Advice Needed for Bleeding Around Stoma with Bag Changes

Hi, can someone give me a little advice? Lately, every time I change my bag, it seems to bleed more and more where the stoma is attached to my skin. It looks like little dots of blood. I just wondered if anyone knows why this is happening and any tips on how to stop it. Thanks, Lisa.

You might be cutting the wafer too big and the feces is getting on the skin. Try cutting a smaller hole or putting some stoma paste on the wafer; it works for me.

I agree with bikerboy... my first thoughts exactly... ileostomate of 34 years here
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. If any skin is exposed around the stoma, the acidic feces will break down the skin quite fast and cause red, sore, even bleeding skin
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. Of course, there are other possible reasons, but this first thought on our minds is most likely. Let us know how you're doing, sweetie
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~Doe

Thanks, guys. I will give it a go. It's great having this advice and nice bike, bikerboy.

Like Doe, I've had my ileostomy forever and the most important thing, as the others mentioned, is to protect your skin. My technique for putting on a fresh bag is to apply four 2" pieces of Stomahesive strips onto the skin around the stoma, like a picture frame. I get as close to the base of the stoma as possible. Just recently, I stopped using skin-prep and find I get better adhesion.

Next, I put on my Sur-Fit wafer on top of the Stomahesive strips I just applied. After that, I take another piece of Stomahesive strip about 4" long, I fold it the long way into sort of a tube and then wrap that around the base of the stoma, over the Sur-Fit wafer. Finally, I put tape around the edge of the tape on the wafer and pop on a bag. It's very secure and lasts me about 5 to 7 days, depending on the weather.

PJT

Getting Support in the Ostomy Community with LeeAnne Hayden | Hollister

After a while it will stop...the stoma bleeds because it is very sensitive...but after a while it will stop bleeding altogether. I second the other posts here...

Hello Lisa,

A small amount of blood from the stoma caused by trauma such as wiping with a cloth, being bumped by the wafer, etc., can be normal. The stoma that you see is actually the inside of your intestine (small or large); your intestine was brought out through a small incision in your abdomen, folded back onto itself, and sutured (sewn) to the skin. Since the inside of the intestine is very vascular (for absorption purposes), the stoma is very vascular as well, which gives it the rich red color. The vascular area is sensitive to trauma and tends to bleed easily.

When the stoma is sewn to the skin, the mucosal lining of the intestine can be transplanted around the stoma during the process. This can lead to little "buds" of pink tissue growing around the stoma. There can also be bleeding from "buds" of tissue that can develop around the stoma. The "buds" are not usually a problem unless they interfere with pouching.

This may have been more than you asked for

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...hope it helped



Joy

I use a Convatec moldableSkin Barrier. You mold it to approx. size of your stoma and it contracts to your stoma and will not allow any skin to show.

Hi Lisa, I have only had my ileostomy for 10 weeks but got the bleeding under control using the C powder. Also, I use a convex wafer which keeps me nice and clean and dry. I got this tip from beyondpar. So I put on powder, then adhesive wipe, then a sprinkle of powder, then more adhesive wipe, then the wafer. I don't use glues or anything. I change every 5 days because I do a lot of yoga, so I don't want to take any chances, but when I take it off, there is absolutely no leakage when I use the convex (even though my stoma protrudes out). D.

Hi ld72. I've had my stoma since March 2009, and I have always used 'Adapt Barrier Rings' and 'Adapt Stoma Powder,' which works for me most of the time. You can get it on the NHS... just ask your bag supplier. Hope you get it sorted soon. Pete

Maybe you have developed a bacterial infection. Try using Adept paste to prevent feces from coming in contact with the skin around the stoma and also use some antibacterial solution each time you change the wafer.

I use convatec bags the stomahesive backing is just so healing and I never have a skin problem.