Hello Lee.
Thanks for sharing your problems with leaks and lack of sleep.
The way you describe it, the sleep problem seems to be directly related to the leaks and is therefore perfectly understandable.
Logically, it would seem that if you resolve the leak problem, then the sleep problem will probably resolve itself.
I believe that many ostomates have had similar problems in their long journeys and quite a few of them have found suitable solutions by trying different bags and support systems.
Therefore, this experimentation seems a sensible way forward. However, if, after searching for a ‘sensible’ solution you still have problems, then you have joined the realms of people like myself, who have had to make up their own (DIY)solutions.
The way I figured the leak problem, was that I should examine it in a similar way to how a plumber would work toward fixing a leak.
1) I logically laid out the possible causes of my leaks.
2) I examined what I had tried and failed at. ( there’s no point in repeating failures!)
3) I tried to design a system that would overcome all the above and give me confidence that leaks were unlikely to happen.
Now, we come to the more tricky ‘psychological’ hurdle of overcoming what has been ‘traditionally’ used, and replacing it with something practical, functional and physically successful, rather than aesthetically pleasing.
My leaks were nearly all to do with the wafers; partly due to gas pressure pushing the output under the wafer; and partly due to the pancaking effect where the output compressed around the stoma and squashed under the wafers at that point.
Thinking like a plumber (rather than a medic) I designed alternative baseplates that were held on by a belt (or two at first) and stuck down with ‘prosthetic’ glue.
I say ‘baseplates’ because I needed one for irrigation and night time use and a different one for daytime use.
The irrigation baseplate was designed with a (Plumbers) 90 degree waste-pipe bend, so that the output would be directed into the sleeve, rather than pancaking around the stoma. After irrigating, I left the baseplate & bend on, then folded and clipped the sleeve to form a huge ‘bag’ for overnight. This ‘bag’ was big enough to hold any amount of output and/or gas. (you would be astonished at how much gas can be emitted by a stoma during the night!
Following the same principles(which worked but were bulky), My daytime system involves a similar (DIY) baseplate with a two-piece bag system and a screw-on cover, which directs the output away from the stoma (& baseplate) into the ‘normal bag’.
This sort of system is not pretty and it would certainly not win any awards for being aesthetically pleasing. However, it does work for stopping leaks and I have been using it for more than 2 years.
There are other advantages to having semi-permanent solid baseplates, which are to do with economies of using other items such as ‘bags and sleeves’. Sticking these to a homemade baseplate extends their usefulness to months rather than days, and, for those people who have to pay for their supplies, this could be considerably cheaper. ( I don’t have to pay for my supplies as these come free of charge, courtesy of the NHS).
One other comment regarding making your own baseplates, and that is: I believe that these things should be bespoke, i.e. made to fit each individual precisely. After that, almost any type of bag/sleeve will do because they will be fixed to the baseplate rather than the person.
Upon reflection, I do think that making bespoke baseplates with those new-fangled computer-assisted gadgets would be a possible way forward to resolve many of these issues. However, this is unlikely to be available through the present manufacturer’s route, as they make their money by selling quantities of disposable bags and stuff.
Sorry for the long-winded reply but I hope you are able to resolve your own problems in the near future.
Best wishes
Bill
