Hi guys... I've had my colostomy bag since May. My wife saw ostomy belts that help secure the bag to my body as I'm out in public and are supposed to give more confidence. I ordered one today that I like, and it should be here in about a week. I'm anxious to try it as I'm very self-conscious now with most of my shirt covering most (almost all) of my bag.
Anyone else here use one? If so, do you like it? Does it make things easier?
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Yes! I use one. In fact, If I count the belt that holds the device, the hernia belt and the Belt I use to hold it all together I am using 3 belts!!
That's what we might call 'progression'.
Best wishes
Bill
I use an Ostomysecrets wrap most of the time but do wear a StealthBelt too. I just wish the belt had a much wider band like the wrap has. StealthBelt will custom make belts; I just haven't done it yet.
Many people here, including me, use one. Some people sleep with it. I don't. I tend not to wear one in cold weather. I like to tuck in my shirt and I wear elastic-waisted pants. During the summer heat, that creates too much perspiration.
I assume you are speaking of the belt that attaches to the bag flange.
Daniel
Hi Eab, I think ostomy belts are great and do serve a good purpose. They will definitely help hold your appliance in place, but it's a personal thing. I just don't like the feel of them, having to wear something around my waist, plus I tuck my pouch into my underwear which helps support it. I also empty often so there isn't much weight to drag it down at any time. Give yours a try and see how you like it.
Terry
Heh. I don't like how the belt feels around my middle, either. But ever since I had a pouch come loose from the flange, I have worn the belt, if I don't have any other way of supporting it. The bag coming loose was a one time thing and I know how it happened. Still, there is nothing like good old paranoia. :-)
Daniel
i seriously gave the belt a thought after one morning.. during the night, my bag adhesive had come loose due to irritated skin from another type bag i was trying out on a free sample. As soon as i turned over to get out of bed, poop went everywhere.. i was embarrassed(and no one was around), upset, mad, at the end of my rope.. i said ' NEVER AGAIN'.. so i ordered a belt to keep the bag in place in case the adhesive pulls off.)
I've “pooped” the bed more times than I can remember. “Shit happens”? Here's a fun story: I wear a two-piece, and while making the bed one morning, I had reached my favorite part, “the tossing of the sheet over the bed.” Well, I caught my bag on it, and poop-surprise was everywhere. Needless to say, I had to rewash everything.
I've had an ileostomy on and off for 17 years (now permanent), so I was able to shrug it off as I would with any other inconvenience a day might bring. I understand it's not an ideal thing to get used to, but you will get there. You'll start discovering what works best for you through trial and error, and with time, you'll get comfortable with doing everything you used to.
Like Alex, I also have a Stealth Belt, but I've never really worn it because I don't like the fit. Like Terry, I typically just tuck my bag into high-waisted underwear or pants.
Moral of the story: proceed with caution when making your bed. Lol
I use a 1-inch wide elastic belt 24/7 that fastens to the sides of my appliance to keep a little pressure on the seal. It's made by the manufacturer of the bags I use. I have always done it; it's just the way I do it.
I did mean to mention that wearing the belt at night might be a good idea, even if you don't wear it during the day. It can save you from disaster if you are the type of sleeper who moves around a lot and changes position.
Terry
We lived on a 31' sailboat in the summer. Until I got my colostomy. Then we sold the boat. I was worried that while climbing onto or out of the v-berth (V-shaped, you crawl in via the open end of the V) my pouch would get caught and come off. At home, that would be bad enough. But on the boat, with poop all over the place and no laundry facilities, we probably would have had to sink the boat! Plus, emptying the pouch in a toilet compartment smaller than a refrigerator with only 25 gallons of fresh water and a very small tank to hold the waste… well, your changing sheet story is scary, but can you imagine what mine would have been like? We had over 30 great years on the boat, but, as we ostomates say, “shit might happen.”
I don't like wearing the belt while sleeping. I move around a lot and I worry about what unnecessary tugging could do to the seal. But, that just may be me being paranoid again. :-)
Daniel
Use a 2-piece Hollister wafer/bag.
I wear a 1-inch Hollister around the house. Change to a 3-inch wide Nu-Hope if I go out walking/bike riding or driving the car. Wear a 2-inch wide Nu-Hope while sleeping. I have woken up to blimp bags, or really full bags... no leaks or bursts.
If I don't wear a belt... I sense my stoma. Like a heavy feeling.
I remember worrying about the same thing when wearing one at night. Hard to say if it might work for you or against you. Nothing wrong with a little healthy paranoia. As they say, just because you are paranoid doesn't mean they aren't after you!
Terry
I wear a snug 32 Degree shirt and oversized boxers when I sleep, so I have some protection should a leak happen (which did last week for the first time in 6 months). I also use the Hollister bags with the click-close flange, which I have never had a problem with. The only time my bag fell off was after my ostomy nurse peeked at my stoma and I failed to check that she resealed it properly. My fault. Still, I feel better when not wearing the belt at night, and I never get a great deal of output when I sleep. And if the tape on my bag were to give way and it fell off that way, shame on me. There would be any number of signs before that happened. :-)
Daniel
When I was experimenting with the belt, it was during the time I was also wearing a two-piece Hollister. I never had an accident at night, just decided I didn't like the feel of the belt. Interestingly, it was after I stopped wearing the belt but was still wearing the two-piece, I woke up in the middle of the night in a pool of S!*t. The pouch had somehow unclicked itself from the flange and it was a holy mess, worst I've ever had. I never figured out why that happened as I know it was clicked into place securely. I was always paranoid about that and checked it often. Perhaps it was a defective pouch? That didn't stop me from wearing the two-piece, but I finally did after I had a couple of leaks from output actually leaking out from the secure seal itself, which it is not supposed to do. I'm a one-piecer all the way now.
Terry
I purchased a "Stealth Belt" a few months ago and it worked just fine, but the only thing I didn't like about it is that when it's hot out, the belt causes me to sweat a lot in that area, and it can be very hot. I've since started using it only for casual activities, and it works very well for that. Also, after previously having had a couple of leaks, I started using a small travel hairdryer to help seal my barrier seal when changing pouches. It works really well, and I've not had any more leaks. I just set it on low setting and seal the barrier.
I had one for a while, but then I lost weight and it wasn't fitting properly. Combined with the upheaval of 2020, I ended up not wearing it—and I developed hernias.
So when I had hernia repair surgery last year, I contacted the supply company again. It took them six months to organize a fitting, which took minutes. And then it was another three months to actually get the belts (here in the UK, but these belts were imported from the USA).
I have started wearing them again, much tighter fit. I don't want to go through more hernia surgery or blockages.
I used an ostomy belt while I was at work, and nobody knew that I had an ostomy. I used a brand called Stealth Belt. I wear the ostomy bag vertically. Whenever I go out, I make sure I put it on.
Never found them useful. Just another dang appliance to put on. Same with the barrier wraps. The things you add to the ostomy seal. Just more plastic causing skin irritation.
Use one 24/7 as added security. I had regular leaks early on, but use a two-piece, with a belt, and leaks are very rare now, Hollister.
correct
I've worn a belt for probably 11 1/2 of the twelve years I've had my ileostomy. It was definitely helpful for me. I have some back issues that require daily stretching and twisting moves that I found weakened the adhesives enough that I had to change appliances more often. I also wear it at night due to some early close calls at night.
My life was a nightmare before I began using a belt. My pouches never stayed on, and every time I bent down and/or tried to turn from one side to another in bed, the pouch would detach and I'd be covered in poop, as were my clothing and bedding. Awful, simply awful. Then my stoma therapist, who had tried almost everything, switched me to Coloplast SenSura Mio Convex 1-piece open pouch with belt tabs and which is worn with a Coloplast adjustable elastic belt that attaches to the tabs. To be on the safe side, I also use barrier tape. What a game changer wearing a belt was. I now only need to change my pouch every 4 days instead of every 4 hours or less.
I've had a urostomy for 54 years and have always used an ostomy belt. I tried not using the belt but found I had more leaks. To me, it is not uncomfortable and it gives me security.
Bill, have you tried the Nu-Hope hernia belt? I have one that works very well to hold my Hollister one-piece securely, and it also is an excellent peristomal hernia belt. At night, I switch to a Nu-Hope ostomy belt (sans hernia function, since I don't need hernia support lying down), and have not had a leak since I started using these over a year ago. That would reduce your daytime layers by one. I can't say enough good things about these belts. I assume they ship to the UK.
Hello OldDude.
Thanks for the heads up on this belt. I did look at it some time back and agree that it looks as if it would do the trick. However, The CUI hernia belts I presently use seem much the same and do a reasonable job.
I could (& sometimes do) omit to wear the top belt (which goes on the outside of my clothes) but I find that this last belt is good for disguising the bulge from my DIY device.
Best wishes
Bill
I do the same as Bertha. Coloplast convex one-piece with the belt tabs. I have extras, so I change the belt when I change the bag. Launder the used belts in a laundry bag and air dry. I use the barrier extenders too.
I also use heat to help the adhesive stick:
They are great for sports, etc., but very hard to get one that doesn't roll up when bending down, etc.
Hi y'all! I wear a Nu Hope wide belt that holds my bag in place... 24/7, per doctor's order... and I hate it, but have gotten used to it. Thank goodness for insurance, because these things are a bit pricey!
I do still have leaks once in a while, but not often at all, especially if I stay on top of changing my appliance every 3-4 days.
