Recommendations for Sheer & Stretchy Wraps?

Hi gang,

I know that wraps have been discussed here, but to be honest I never paid much attention because I had no use for one. When I go into work a few days a week, I just wear shorts and a long t-shirt. The other day, I walked past a big mirror and noticed (for the first time) that I could see where the top of my bag was pressing against my shirt. I was thinking my bag was completely invisible... but see now that it's not. I'll be wearing a flannel shirt over my t-shirt in a few weeks... so no big deal or hurry, but I'll be dating soon once this COVID thing ends, so I might as well do my homework now. So I looked at wraps on Ostomy Secrets, as well as other sources, and everything I see looks too thick/restrictive. I'm looking for something very sheer that simply holds my bag tight against my body, yet stretches easily if need be. Anybody know where I can find something like that... or should I just go get some sheer material from Joann Fabrics and make my own?

Thanks,

Bob

Bob, you might check out Etsy. Some on Etsy make something similar to what you are describing or are happy to do a custom order. Or, your best idea may be to make your own so it is everything you need it to be! Etsy is a good place to get ideas for construction...what to do and what not to do!

Do these wraps stop your output from coming out?

Those places are all so expensive for a wrap. I've bought them from those expensive places and they didn't last as long as the tube tops I bought from the dollar store here in Canada 8 years ago, and they are still going strong. I was worried they wouldn't last but the dollar store hasn't sold them since I bought them 8 years ago. I wish I had bought more. You can go on Amazon and look up women's tube tops and they work awesome as wraps and are cheap. They come in different colors as well. I've looked them up before, I wear one all day long except when I sleep. Hope this helps. Good luck.

** Just looked them up, they are called girls seamless bandeau on Amazon. Mine look small but they stretch and keep your pouch snug to your body.

Uro2011 is right...lots of options on Amazon. I got one with "pockets" for about $15.

Living with Your Ostomy | Hollister

Hi Uro,

Awesome, thanks for the info! Tube tops, eh? Hmmmm.......I love the look of women in tube tops......but never in my wildest dreams (and I used to have some pretty wild ones) did I ever think I'd be wearing one!   I wonder what bra size I should pick when I sort them on Amazon?   Someone upstairs is looking down and laughing hysterically right now!

Thanks,

Bob

When you start dating, I'd call it a band. A tube top may not go over well. It could be a mood killer, lol.  

Hello Bob.

I tried the tube-tops but couldn't get on with them because they were too tight to begin with and after one wash they were too loose. I contemplated making my own  but found a company called CUI who make wraps that adjust with velcro, so when they expand it doesn't matter so much because I can still adjust it to where I want it to be. CUI also agreed to make them to my specification, but that didn't help much because they still stretched and stayed stretched until they were almost useless. I now wait until they stretch too far and then sew them up by something like eight inches to get a bit more wear out of them. I am not impressed. so I will be interested to hear from others as to what they use and how they get on with them.

Best wishes

Bill  

Try a tummy sleeve from a maternity shop. They are longer than a bandeau and will cover larger bags.

I have the same concern as Lovely.  A wrap may hold your pouch secure to your body, but doesn't it restrict your flow or risk leakag by pressing down on it?  Years ago, I had a "wrap" that had a hole in it that the pouch would fit through.  It kept my face plate/skin barrier secure without pressing down upon the pouch itself.  It secured via velcro, a miracle fabric for sure.  I wish I still had the thing but it ran away during one of my moves.  I used it primarily when swimming.

How about pantyhose - cut the legs off: seriously!

Cheap alternative lycra shorts cut up the legs, then you can pull them up over your bag. It's okay as long as your stoma's not active while wearing. Once stoma is active, you will have problems with leaks.

Not just "upstairs", Bob!! ROFL! Let us know what you determine your "measurements" are! LOL

Lily17

"Tube BOTTOM"? "Tummy Tube"? "Midriff Modifier"?  LOL

Henry,

I join you & Lovely with the pancaking concern. Have considered a StealthBelt for a couple of years, but...still considering. The pancaking is my biggest issue with almost any amount of constant pressure against my stoma. Liquids take the path of least resistance, and breaches/leaks are more than just an inconvenience for me - especially at the office.

I still have no viable answers to address support/security, minimizing of ostomy bag profile against my own. Don't know that I'll ever figure it out to my satisfaction, honestly.

Am pretty content with full maxi skirts, non-body conforming maxi dresses and palazzo pants - most fabrics in small prints, or dressing in layers of fabrics (long tunic over the pants) to camouflage.

Bob sounds like he has his fall & winter wardrobe figured out with the flannel shirt over the t-shirt. :)

Lily17

Pancaking!  Now, there's a word that hadn't occurred to me.  Meaning, flattening.  Many words have dual meanings, of course.  I'd like to pancake my stomach, since I've eaten too many pancakes.

NuHope and Stealth Belt make the type of belt you are describing, Henry M.

If your wrap is new, it might restrict flow. Wash it a couple of times, and it should be good. Tight on top and bottom and loose in the middle. It will help contain any leaks if they happen. They are good for me.

Hi Bob. I've had a love/hate relationship with wraps. My #1 issue is that I get hot flashes wearing them! Ugh. Anyway... the lightest and most comfortable wraps I've ever worn are maternity wraps. I've seen them in black, white, and beige, and they have a non-slip band to keep them in place. As a bonus, they are rather inexpensive. Cheers!

J.

I use a convex wafer so I don't have an issue with pancaking. These wraps are long enough that I fold the bottom under my bag, which creates a "cradle" for it so it feels virtually weightless.

Lovely,

I had that problem with the Stealthbelt. It kept the bag close to the belly. However, as the output was directed sideways, thicker output wouldn't flow and pancaked. This caused a near blowout. As my belly is a little bigger than it should be, maybe that is part of the problem. I gave it to a friend who has a flatter belly than mine. It seems to work well for him.

Hope that helps.

Hi Bob,

I found pancaking problems with the horizontal Stealth Belt. I found a diagonal belt on the Pouchwear website. It doesn't hold the bag as tight as the Stealth Belt. It does allow for better flow. Easy access to pouch for emptying too. I wear it at work and in the pool for peace of mind. It also keeps the bag out of the way when swinging a golf club.

Best of health,

SharkFan

SharkFan, thank you for this info on the diagonal belt from Pouchwear!  I knew only of horizontal and vertical belts, so I may research  this option.

Be well.

Lily17.

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Bag, what bag?

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Oh, that bag.

New supportive belly band (tummy sleeve).

Hi gang,

Wow... thanks for all the responses... I've now got some good ideas to try! I keep forgetting how different we all are, and as with many things we discuss on here, the type and frequency of output we have obviously drives us to different solutions. I'm getting a lot of pressure to start dating, and with the COVID thing winding down here, I can't hide behind that excuse much longer. So I need to get my act together pretty soon... but I've always worked best under pressure. With your insights and suggestions, I'm confident I'll find (or make) a good solution! I'll let you know what I find that works best.

Regards,

Bob

Good morning, Bob.

"...getting a lot of pressure to start dating..."  As well-intentioned as others may be, when you are ready to date...you will.  : )

Like you, I'm so appreciative of other O'mates' different experiences, perspectives, and knowledge.  As time passes, fewer & fewer of us should have to invent a proverbial wheel, right?

Make it an amazing day, Bob!

Lily17

Hi Lily,

Yes ma'am.......every day is amazing.........we just have to slow down enough to realize that. The pressure is self-induced. I got on Zoosk, expecting it to be like Match.com....which for those who don't know is pretty much full of people who consider themselves better than most. But Zoosk is a completely different animal. Instead of the guys having to pursue the women........the women pursue the men! I mean it went from being fun getting messages.......to being total work in just a week or two. Now my inbox is 4 or 5 pages deep and there's just no way I can reply to everyone. Which pisses me off because I really don't think kindly of folks who consciously don't reply when someone takes the time to contact them.......and now I'm becoming one of 'em. Not good. For anyone contemplating joining Zoosk, be warned.......it's not what it appears to be. For some unknown (to me) reason, Zoosk messes with you on every level. To look at who's on there, you have to "swipe" past each person to get to the next. Well, Zoosk considers each swipe you make to be a "view" and reports to that person that you just "viewed" them........which they take to mean that you're interested in them. So consider all the false impressions that represents. And then, to make matters worse.........if you actually do stop and read a profile and look at the pics..........Zoosk tells that person you're viewing them multiple times per day. Can you say "stalker"? I was messaging some gals who were viewing me like 10 times a day to ask them why they don't just send me a "hello" instead of viewing me every 30 minutes or so? Turns out they weren't viewing me.........they viewed me once..........and they explained to me how Zoosk works. Then it all started to make sense. I guess the motive behind this is just to get folks to chat.......but it's a bit nuts because you can't tell who actually is interested in you and who is being used. And to top it all off........Zoosk has been known to send people (that you've looked at but not messaged) an actual message (from you). It's all fun.......to a point. This would have been a much more fun dating site BEFORE I had my ostomy. Back then I could just go with the flow and not have to overthink everything. But hey...........you play the cards you're dealt...........and like it. Ain't life grand?

later,

Bob

Wow, Bob

Actually, it still sounds like external pressure...only from a website algorithm! LOL Just gotta love today's tech... However, it provided us this website, so I guess we're taking the good with the bad.

Lily17

Hey,

I make my own wraps using stretchy lightweight cotton/spandex jersey. I used a wrap from Ostomy Secrets (too thick, itchy, and sweaty) as a template. It's nothing fancy, I'm not a seamstress but it works!