Richmond Ostomy Association's Meeting with Hollister Reps

The Richmond (Virginia, USA) Ostomy Association will be meeting on September 21, 2010 with a quality engineer and another representative from Hollister. They are looking for input on how to make their products better and why another brand might be better. If you have any ideas, comments (good or bad), or suggestions, please post them on this thread.  I will address them at the meeting and post responses back on this site. r/ron

i wish they would come up with a stoma guard(to cover the stoma but still let the bag hang loose under your clothing) that was reasonably priced and covered by most insurance programs. they are several out there(ostomyarmor) for one, but they are kinda pricey and you have to file your own claims......

Copies of previous posts ....





I am really happy with the one piece Hollister Moderma Flex bag that I have - it sticks well and I have very few leakage problems around the flange - where it does seem to go is between the hard plastic ring and the soft pouch material, almost like the glue holding the 2 together is being dissolved by the contents, and if I don't change every 3 days it will leak there.

Rachel x

I use hollister  # 3113 with karaya ring and micropore adhevisive  backing

i'd tried many brands and different products since 1976.. and i keep coming back to  

" OLD FAITHFULL "   works for me  ..  a really great product .. peel off the old one ...shower  ..a skin prep wipe for the skin.. lil medical adhevsive on the tape backing  and  slap on a fresh one daily .makes this part of   life simple & i'm ready  to go

thanks   for a great product   .. don't change this one  

Mark

i wish for a bag that would stay on me i tried all things that people have suggested and i still destroy them i told the person at hollister i would be will to try thier new products and basically got plz hold  if the reps want to talk to me then leave a message on here i will contact them back

Words of Encouragement from Ostomy Advocates I Hollister

chorse ~



There's a product called an Osto-EZ-Vent (http://kemonline.com) which is bought separately from the bag and then applied to the bag — great idea except the adhesive is terrible and the application process is too labour intensive. Perhaps Hollister can design a bag with a vent already built into it, and hopefully find a way to avoid patent infringement.

You can obtain a stoma guard free from Convatec. You will need to buy a convatec belt to hold it on. Works well

would you by any chance have a product number, i searched stoma guard on their web site and came up with a bunch of bags.appreciate it!!!!!

Thanks, Chorse.  Please ask the Hollister engineers why they can't come up with a filter that works for more than an hour or two before moisture inside the pouch disarms it.  Many people have posted on this site about how disappointed/what a joke the pouch filters are.  Otherwise I like my Hollister products.  

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bearcat ~



I've checked on the Stoma Sports Shield from Convatec. Convatec Canada will mail it free-of-charge to an address in Canada; however, Convatec USA does not even carry it. Seems like each country independently decides on what products they're going to carry.

i would ask if you are putting something in the pouch to catch and hold any moisture..????
a couple of squares of toilet tissue folded up into a 1 inch square and tucked to the bottom corner will do it. i have heard that some use a simular size piece of female "panty liner"which even has an odor fighting agent.

thanks..... three......my computer skills are not as sharp as a lot of you on are, so any help is appreciated very much...now all i have to do is find me some kin folks with a Canadian address.

bearcat ~



I would order one for you if this was a few months ago; however, since then I have ordered one for my own use and another for someone else on this site who lives in the States — if I order any more, Convatec's going to think I'm eating them.



Why don't you start a new thread in the Forum and title it American Looking For Canadian To Dial 1-800-465-6302.

you're just full of ideas...thanks .again

ya Three, I love the shield~ I cant imagine why the USA doesnt carry it.





About the Osto-EZ-Vents; I use ONLY 91% alcohol on a gauze pad and wipe it for a few seconds, on the area where I will place; allow to dry,then apply the vent; Wait a few minutes and then puncture the vent hole...I put the new pouches under the older ones so they "cure" a while...never an issue except for once I didnt use the alcohol first; I wasted all those vents.

MMSH - thanks for the ideas to control the moisture build-up.  I used to do those things when I had the temp back in 2003.  Can't imagine how I forgot those tips.  Must be PTSD or Oldtimer's disease creeping up on me.     

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Could we please have an OPAQUE version of the 3614 pouch in the UK. You used to make

one, but its no longer available.



thanks!

1.   well........after 10 years trying different colostomy products  I am surprised not one supplier has come up with a better filter...........................I irrigate and is just gas for me ................well still the filters do not release any gas......................a better filter is needed ........



2. I am thinking there will be more and more people who have a colostomy irrigating.........and not one supplier ( Canada)  has  a two piece  flange and bag that is small............those who irrigate do not need a large bag....



.I have tried a one piece ( flange and small bag) ..but alas..come back to the same problem of gas.............expensive if you have to remove the whole apparatus..to release gas.............I stopped using it.........



3. ahh companies should think green also............I throw out more things to be recycled than waste now.................and well  I find packaging for these products  a little bit overdone.....



.....I am sure everyone would want their cost on buying these products to come down.........my guess is there is a lot of cost and it is  is in the packaging................gee we never show these boxes to anyone........and getting an instruction pamphlet in each box.....when I have been buying it for 10 years...........or if I order in quantity and get 5 boxes.........is costly  and wasteful.................bring down the cost...........





Good luck with your meeting...........

One of the problems I have is the Hollister 2 piece New Image (#16404) flexible flanges are difficult to clean after removing the bag (#18182) from the base interface. The flexible base interface functions like a gutter collecting output around the rim.



Also the Hollister New Image bag/base interface seals well like tupperware for non liquid output, but isn't very good for liquid output and will leak especially due to the collection gutter of the base interface.



I would prefer an arrangement similar to the Coloplast Sensura 2 piece Click Flat base flanges which have a smooth contoured edge at the bag/base interface. This allows the output to slide down over the interface and into the bag without interference or collection causing pancaking.



Another problem I have is with the vents, which work well while the bag is in a vertical position, but as soon as the bag is placed in a horizontal position (i.e. sleeping) the output clogs the vents and manual venting is required during the night to prevent pressurised leakage.



Thanks for the offer to accept input. I hope the meeting goes well.



cheers from OZ

Lexus

That is exactly what I used to do.  When using the "Osto Vents". The area where the vent would be applied, I wiped it with over the counter alcohol. Then waved the air dryer over the area to dry it.  Then applied the "vent".  After the vent was in place that is when I would poke a the hole in the bag, using the vent hole as an exact location.  worked like a million bucks.



Anyone suggesting this was "to time consuming"  or too much of a hassle.  Has a damn short memory.  To put the vent in correctly  took under I minute.



To burp the bag without the vent and risk getting contents all over the place, how long does take to clean up, plus any embarrassment  that may  arise.   Plus going to the car getting a change of under clothes at the minimum.



A hassle to put the "external" vent in, I don't think so.  I would call it LAZY!!!



Strong words, absolutely.  Having to deal with a bag is bad enough.  Making the situation worse through stupidity or laziness only makes it worse.



Good luck, I like the way you think. do whatever you have to, to make the thing work!



Rick.....

junopete ~



Sept 02: chorse said, "A quality engineer . . . looking for input on how to make their product better."



Sept 02: three said, "There's a product called an Osto-EZ-Vent (http://kemonline.com) which is bought separately from the bag and then applied to the bag — great idea except the adhesive is terrible and the application process is too labor-intensive. Perhaps Hollister can design a bag with a vent already built into it, and hopefully find a way to avoid patent infringement."



Sept 07: junopete said, "Making the situation worse through stupidity or laziness only makes it worse."



Here's my question: If an engineer develops a bag with a vent included, does that not make sense; and how would such an innovation be "making the situation worse" (to use your words)? As I said in my Sept 02 post, the Osto-EZ-Vent is a great idea so you and I do not disagree on the essence of this discussion; however, with rough activities the Osto-EZ-Vent often pulls away from the pouch and leaks if it is rubbed or bumped the wrong way — cleaning up the mess and applying a new vent to a new bag every time a vent's adhesive fails is "too labor-intensive" and expensive.

Here with some feedback from the meeting:

Bearcat - They will take back the need for a stoma guard to the design engineers. They were interested.

lottagelady - They were aware of the problem with separation. An attendee brought in a New Image pouch with the same problem. In the US, if you call them, they will replace it.

baggedinvan - Passed on info. 3113 discontinued in the US but they have a similar model.

weewee - Adhesion was the big topic of the evening. Several people have had similar problems with not adhering. They took a lot of notes back to the factory. They described the three levels of adhesion in their seals. Softflex - least; Flexwear - middle; and Flextend - most.

three - Passed on the idea of a separate vent for the pouch. Very interested and will take the idea back.

Pinky - Filters were probably the second hottest topic. They thought the new AF300 filter was the answer to everyone's problems. The filter is designed to release "gas" slowly and pressure needs to be on the outside of the pouch to force it out (such as wearing "panty hose" or a belt). Several people advised them that it does not always work. (Mine was blown up while at the meeting and I pointed it out.) One lady kept telling them that hers blows off the seal. They are going to examine if something is wrong in manufacturing or if the filter needs to be larger. The AF300 has a membrane on both sides so that moisture does not affect it and has been out in the US for about two years.

ray - They didn't have a UK catalogue with them but were sure that if they make a clear version, they also make an opaque version of the same model. They do have another manufacturing plant in Ireland. I could not match the 3614 to any pouch. If you post more info on the type, etc., I will try to track it further.

WAB - See other notes regarding filters. Hollister does make a stoma cap (filtered) for two-piece systems, which is what I understand most people who irrigate use. You may need to check availability in Canada. Post if you need numbers.

Morpheus - They were aware but demand for flexible floating flanges is greater.

Hollister has brought out 8 new products this year and their manufacturing plant has been upgraded for better quality and new production techniques.

Lock and roll has been redesigned to improve ease of opening and to make it easier to clean. It is in production now but probably won't be at distributors until the end of the year.

Belt tabs are being added to all one-piece systems.

They welcome input anytime. I think I covered most of the meeting.

Regards, Ron

Ron ~



Thanks for presenting all of our suggestions at the meeting, and bringing back and posting the responses from the engineers.

Thanks Chorse for the info.



I'll keep an eye out for the new products and at least they are aware of their products problems.



cheers

I use Hollister Modurma after trialing countless other types, it mostly works for me even though my stoma nurse doesn't think it's the right one for my shaped stoma, I have to go with the one I trust the most, changing daily. I put 1 sheet of loo roll insde.( replaced everytime I empty having rinsed with a little plain water), and slightly grease the area inside the bag where it touches the stoma (vaseline), I have a washer over the stoma and once all is in place, on the outside,- a half moon extra sticky strip for security underneath the completed procedure. The toilet paper and slight greasing makes sure the contents mostly slip down to the emptying area and less risk of pancaking, sometimes a little persuasion is needed, depending what I've eaten! Rice in particular seems reluctant to move down! Interesting to see how others go on.