How Long Can Flanges Stay On?

Hi all! 

I have an urostomy since less than 3 months...so still getting the hang on all flange&bag maintenance.

Thing is: I have a horribly sensitive skin, which is not helping me lots in this new situation.

I use a 2 piece system cause I need convex plus to stress skin less, and am fully aware I am supposed to change flange every roughly 3 days (and anytime it has any leaks), but.... hear me out....

What if my flange is in perfect condition and I keep it on?

I am now wearing it on day 5 and it is still perfectly sticking, bag is changed every 24 hours....should I go and change "just because" of standard changing routine? 

My stoma nurse does not have a real answer, just tell me that it is recommended to change every 3 to 4 days...I would love to let my skin in peace as long as possible between changes...

 

do you have any ideas? experience? opinions?

thanks in advance

It's recommended to change the urostomy flange every 3 or 4 days, to stop any bacteria getting back to the kidneys, causing a uti or kidney infection. At least that's what I was told, I guess if your changing the bag, you could flush your stoma with a little water.

Hello Happy.

Thank you for a very interesting and practical question., and the invitation to comment.

My first thought would be that 'recommendations' are just that: They are not fixed in law and if someone wishes to bend or ignore them, then it would seem to me to be a matter of taking personal responsibility for any consequences. There are, of course, risks involved in whatever we do, and the guidelines are there to give some guidance. However, the people giving the advice are unlikely to accept responsibility for anything that goes wrong, even if you stick to their recommendations.  (In my more cynical mode, I sometimes think that advice to use things quickly and discard them, is also a devious way of having a greater turnover and consequential 'profit' for the advice giver.) 
Advice on flanges are a bit like advice on any other thing relating to stomas. Everyone is different and react in different ways to different circumstances.
My skin is very sensitive and when I was using the bags/sleeves etc as recommended, they would either keep coming off, or leak,  or they would irritate my skin. Eventually, I decided to make my own baseplates and just stick the regular appliances to them. This means that the flanges last for months/years without the need for replacement.: They don't leak or come off, and they don't irritate my skin because they never come into contact with it.
My baseplates have lasted years and, apart from a few minor tweaks, have been no problem at all. I stick them to my skin with a combination of a belt and prosthetic glue.  
Now, with regard to cleanliness: Because I irrigate, I have two main baseplates, which I change each day.- morning and evening. The irrigation one stays on overnight and the daytime one stays on throughout the day. This allows me to wallow in a hot bath every morning without any device on. ( we all need to have some little luxuries!)
I have often contemplated just using one device and experimenting to see how long it lasts, but the system I'm using at present has worked well for years and I have therefore not been very motivated to change it.
The thing to bear in mind is that it is very useful to experiment and find a routine that suits you. 
If it was me in your position, I would have little hesitation in experimenting to see how long the wafers last until problems arise. Then you can come back on here and give others the benefit of your practical experience and be a 'newbie' no longer.
Best wishes

Bill 

Thanks T.B., my stoma nurse told me to change bag every 24 hours for that...flange change just due to possible leaks...

am also meeting her next week, so will ask specifically

Will wait for 1st anniversary before modifying my Username! :D

jokes apart, thanks Bill...I am made of your same stuff...and will pay the price if there will be one....

Am a very practical person, it's not so much the trouble of changing it, rather the experience so far: if I put it on badly, it lasts less than 24 hours (and sometimes I honestly do not understand why it was "badly" put), but when I do it right...it feels such a pity! 

will let you know

Getting Support in the Ostomy Community with LeeAnne Hayden | Hollister

Not sure how it works with a urostomy. But I can go as many as 14 days with my illiostomy flanges and going 7 days sure helps my skin. Tearing those products off early is murder on my skin. #justsaying

Hi Happy everybody is differant and how they react to the chemistry of the wafer, but if there are no leaks and your skin isnt itchy and red when you remove the wafer then try wearing it longer and see what happens, its all trial and error and what works for you.

Thanks Getlemen! then will give it couple more days (if not leaking) and see how it does

I have an urostomy. I was told no more than 7 days if it will last that long. I would say if you are getting 4 days then you are doing great. I change everything at once. The only time I just change the bag is if it has a hole in it.

Best of Luck

Jax

10+ days with colostomy.

Weird how we receive different info: the stoma nurse was extremely clear to change the bag at least every 24 hours to avoid bacteria proliferation... and indeed the only time I literally forgot to change it... BAM... infection.

Hello Happy but Newbie!

Congrats on the positive attitude right out of the gate! I'm very impressed as I was a mess for 6 months. I have a colostomy but also have sensitive skin and am allergic to the adhesive on most band-aids and medical tapes.

At first, I had a few slight rashes but I never had to use anything. I air Moana out in the shower and for about half an hour afterwards so my skin is really dry before the new barrier goes on.

I'm on a carnivore elimination diet which makes my output predictable for showers and bag changes as there is very little output. I don't have accidents or leaks anymore unless I don't snap the bag onto the flange properly like last week lol. It never got my clothes but I did have to do my first dry bag change away from home... it worked out well!

I use Hollister products because of my allergies to band-aids. I learned if I did a barrier change dry I would rash up but if I get wet in the shower and then remove it no rash occurs.

The Ostomy nurse told me 5 to 7 days in between changes but I have gone up to 14 days a couple of times when I was really ill and couldn't deal with it.

It was a good test for me as nothing happened except I had to tape off the vent so it wouldn't smell lol but as soon as I was able I returned to changing every 7 days.

As a result of my experiment I no longer stress about it and if I had to go longer between changes I know I can.

Keep asking questions and experimenting with what works for you.

Best of luck!

Terri

Thanks, Terri!

So in the end, my nurse told me I can keep it on as long as it resists, provided I change the bag daily, and I reached 8 days...

What now tells it's time to change is indeed when leaks start...

Having an urostomy and flush stoma, I get them eventually no matter what, as my output will "eat" the ring and get to the flange, thus leaking...

So now I know and am good with the strategy: keep it as long as it lasts, or change it if I want to be sure I have 3/4 "safe days" in front of me...

Very useful!

Like all your comments and suggestions always :-)

Hi everyone, I've had problems since day 1. I have an ostomy that sits my stoma below my skin. Inside that hole, it has raw, bloody, open sores that never seem to heal. I've had an ostomy since Aug. 2022. I've never felt such hot, burning, uncontrollable pain like this ever! All the flanges I've used leak sometimes within the hour. I went through 7 bags in a 6-hour time frame. I can't really go anywhere because the bag will leak. I wake up and I'm covered in such a mess. I sleep with lots of pads to prevent it from leaking onto my bed. I have no adhesive remover, and I'm not sure what I can use that won't burn the sores. Vinegar, I think, might burn, so I'm not sure if I even want to try it. Most of the things I've tried to use burn my skin badly, not to mention the open sores. I can't handle it anymore. Please give suggestions. I've tried everything my nurse and doctors suggested, and not much helps. Thanks in advance.

Hi,

Sorry to hear that you are having issues with your ostomy.

Do you use convex flanges? Do you use a belt? Do you use stoma powder? Do you use Eakin ring? Do you use protective barrier wipes? If you do not have adhesive remover, you can use soap and warm water or just warm water to try to remove the adhesive.

What type of ostomy do you have? What type of supplies do you use? What is your process that you use when changing your ostomy?

I have a urostomy. I use Hollister products.

Hello there! Sorry about your issues, my darling!

As 14jax said... tell us a bit more about your routine, so we can try and suggest something from a "practical" and "real life experience" perspective.