Keeping Your Ostomy Pouch Dry During Showers

I am sure that this has come up before --maybe many times before, but I guess I have missed those posts!! What do all of you do to keep the pouch and wafer dry when you take a shower? I went on line and bought a contraption that does not do a bit of good ( and it was like $30.00). I tried a plastic food bag with water proof tape and nothing seems to work. I hope someone has a good idea for me.  All ideas are welcome!!  Thanks in advance.

Hi there - I just get mine wet .... doesn't seem to make much difference to be honest, sometimes dry the fabric bit off with a hairdryer for a minute or two, but it generally dries pretty quickly without I find.

Rach xx

I,m with Rach on this one just let it get wet. pat it dry with a towel and keep going. They esign them that way.

I did not had any success once the wafer got good and wet, it simply would want to fall off within a half day.

what I did do while in the hospital was tape a plastic band about 12 inches wide around my middle very tight to protect the wafer from shower water. It worked well.



I never did fine a any of the wafers from any manufacturer that would stay on with "confidence" after getting wet.

They key word is confidence.



Later on,  I learned whenever I showered I simply changed out.  I didn't try to get maximum wear time like some do.  I found by changing out the wafer often, I never had leaks, accidents or skin irritation around the stoma.



Good luck

Rick.....

Thanks for responding-I find that mine doesn't dry so quickly even when I use a hair dryer. I work out every day and of course then have to shower-I do find that I can still go 5 or 6 days between changes. It is the soaking wet pouch that bothers me!! Oh well, it should be my biggest worry,eh????

Stories of Living Life to the Fullest from Ostomy Advocates I Hollister

Dry it with a towel,???

The pouch can be replaced, since we get twice as many of them than we do the wafers.  But I too, find the wafer gets loose when it gets wet...sure wish there was a full proof solution to this problem!  I do have a hand held shower head along with my regular shower head, which does help some! If someone would invent a waterproof wafer, her would be wealthy!  

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I just shower as usual.  Dry the pouch & flange with a towel, then hit it with the hairdryer for a few minutes on a low. cool setting.  I use Coloplast convex wafers & flanges.  I use a waterproof tape to "picture frame" around the edges of the flange.

Change flanges every 4-5 days.

Hi Baba,

     I have also read every post on this topic since I got my pouch.  I have tried everything people suggested...not because the flange would fall off but because I hate the wet bag feeling.  Tried mini-covers and Glad snap and seal film, various tapes and nothing worked.  I have given up trying and just shower, dry with a towel and blow dry.  It is still wet but my conclusion is you can't have a bag taped to your body and take a shower and have it not get wet.  I also work out every day and have to shower.  I try and ignore the icky feeling and to focus on being  grateful to be alive and able to take a hot shower every day.  "Close your eyes and think of England."

Lynn

Thank you for your kind response. I truly appreciate it. You would think they ( whoever they are) !!! would be able to come up with something. Meanwhile I hope I have alerted the folks on this site to not waste their money on the items that are in some of the catalogues that say that they have a product that will keep pouches dry.  I f I have succeeded in doing that I will be happy.  Thanks all for reading my post and responding.  Barb

ahh shower with flange and take off the bag..........also as one member said a tape on all four sides is great....



I use a hospital tape all the time and it works.....I am using a Hollinger flange...and was told the more it is wet the more it will stick...however the edges seem to be the problem and  so the tape helps..................the tape keeps edges sealed.........



I put tape all the time and can wear a flange 4 or 5 days...( yes I do shower everyday.....in case someone says well maybe he does not shower....lol hihihihihihihi)............



experiment with tape in your area............find one that does not irritate and pull the skin when you remove it.....( they sell hospital tape in rolls  so you can cut the width you need.....................also a skin prep is a good idea before applying flange and tape.................and make sure all is very dry.........



works for me..............good luck

I have had pure success with the floating flange from hollister I can shower with just the flange or swim in the ocean with just the flange and get wear times of 2-3 weeks.Honestly.Its the flange #14603.I like the 2 1/4 hole which has more wax area thereby more wear time.Used with the 2 1/2 bag #18203.

just a thought

bikerboy greg

Confidence is huge, but I shower twice a day during summer heat and have never had a problem.  "Picture frame" with tape is probably the key.  Loren

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Honestly, I think the point of Baba's post was the uncomfortable, icky feeling of a wet bag post shower...NOT having the flange come loose more quickly.  A separate issue.  I use a 2 part Convatec that never comes loose but every time I shower I have a wet bag.

Greg has given a good tip



14603...........Hollister............is a fantastic flange............no problem in showering or swimming..is what I use also..............it will stay put...................but I forgot to mention the tape I use also ...................is called ............ HypoFlex..is fantastic also.....even when wet it sticks and dries quickly.............



Another tip.................



I also use the convatec glue sticks and not the paste...they are sold in packets of 20 and easy to apply around flange opening...........they worked better for me than the glue in a tube  ( was messy to apply)...........and the sticks really block edges between stoma and the skin.....................is quick and easy also........I have been using these products for over 10 years..............and never had any problems..............

well  I did tell her to take the bag off when she showers...................is the only solution not to have a wet bag.....................and if any problems is an easy clean up....................take off the bag........is normal it gets wet..................like a sponge...............



everyone then went to what type of flange they are using............that is good in the shower.....all are not the same.........

I use Convatec 1 piece and adapt paste. I also have issues with wet pouch; I hate the feeling of the cloth edge being wet,  it irritates and make me itch. I just figure on a change-out after a shower, but I dont shower more than twice a week; I take a shallow bath on other days, and try to keep that area dry. I am with you that there is no item that can keep a pouch dry in the shower. Save your money! Just be glad for the ability to shower. lex

I have also heard of some people using small baby bibs.  They hang them from the flange & they soak up the moisture.  I personally, have not tried this though.

I thought it was a no brainer for women.They use a hairdryer for there hair so why not for your bag.I mean I use the hot air machine in the public restroom and I love the stares and nobody questions me.Of course I give them my mean joe green look,and they just float away.

Lift up your shirt and use the hand dryer girls,lets start a trend,guys too.lol lol lol

bikerboy greg here         oy yes by the way girls what can I do about this tan line from my belt when Im riding my harley with no shirt.Id take off the belt but one time my bag blew off.

I just crack myself up. lol

greg

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Hi jest read about your plight what i do is take the pouch off our skin does need to breathe then i just put i tissue sort of mear the stoma entry and towel dry the area and put a new pouch on i use COLOPLAST Sensura range ..we all different good luck ..mooza

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Cee, You are so right--that is what I don't like--the wet soaking wet bag!!! Yuk!!

Thanks Baba,

     I "get" it and no a hair dryer doesn't work.  How can air dry a plastic bag?  It helps a little but not much.  And taking the bag off when you shower...well, do you put the used bag back on again?  or change the bag every day?  We don't get 31 a month.  Plus i don't want to have to clean the shower AFTER my shower.  Let's put the brightest and best minds of our generation on this and solve it!

     Lynn

I use Glad "Press and Seal" to keep dry in the shower.  I wrap the bag with "press and seal" and then take a strip of press and seal and wrap it completely around my body over the flange and the bag.  It works for me.  I also purchased a "professional" product that you could swim and shower with.  Sadly, It did not work.

Hi all,



We do have two different issues.  For the flange/ wafer...I use a Convatec 2 piece  system, but always use tape to frame the edges.  I exercise, swim and shower daily, and want to avoid the edges curling up.  The best tape I've found to date is "Scanpoor".  I use 2" and it's better than any other non allergic product I've ever used. It dries quickly almost like skin, and it doesn't hurt when peeled off.  



Convatec went to a mesh liner on the underside of the pouch, and it's awful because It holds water.  So I just tear that off.  As for "icky wetness"....I'm using my parent's old rememdy....( for when I was a kid with wet feet & needed to put my shoes on after a day at the beach).  Use  Powder people....   A good antipersperant powder, between the skin and the underside of the pouch after toweling dry.  I pack it with me for the gym, after swimming and showering , drying off, I a sprinkle of powder....and Poof...I'm clean and dry, and smell like a baby...since the only small size I could find was Johnson's baby powder.  it works well.  



BTW  I generally get 5-7 days with the flange....  sometimes have to change the tape as it might get grungy looking.   I think everyone has their own personal hygene style, so you have to do what works for you.  



Good luck to everyone...



Marsha

Hi.  I am new here and have been "lurking"for awhile and have learned a lot from you kind folks.  I know what you mean about the iky wet bag after the shower.  I use a product  called Kleenex Hand Towels.  They don't soak through so I just lift up my "damp bag", put a Kleenex Hand Towel between my skin and the bag.  The size is just right and the damp feeling is gone til the bag dries out.  Living in Florida (USA) and the humidity in the summer, it keeps the skin dry all day.  Hope this helps.   I have an ileostomy due to severe Ulcerative Colitis....had my little buddy since Jan 2008....call it Little Peter Poopala.

Hi I'm new here.  But as for the showering/bathing issue, I use SURE SEAL RINGS (Best Buy Ostomy Supply) I can bathe, hot tub, swim, and it does not come off.  They're so thin, just like a piece of skin.   Hope this may help some.

I must be lucky, with this problem.  I have a colostomy and use a 1 piece drainable bag which I just let get wet in the shower, after covering the filter with a tab (supplied with bags). No problems with getting it wet. It I pat it dry with a towel and it's perfect, straight away. No hair dryer etc needed.  I am sure all bags are made to get wet.   Tho I was told I should put a new one on after swimming.  Good luck.

I purchased a plastic shower cap (very cheap) cut the bottom off it . I fold my bag up and in half and put the shower cap over the top and fasten with a small bull dod clip, then on the 2 sides I use a hair clip to keep it in place. works a treat and very inexpensive.The water just runs over the cap and away Most of the time I end up with a completely dry bag, if not only a little damp which is easy to dry. hope I explained the process well enough, you can leave your bag unfolded if you like but don't cut the shower cap to short if you do.

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good luck

I use a spray adhesive made by Hollister. Follow the directions and the wafer with stands water and stays in place very well. When I shower I just leave everything in place then I just change out the wet bag for a dry one. sometime I will dry the bag alittle and between shaving etc., it will air dry and I am off and running. I had problems with a hot day and / or activity and sometime changed out the wafer 3x a day. Since I found the spray adhesive nothing short of peeling it off removes it. The bag will come off long before the wafer. I also use the stoma belt for my very active days. It helps support and gives you more confidence also.

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Baba, three years in with an ileostomy, I still follow the advice of my ostomy nurse. I fold up my bag, cover with Glad Press and Seal, and tape around the edges with waterproof tape, leaving the bottom edge open, of course. It works great- completely dry afterwards. I know that a lot of people don't think it's necessary, but I don't like the wet bag feeling, either.   Lucy