device has suited my needs for about five years.

What I have thought over the years, is that almost every device needs 'tweeking' to suit my personal needs. More than likely, this will be the same for others who have to manage the vagaries of a stoma alongside the various body shapes and other factors. It is a pity that there isn't a service that will do bespoke work, but I can appreciate that this might be an expensive approach, so DIY is probably still the way to go.

Best wishes

Bill

Bill, you amaze me. I have read several of your posts where you either tweak or make things to help you. I was pretty much left alone after my surgery in 2014. I live in a very small town and do not have a lot of sources for help other than traveling about 60 or so miles. I have learned a lot from this site and love reading about the people on here. I have been pretty blessed as I don't have a lot of problems that a lot of people have.

I know the belts you mean, they were more widely used with the old rubber reusable bags, well more of a must wear with them really. No, never worn one in 30 years....if it gives you peace of mind confidence, carry on wearing one.

After changing the appliance I wear a NU-HOPE hernia belt for about the next 24 hours.  That seems to hold the wafer adhesive tight to the skin and, I think, gives me a better seal.  It's a little bit like Bill's remedy but without improvising. I still wear one of those 1 inch wide belts with the little clips sometimes for absolutely no known reason.  I believe if the appliance wanted to come off it would and that little belt wouldn't prevent it.  That's my take on it and I'll probably still wear it sometimes.  I'll probably do some other senseless things but as long as no one gets hurt I won't even think about it.  Thinking makes me tired.

Mike

Hi Bob

I wear mine for a few hours after I change, just to make sure the seal isn't stressed until it's really seated in place. I usually go 5 days between changes.

My visiting nurse recommended the 1-inch belt to me a few weeks after my surgery, and I was amazed at the support difference that I felt once I had it on. The belt also solved my frequent "blowouts" by hugging my body better, so I am a big fan of the belt. I wear mine all day every day without fail. Since it only costs about $7 on Amazon, it's well worth the confidence and peace of mind it gives me.

Hi Bob,

I have been wearing the belt for 30 years, never in the shower and not in bed unless I sense things aren't quite right. I will sometimes tighten it a bit when I first apply the flange (for an hour or so) but normally I wear it so it's comfortable and not too tight. I will also tighten it if I'm out and sense a small issue. If I'm home in the evening and things (the skin under the flange) feel a bit irritable, I will take it off. Mostly, I wear it for peace of mind. If you have a major issue and are not home, you can tighten that belt up and be good until you get home (doesn't happen often but it's nice to have it with you if needed).

Brian

Hi Bob, I always wear the ostomy belt. I think it holds the barrier in place a little better.

I wear it only for a few hours after changing. I have found that a belt makes no difference in wear time.

Hi Bob,

I used to wear mine after my surgery but as time passed I quit using it. Currently, I wear a stoma guard that helps keep the wafer tight to my body. Stay well.

Penguins7