Bad Batch of Hollister Pouches Causing Leaks and Skin Issues?

Hi there all



I am currently on my 8th pouch since yesterday morning, so far beating my record of 6 in one day ......



Leaks are not something I normally get at all - I am using the Adapt rings and flange extensions as normal - nothing has changed except that they will not STICK!



My skin is now red raw and bleeding ... has anyone had a bad batch of pouches and had to complain? The pouch I use is the Hollister Moderma Flex with convexity - just wondered ........ looking forward to going to bed shortly I can tell you - beware those in the south of England - blowout warning!!!! Yuk ...



Rach xxx

hi

yes i have had a bad batch and just called hollister they sent me some replacement one

Thank you! I will call them today! No. 9 bag coming up, but did survive the night! xx

Hi Rachel, reading your post, been there ,done that, at the time I was feeling pretty lousy and changing up to 8 times a day, felt so ill, went to the hospital and they kept me in as I had a kidney problem which caused a potassium problem which caused my appliances to not stick. In the hospital they used a different flange than the one I used and it proceeded to fall off, and after changing the appliances so often, they got a new one on and taped the hell out of it and put on a pouch with a drainage tube which helped me through the night, but the problem persisted. Even after being discharged from the hospital, back to 6 times a day, I was also given medication, sorry don't know if it was for the potassium levels or the kidneys, in any event I got all new Hollister products and  it made not a damn bit of difference, I had posted this problem at the time and I remember (i think it was Junopete) said he had the same problem, being the fact of potassium levels which caused the skin not to accept the flange, this lasted for a couple of weeks, causing much cursing and swearing but after a while things came back to normal. I was just going to ask you if you had your potassium levels checked lately, just thinking , hope your problem goes away quickly, Ed

Hi Rach

I havehad (in the 2 1/2 years of having my colostomy) only one box of bags which were faulty. There was something wrong with the filter. So in your case that the bags are not sticking hopefully it is a problem with the bags and not with your potassium levels as someone else suggested.  Hope you get the problem fixed.

Take care

Maureen

How to Manage Emotions with LeeAnne Hayden | Hollister

I have had trouble lately with sticking, one actually was open the whole side...never even finished. I now use cement to glue it down as well and the elkin ring. I am sick of waking up in a pool of poo. My tpn I use at night for food makes my stool like water. worse than urine. I cant afford to keep using new appliances. Let me know how youj are doing..jeanie frances

Hi Jeanie, nice to see you ... yes waking up in a pile of poo ain't the most attractive thing to wake up to I agree - managed to avoid it last night but was close, woke every couple of hours to check it ..... it was just about to blow when I got up  The two previous nights however were a nightmare. Because I am half doped on medication anyway, it isn't the easiest thing to deal with in the middle of the night ... and I don't have a shower which is another drawback. However have managed so far to keep no 9 on since this morning so at least my skin will get a bit of a chance.



It is awful that you cannot afford the appliances - seems inhumane to me, are there no charities who can help? There is a product on the market that turns fluid output into something much thicker, it is a little sachet that absorbs the fluid - would that help you at all? I do have some samples for you try if you would like? Let me know via PM where to send it if you would like to try some?



Take good care my friend, hope you are feeling a litttle better xxxxxxx

I have had problems at times with my Hollister New Image two piece convex bags ( I also use the adapt rings).  The flange at times has not adhered well and at other times the seal between the pouch and the flange has seeped.

My Ostomy nurse mentioned that she had heard lately of others having problems and I also read on this site and another web forum about problems with Hollister.

I called Hollister and they sent me two replacement boxes each of the flanges and the pouches.  When I told them I had read about other complaints they said people should definitely call them.  I warn you I did have to wait on line about 5 minutes before I got thru on the phone.



I,m exploring other vendors but will give Hollister chance to prove themselves since they were very helpful when I had questions when I first came home with my Ileostomy.  



When my skin has become irritated from a series of leakage and frequent changes I have been advised to apply skin prep with light dusting of stoma powder to dry the skin and to protect the skin.  This has worked for me.   When my skin is normal I just cleanse with wet wash cloth and make sure skin is totally dry.



Hope this helps.

Thanks Clem - I spoke with them in the UK today - got straight through on a freephone number so that was great! Yes I have had probs with them leaking between the flange and pouch, so may have been an earlier post of mine!  Have sorted that one by using Eakin or Adapt rings ....

They were very helpful - will send some emergency samples for me then send will send some of mine to the US to test and replace the box, so pleased with their response. I have recently tried samples of pouches from nearly all manfacturers, 1 and 2 piece, and always go back to this one, so hopefully is just a duff batch... they are sending me some powder too. Have recently collected loads of samples from a roadshow, so have tried different wipes, powders etc Have had no 9 on since this morning, so fingers crossed! Thanks again, Rach x

Clem, I use Hollister two piece, but I dont know what you mean by the other ring that holds the bag better, I use stoma powder one time with Barrier and then twice and then a third time and then stoma paste with my bags.  I would like to understand what you all are talking about with these other rings, Just confused here in GA and I so want to spend the summer at the water slide park once I figure this all out, me and my youngest love the park and I buy summer passes.  If I can figure out how to make the perfect seal then I can ride any slide I want and not worry

Thank You, Jenny

After going through 6-8 changes a day and finally, after two weeks things changed back to the normal every 2 days, I was still not satisfied so I posted my question on the forum to see if anybody could shed some light on how to make them last longer, finally I got a In-mail from  a couple of dear friends and this is what I did, and now I can get 7 days out of the flange, here is what I was told to do:

when changing the flange, use the adhesive remover, then using a soap that has no oils or perfumes, and making sure the skin was dry;

Next, use a hair dryer on low for about 20 seconds on the rings, making sure the stoma is dry, the ring has no skin showing, even a little squeeze is good;

Now you can just slap on the wafer, not to worry if the flange is perfectly centered because if the ring is applied properly, nothing can get by, this has allowed me to keep the flange on for up to 7 days, just change the pouch every three days or so, I almost forgot, and this is important, with Hollister do not use skin prep as it can eat away at the ring, This worked so well for me, I hope somebody gives it a try and I hope it brings the results that I got. thanks to Baba, and Eddie, my life savers.

Jeanie,

I read where you are using the Eakin seal.  Do you use the Convatec wafers and bags?



If so what type and stoma size are you?



Rick.....

Hi there Rachel, just read in one of your posts about a "sachet" that can be used to cut down on water in the pouch, would you mind expanding on the subject of how to use it, what its called etc, sounds like something I would like to look into, Ed

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Hi Jenny, the Adapt Barrier Rings are used around stoma and then the flange is placed on top of that.  The rings are plyable when warmed by body heat or hair dryer.  The nice thing about the rings is that you can get right against your stoma which protects your skin, filling in the gaps that the hole that is cut in your flange may leave.

I didn't like the paste because it is messy and harder to remove.  

The rings will give a little if your stoma expands and the flange won't, so this makes me more confident that I'm not cutting the hole too close for my stoma.

I put the ring on before the flange, some people put the ring directly on the flange and then on their skin.  I feel it is easier to get a better fit by applying the ring first.



Also,  I've been told by Hollister that using anything such as skin prep or the stoma powder may decrease the length of the flange to stick to skin.  I only use skin prep and stoma powder when my skin has become broken down due to leakage etc.



Hope this helps.

Wow that many wafers in a day??????? U must b like flat broke!!!!!!! I 2 have a problem with Hollister flanges. Love the ET nurses U talk to but I changed to Convatec. The flange is moldable durahesive so it pretty much replaces having to use the ring as they are kinda the same matierial. you can mold the center hole to fit your stoma , it makes a little turtle neck around it. the stuff is soft like skin so it doesn't hurt the stoma. The glue they use is seems to last a lot longer too! I'm really lucky , I haven't had many problems, but I would get at best  out of a hollister new image flange maybe 4-5 days if I was really lucky. The Convatec  lasts me 8-9 & then I  change it because the outside edge  lifts ( sometimes I tape the edges an go for longer) Even after all that it stays stuck around the stome and doesn't leak. I have a farm so I am an active little critter , out around the cattle & off & on tractors, ponding fence stakes & so far the Convatec 's have " stuck" with me thru it all. So you might want to try them. !!!! After reading the posts from so many of you I really realize how blessed I am with my old carcass & have absolutely no reason to pee & moan at all!!!!!   Or should that be poo & moan ;o}

                                                                                                          sue

Lots of responses on this topic, but here are my experiences anyway. For 7-8 months, I used the stuff that I was given at the Rehab Home. Things were less than satisfactory, and I finally caught on to the fact that they really didn't have anyone on staff versed in ostomy work. I decided it was time to do some research on my own because it became apparent no one else was going to do it for me (yeah, I know—oh boo-hoo). Here's what I did: I contacted 4 different manufacturers and requested samples of both 1 and 2 piece systems. Additionally, I requested various styles of bags (volume, material, filter or none) and closures (bar clip, fast drain nozzle, the "invisible" roll-up Velcro). The 4 manufacturers, alphabetically, are ColoPlast, Convatec, Dansac, and Hollister.

Not unexpectedly, each one had its advantages. I'll pass along a few of my observations. Maybe they'll help somebody. By the way, everything is my opinion and is not meant as product endorsement for anyone.

(1.) No one makes a filter that worked for me. Yes, I tried the latest Hollister filter, in addition to the earlier style.

(2.) The Dansac skin barrier was easiest to apply, but only due to its small size.

(3.) The connection ring on the ColoPlast was the coolest because of its mechanical snap-lock feature. I felt really good about this bag-to-barrier joint.

(4.) Convatec skin barriers are the most comfortable for me. This is because I can use a 45mm flange for my size stoma (32mm). If I use the Hollister barrier, I need to go to the 57mm flange.

(5.) The "Turtle Necking" feature on the Convatec freaks me out, but it seems to work. It just gives me the mental image of not having a secure barrier-to-skin adhesion.

(6.) The Hollister skin barrier goes on nice and smoothly, and the fabric stays flat. I also like the "floating" collar on the "New Image" series. The only problem I've had with Hollister bags is they leak at the juncture of the drain valve and plastic material crimp before, in my opinion, the bag needs to be tossed.

(7.) If you're using the Hollister product, I strongly suggest you don't use a 5-digit product number with a 4-digit one. It seems like it would work—trust me, I've tried several disappointing times!

(8.) Well, I could go further, but I'll end with what works best for me (so far) for cleanup and skin barrier application. I wash the stoma area with Kirk's Castille Coco soap. This does not seem to leave a film like many other soaps do. After I dry the area, I use alcohol swabs (the kind used when prepping your skin) to remove leftover adhesive, yada-yada... Then I'll take the Adapt Ring, stretch it to shape, and slightly roll the inside up and over where there exists a 'valley' from a lateral incision. The skin should be DRY (easier said than done)! I put the ring onto the skin, then form it as close to the stoma as I can. I put the skin barrier over the ring and stretch and flatten the barrier as best I can. I generally get 5 days out of a barrier without having to sweat it. That's it.

Peace and Wellness. Mndwlkr.

Hi Sue!



Fortunately the NHS pays for my supplies so it isn't an issue there thank goodness!



I actually tried the Convatec wafers last week when I going through my 'phase'! The flange was great - no problem keeping that on, but I managed to pull the pouch off whilst draining it and got stuff everywhere! I just cannot seem to get on with the 2 piece bags - always pull them off for some reason .... so back to Hollister again .... have tried loads of samples from different manufacturers but no go on all off them so far. Things have settled down and my skin is much better, so fingers crossed!



Take care



Rach xx

My husband uses convatec and has had very little trouble. At one point he did have 3 leakage problems but we were assured he just got a bad batch. Usually changes wafers every 5 days, uses alcohol aroude wafwer area and then applies skin prep. Does anyone have experience using an ostomy belt?  nonothing

Hello All: I have been using Convatec wafers and bags for the past nine months, and they are very reliable. This is important because Medicare only allows me one box of ten wafers and sixty bags a month. CSC

Hi Everybody,



Just thought I would add my 2 cents....not too long ago I had a similar problem with a batch of urostomy bags.  Because of a lack of space I "group" them together rather than leave them in the individual boxes.....so I had no way of knowing for sure which box they came from.



I would have one work fine.....then the next would leak almost immediately.  Re-apply and get another faulty one.  I tried without much luck....still getting "duds".



Reported it to Hollister and they were beyond nice.  They wanted to send me freebies.  I said no that I just wanted the problem solved because it was a major problem for me and very limiting.  They said I was not the first to report the problem.  



Asked what "lot" and I told them about my "grouping" of bags together.  They asked me to collect the "bad bags" and mail them to them.  I did not want to because I thought it was gross and unsanitary.  They sent me some kind of biobag.  I did as they asked and I guess they examined them.  They told me that when they were made they were not pressed correctly at the seams......that is why they all leaked so quickly.



They said they were correcting the problem with the "presser" and I was just happy that they were able to figure out the problem.  I have not had any problems since so I guess they did.

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    SheliaBaby

Hi,



In the past I have had 2 lots of bags that leaked through the filter, and a few lots of flanges that just did not want to stick!



I sometimes have a week where I have to change the flange once/twice a day as it just will not stick or will leak out and push through from the the opening.



On the whole though I find the Hollister bags/flanges to be brilliant for me as they stick best and seem good quality!

I use Coloplast 'Sensura' as I have an ileostomy, when I went on holiday we went to a water park and I was able to go on every slide I wanted and not worry about the bag falling off. Whether you can use these as colostomy bags I don't know, but they do come in different sizes, also I find that they don't irritate my skin so I can wear them knowing they won't leak or damage my skin. In the year that I've been wearing a bag I think I've only had about 6 leaks total

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Fran, I am so grateful you told me about these pouches. Beyond has me covered on the NU Hope Hernia Belts, and my stealth belt I bought from Richard in TN is a great thing to have to zip your pouch in, and I even sleep in mine, so most of the time you don't even know you have a pouch on anyway. Plus, my thin one that holds the bag in place, and I can zip it all except the Hernia belt, which you can use in water, and my black stealth belt, and with protection from what Beyond told me, I should be fine to water slide and go on rides. Fran, I always get passes to the water park as we have one of the largest in the US and I am close to it, plus I am close to Six Flags and I also get passes for that place. I just got scared when I saw how many people had hernias. Now I want to go as long as I know I am safe and I don't need to put my swimming suit over the Stealth Belt. I wear the belt with a tight t-shirt and just jeans, but I can wear a two-piece and cover everything if I get a bathing suit that will cover my Hernia Belt. I am going to try as I know my son has to be bored and he is so kind not to complain. He will go to DC next month with his brother and he loves that, but I had a trip planned to Maine this year and canceled. My youngest did get to go to Hilton Head, so he got the ocean once, plus I am having company for the fourth and I am going to handle this fine. Maybe we can all go to Tybee Island as it is awesome in the ocean watching the fireworks. As long as I have a beer in my hand and good friends and family, I am going to try and enjoy the rest of our summer. I can't walk around being afraid and wishing I could ride those roller coasters you talked about. I miss it all and I have always been a mom who wants to have fun all summer. Fran, thanks for all your sweet emails and your kind heart, and yes, I have you in my prayers also as you have also touched my heart. I am proud to meet another good honest teenager. I am like many who have children, plus they are cool to talk to and tell us what we are missing out on. Thanks again for the inspiration. Love, Jenny

I use the drainable 2-piece, and I think Hollister also went to a less efficient, cheaper Velcro. When I unfold the end to empty, it's often wet. I think it doesn't seal as tightly because it doesn't even feel the same when I fasten it, like it's not catching all the way. I also notice the thinner consistency of the material.