Stealth Belt and Deodorant - Seeking Advice

Hey everyone, just joined tonight and looking for advice from you pros on basically all-things-ostomy. I'm about 2 weeks in from receiving my ileostomy, and I'm getting adjusted well enough, I think. It's been a lot to take in, but you guys get it! I'm sure I'll have lots of questions to post over time, but I'll start with some simple gear/product ones...

Question 1: Any of you guys use a 'stealth belt'? My surgeon's nurse practitioner turned me onto it. It's a belt that wraps around you and holds/supports the bag. I went ahead and got one, and it's already immensely helpful as far as comfort/support, as I work outdoors and do a lot of moving/walking. My question is that because it holds the bag firmly against you, the output gets held at the top a lot of the time, around the stoma. I have no trouble pushing it down and emptying the bag, but I don't know if that will cause problems with my stoma or its ability to function? I've worn it for most of the weekend and just changed my bag after three days of use with the belt, and it all seemed to clean up well enough. Just wondering if anyone else has used the belt. If all that checks out to be fine, I do recommend it!

Question 2: What's the best deodorizing product to use? Do I need to go expensive or are the half-price Amazon finds just as effective?

Thanks for any input/help! Looking forward to getting to know you all and sharing this life experience with you!

Hello Britton

Just to get you started, click on Collections up top on the right, then select Premium Content, you will find many subjects to browse at your leisure.

Axl

I wear a Vertical Stealth Belt quite often, or a wrap from Ostomysecrets. I'm gonna try a belt like a Movibrace one also. No real issues with the first couple mentioned but I wanna try all the options. I will say this, it is way better to have any sort of support on than none in my opinion.

The issue you're having with the stealth belt is exactly why I haven't tried one, as I would worry about it trapping output and not allowing it to drain down freely.  I use a belt that has a hole to fit the pouch through so that there is no pressure on the pouch.  It provides support without constricting the flow of output.  As for odor control, I stopped spending money on expensive ostomy special pouch deodorant years ago in favor of simply dipping some baking soda into the pouch after emptying.  It's well known to absorb odors, which is why many people put an open box of it into their refrigerators.

I wear a vertical Stealth Belt quite often, or a wrap from Ostomysecrets. I'm gonna try a belt like a Movibrace one also. No real issues with the first couple mentioned but I wanna try all the options. I will say this, it is way better to have any sort of support on than none in my opinion. For deodorant, I use the Adapt deodorant/lubricant from Hollister. For cheap, you could use a little lavender baby oil.

Living with Your Ostomy | Hollister

Hi Britton, welcome to the site. Instead of deodorants, why not try chlorophyll tablets from a health food store or eating fresh greens like parsley? Myself, I don't bother as everyone's poo has an odor.

Hi there! I have found the best deodorizer to be from the company Na'Scent! I can usually get the bottles covered by insurance by ordering them through my medical supply company. I have to empty my bag every 3 hours or so (on a good day) so the deodorants are really important for public spaces. Good luck!! Let me know how you end up liking the stealth belt long term :D

My husband didn't like the Stealth Belt because of the pancaking. He wears Easy Fit Depends. However, he isn't as active as you likely are. We bought Safe and Simple Pouch Deodorizer on Amazon and I mixed in baby oil. The oil is great for output sliding down. Hollister Adapt are little pouches of lubricating deodorizer and they work great. If you find a cheap deodorizer, just add some baby or mineral oil.

Na'Scent is the best! I'm on Medicare and they will only pay for 1 bottle every 3 months, can you believe that? Medical supply company charged Medicare $80.00 for that one bottle! Thought it was an error and complained to Edgepark, but they said it was correct.
I usually go through the website of Na'Scent and can get almost 10 bottles for that price, although I have to pay out of my own money.

I have been using for 20 years now, a belt that has a hole to fit the pouch through so that there is no pressure on the pouch, so no constriction of output, it just flows to the bottom of the bag.

I'm in Florida and it is especially comforting to wear this support belt because I do a lot of swimming and it's an extra layer of protection.

Good day Britton,

I started with a Stealthbelt and had an issue with pancaking also. I will still wear it if I'm wearing a suit and have to wear a tucked-in shirt. I just pay more attention to how and when the bag starts to fill. You'll find as time goes on that thick output kind of feels like a snake slithering out of your body. (Best description I can come up with). When I get that feeling, I start "petting" across the belt to move the output as gravity isn't really there. I found a support belt from "Pouchwear" that is diagonal, thus gravity-fed. I can still wear a tucked-in shirt, but it isn't as easy to hide due to the bottom half of the bag hanging. It holds the bag securely. I've recommended this product to a few people who love it. As noted above, green veggies help odor with me. Thus, I haven't used a full bottle of deodorizer yet. A couple of warnings. If you eat fish, you will smell it on your next few dumps. That's a good time for deodorant use. Also, if you drink red Gatorade/Powerade, expect red discharge. The first time I saw that, I nearly went to the hospital. I stopped drinking it, no red discharge. Advice that I hope saves you a trip to the ER.

Best of health,

SharkFan

Britton,

I have 4 Stealth Belts, 3 vertical and one horizontal one.... I prefer the vertical ones, as wearing it horizontally I have a hard time emptying the bag and keeping the waste at the bottom is harder. As far as it staying at the top of the bag, make sure it's not too tight, and keep a little air trapped in your bag, plus I kind of use my finger to feel around the stoma and work the waste away to prevent pancaking. It will take some time, but it does get better, I've had mine since June 1st, 2021.... Just glad to be alive.

Hi Britton!

Welcome to this wonderful family! So glad you are here. I am so glad you were brave because I have been concerned about the same problem. When I wear a belt provided by the hospital, I feel 'held together' but I have no output during that time. I appreciate everyone's response... it really helps for those of us just starting out on our ostomy journeys!

Sunshine Girl

Britton, I have been using the slip-on horizontal Stealth Belt for years. I don't usually have pancaking, probably because my output is more watery than solid. The output finds a way that it doesn't pancake, or maybe I subconsciously swipe it to the right. I think Henry and Tinee had the best advice for deodorant. I have insurance, but my deductible is so high that it is not worth buying on Edgepark. I buy on eBay or Amazon because overall it is less expensive. Mike

Holy mackerel, that baking soda idea sounds brilliant. I'm going to try it.

M9 was recommended to me as a deodorant. It works, but my favorite is Safe n' Simple Assure C - Lubricating Ostomy Pouch Deodorant. Good deodorant and prevents pancaking. I prefer it over the Hollister product Adapt.