I'm 8 weeks post-ostomy installation. My doctor has given me the OK to resume my garden-farm work. This involves a lot of shoveling, weeding, planting, and harvesting. I have problems with the barriers leaking while doing these things.
Any suggestions for ways to reduce this when doing manual labor?
8 weeks isn't very long and your stoma probably hasn't completely settled on the size it's going to be. By barrier do you mean you are using a barrier ring or paste? Or are you just using the wafer/bag?
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Are you wearing a support garment like a stealth belt? If not, this might help. If the bag is just tucked into your pants or underwear, it's going to get pulled on and caught up on things. Also, how often are you changing? You might need to change more often working a job like that, as you're moving about, sweating, etc. I have to change daily. You might want to think about a hernia belt as well so you don't get a parastomal hernia.
Hi mf,
You need to determine how you're developing leaks if you want to fix it. Look closely at your barrier when you remove it and it should tell a story of what's going on. Without knowing what's causing the leak, we're just wildly throwing suggestions at you. You can pretty much do anything (within reason) with your ostomy that you can without it, if you address any issues you have with your barrier installation.
Remove your barrier before it leaks and see what's going on. You may have to do this a couple of times to catch it when it just starts to leak. When you remove the barrier, notice the adhesion all around your stoma. Are there areas that aren't sticking to your skin? Is there output anywhere? Where did it come from initially? You're going to need to do some detective work to get us more info so we can give you good feedback.
;O)
It also may depend on the temperature and if you're sweating a lot more than usual. But I think w30bob hit it on the head. You need to determine the source of the leak first. Keep us posted!
I also do farm work. I found I had to switch to a light convex bag, which combined with a good hernia support belt, has so far solved my problem. But I agree it is important to find out where the leaks are coming from. Extra bending with an uneven area around my stoma was mine. Good luck and don't overdo it; it's very early days.
I'm a few years past ostomy installation, and farm work/gardening doesn't invoke any leaking for me. I agree with others recommending trying to find the leak source, or maybe just continuing to wait until your skin and stoma settle into their long-term configuration.
I have found the Dansac TRE seals very good, and the Coloplast ones are even stickier.
You need a seal between the bag and your skin.
That's what worked for me.
I agree that you need to see where it's leaking. The first year, my husband had to use paste to fill in his uneven skin areas. Now, in the second year, that's no longer necessary. Now, he always wears a belt and, on gym days, uses a soft ostomy tape I found on Amazon for added protection.
Didn't your surgeon give you a post-op weight limit? Mine was 10 lbs. Lifting a shovel of dirt could give you a prolapse, BAD! Cannot be fixed right & will get larger. BEWARE! I use a Stealth Belt, but avoid any heavy lifting.
I agree with wearing a hernia belt. I wasn't told about that, overdid it, and now have a hernia they don't want to repair unless it becomes a problem. Wish I'd been told. I feel like I have an alien on my belly. :)
Hello friend, I discovered a system that is perfect as far as leakage with an ileostomy. It's one added thing. I had severe skin breakdown from leaking; I was going through 3-4 pouches a day for a couple of months, so miserable. Now, a year later the only thing that happens if I am being careless, or forget it's there (I never thought that would ever happen) is I have snagged the actual pouch off of the flange, but no leaking. The Coloplast Brava 4×4 sheet #32105.
The measure template came from, I think, Temu (gift from a friend). The measuring tool was a godsend. It's washable and goes all the way to 30mm. I am pretty sure they come in a larger array of template sizes. Lasts forever.
Clean your skin, get it dry, a hair dryer is helpful, warm up any adhesives... make sure to shave off any hair around your stoma area in a 5×5 area, makes applying a 4×4 easier. Use skin protector, if you like, it's not necessary though. I do just to keep a flawless peristomal area. ✂️ Cut your diameter - snug but not tight in the 4×4. Wrap a piece of Kleenex around the actual stoma (keeps it dry while applying and catches output). Take the 4×4 barrier after cutting your diameter. Your stoma is going to change a lot so take measurements every time until it stays one size for about 6 weeks. Line your stoma up with the hole you cut, peel off the larger side of the backing, stick down, ONCE, can't move it once you stick to your skin. Pull off 2 pieces of backing. Place your barrier RING on top of that then the flange. Followed by your pouch, if it locks, lock it! :)). All done. 😉😊🫠 This lasts me 7-10 days, bathing, sweating, etc.
You may be sweating a lot more so just inspect everything twice a day.
Just don't snag the pouch on something and pull away. 😬😀 Be careful when dressing or undressing, the pouch itself gets hung on things from time to time.
It takes a few times to get all the steps down fast and efficiently, but it takes 5 mins tops to change it all out. After your stoma heals and is constantly the same size, you can get precut flanges and rings, which makes it easier.
You can use any brand/size you want on top of the Coloplast 4×4 protective sheet. I'm sure other brands have this sheet, but this is what keeps my peristomal skin flawless and healthy. I have adhesive allergies, so that's what works for me, and oh my, does it stick snugly. It's comfortable, which I never thought would be possible either.
Get a Hollister belt if you can. It will keep the pouch from being snagged while lifting, digging, etc. It covers the whole pouch and has a precut hole in it. They're nice, washable.
The only other thing I do is use M9 deodorant drops (best ever) and lubricating deodorant spray so everything is 98%-100% odor-free. If you leak, it's not stinky.
It's going to take practice and a little time to figure out YOUR system, but have hope and faith 🙏, it all works out. You got this.
Hello friend, I discovered a system that is perfect as far as leakage with an ileostomy. It's one added thing. I had severe skin breakdown from leaking; I was going through 3-4 pouches a day for a couple of months, so miserable. Now, a year later the only thing that happens if I am being careless, or forget it's there (I never thought that would ever happen) is I have snagged the actual pouch off of the flange, but no leaking. The Coloplast Brava 4×4 sheet #32105.
The measure template came from, I think, Temu. (Gift from a friend) The measuring tool was a godsend. It's washable and goes all the way to 30mm. I am pretty sure they come in a larger array of template sizes. Lasts forever.
Clean your skin, get it dry, a hair dryer is helpful, warm up any adhesives... make sure to shave off any hair around your stoma area in a 5×5 area, makes applying a 4×4 easier. Use skin protector, if you like, it's not necessary though. I do just to keep a flawless peristomal area. ✂️ Cut your diameter - snug but not tight in the 4×4... Wrap a piece of Kleenex around the actual stoma (keeps it dry while applying and catches output). Take the 4×4 barrier after cutting your diameter. Your stoma is going to change a lot so take measurements every time until it stays one size for about 6 weeks. Line your stoma up with the hole you cut, peel off the larger side of the backing, stick down, ONCE, can't move it once you stick to your skin. Pull off 2 pieces of backing. Place your barrier RING on top of that then the flange. Followed by your pouch, if it locks, lock it! :)). All done. 😉😊🫠 This lasts me 7-10 days, bathing, sweating, etc.
You may be sweating a lot more so just inspect everything twice a day.
Just don't snag the pouch on something and pull away. 😬😀 Be careful when dressing or undressing, the pouch itself gets hung on things from time to time.
It takes a few times to get all the steps down fast and efficiently, but it takes 5 mins tops to change it all out. After your stoma heals and is constantly the same size you can get precut flanges and rings, which makes it easier.
You can use any brand/size you want on top of the Coloplast 4×4 protective sheet. I'm sure other brands have this sheet, but this is what keeps my peristomal skin flawless and healthy. I have adhesive allergies, so that's what works for me, and oh my, does it stick snugly. It's comfortable, which I never thought would be possible either.
Get a Hollister belt if you can. It will keep the pouch from being snagged while lifting, digging, etc. It covers the whole pouch and has a precut hole in it. They're nice, washable.
The only other thing I do is use M9 deodorant drops (best ever) and lubricating deodorant spray so everything is 98%-100% odor-free. If you leak, it's not stinky.
It's going to take practice and a little time to figure out YOUR system, but have hope and faith 🙏, it all works out. You got this.
