Hey all,
I have had repeated skin issues on the same spot near my stoma. I've treated it with stoma paste and a covering of therablue covered by a small bit of extender to keep it in place before affixing a barrier ring and then a flange.
The skin eventually heals but it always comes back. This time a big chunk of skin is missing.
I also have a hernia and do wear a belt, but could the hernia be causing the skin issue?
Any advice would be appreciated.
Hi Stephanie... sorry to hear of this skin issue you are having... wow...
I read some of your prior posts.
This chunk of skin coming off
is bad news. Have you seen a dermatologist? He/she might have better ideas to treat it.
I don't know what stoma paste is, nor why any paste would be used on irritated skin. ?
I understand you tried the extenders, a small piece to cover the area. Those things are super strong adhesive. There are skin sheets also available I heard people use. Are you aware of these protective sheets?
There are two powders I have used because my skin actually bled.
The wafer had black spots showing it was dried blood.
I could not have any adhesion because of weeping skin.
My stoma nurse said to use nystatin powder, then a spray protectant... once healed, then use the stoma adhesive powder. There are a few out there that members swear are the best.
You gotta get that skin healed... air dry time is needed, which means everything off allowing air to heal the wound. Maybe a nice bagless shower often would help if it doesn't burn...
Be patient. There are members who will offer sound advice.
Mine cleared up in 1 week. Now, 2 months later, I get 6 to 7 days wear time. The skin, once bright red, is now pinkish. It was purple at the last change (a week ago).
Think about the dermatologist.
You also went from convex to flat.
How far extended is your stoma? Sounds like it is not close to the skin, which means good news. But the leaks... something is wrong.
Sit tight. Help is on the way.
MeetAnOstoMate.org is the only place where people truly understand you. It's because everyone here has an ostomy.
Many come here for advice or to give advice, others have found good friends, and some have even built long-lasting relationships.
Privacy is very important - there are many features only visible to members.
Are you getting a leak in that area? Is it in a skin fold?
Some details about what else is going on at the site might help us give advice.
Sorry to hear this. I feel the pain just remembering this happening a few times.
My issue was not knowing I had a new allergy to anything with alcohol in it. My skin blisters and weeps within 48 hours of contact on thinner skin areas. My ostomy nurse thought it was a fungal problem and suggested antifungal foot powder. Obviously that makes it much harder to stick a wafer to it! So, I caked it on and strapped a belt to my appliance, using pressure keeping it on,then using a nylon wrap over that. Within a couple days it healed enough to stick adhesive on the skin.
Guessing you may have tore the skin removing the wafer. Could be your skin is still getting used to the appliance. I didn't look at your previous posts to learn more.
I'm still getting used to demanding non alcohol whenever I get a blood draw or vaccination. Even when I get my eyes checked, I have to wear a headband as they clean everything with alcohol!
Thank God I am not allergic to drinking alcohol! 🍻
Take pictures and post them here. Will make it easier for us to understand your situation.
Hi, lest some of you think that I am only involved in social talk, I just want to give some input about the latest problem pertaining to skin I have.
When I was in the hospital 3 years ago, people constantly remarked on what great skin I had on my body. I had no idea why they did. Well, this not having been a good year for me, worse than the two prior years, about 5 weeks ago I developed some lesions on my body that looked like light scratches. I told my family that we, indeed, must have a malicious ghost in the house, ergo the scratches. Well, these lesions have become permanent it seems, and have grown in size all over my back. When the APN who comes to the house for my husband took a look at it, she was taken aback and thought, remember, I am not her patient, it was an autoimmune disease. I do have and had for years, constant and daily stress, that eventually my good constitution has to give deference to. I called my internist and he thought it might be something else, and prescribed an ointment. When my son brought the ointment home, I immediately after reading just a part of the side effects, put it away. I don't aim to get serious problems putting on some ointment. So, we put pure aloe on it and it seems to be kept at bay, but is still there. I suspect that it also is exacerbated by friction between my t-shirt and bed clothes because I cannot sleep restfully. The ointment is called Triamcinolone Acetonide Cream USP, and could have side effects of... I can't possibly list some of the things here, it is too long and diverse. But on the accompanying fact sheet, it stated that covering up the area where the ointment was applied could cause a problem with too much absorption. I discarded said sheet and cannot directly quote from it, but how do I avoid not covering up something on my back? No, I have not called my doctor back, and I have not been able to leave the house since the beginning of August.
Well, to make a long story short, has anyone else experienced this?
Did you, or can you see a dermatologist?
Note that side effects have to be listed on medication to cover the manufacturers' ass. In the event of serious side effects, you were warned.
That's how it plays out in court. A doctor friend told me this in confidence. You may have nothing to worry about, but then err on the side of caution—see a dermatologist for a second opinion.
I hope you get a good answer from a dermatologist. He/she knows skin.
Google one for reviews and see how that works out, but don't be too quick to discard viable treatment.
I think it's a safe bet saying most of us do have autoimmune disease issues. So others may chime in. Cut out a T-shirt. The back leaving skin exposed to the ointment perhaps? Even a few hours a day might help.
Did you, or can you see a dermatologist?
Note that side effects have to be listed on medication to cover the manufacturer's ass. In the event of serious side effects, you were warned.
That's how it plays out in court. A doctor friend told me this in confidence. You may have nothing to worry about, but then err on the side of caution—see a dermatologist for a second opinion.
I hope you get a good answer from a dermatologist. He/she knows skin.
Google one for reviews and see how that works out, but don't be too quick to discard viable treatment.
I think it's a safe bet saying most of us do have autoimmune disease issues. So others may chime in. Cut out a T-shirt. The back leaving skin exposed to the ointment perhaps? Even a few hours a day might help.
Did you, or can you see a dermatologist?
Note that side effects have to be listed on medication to cover the manufacturers' ass. In the event of serious side effects, you were warned.
That's how it plays out in court. A doctor friend told me this in confidence. You may have nothing to worry about, but then err on the side of caution—see a dermatologist for a second opinion.
I hope you get a good answer from a dermatologist. He/she knows skin.
Google one for reviews and see how that works out, but don't be too quick to discard viable treatment.
I think it's a safe bet saying most of us do have autoimmune disease issues. So others may chime in. Cut out a T-shirt. The back leaving skin exposed to the ointment perhaps? Even a few hours a day might help.
Hello,
My wife has this. It started about 2 years ago. She was getting red, raised scratches on her back, and numerous raised red blotches on her chest and stomach. It looked really bad. After taking off her bra, an hour later her skin looked normal. We thought she was allergic to something. Her tongue would swell up slightly too. I bought a couple of EpiPens just in case she went into anaphylactic shock.
After many visits to dermatologists and an allergist, it was determined she has dermatographia, or skin writing. Dermatographism, dermatographic urticaria are other names for dermatographia. It's fairly common.
It's a harmless skin condition. Raised marks (wheals), similar to hives, appear when your skin is rubbed (friction) or has pressure on it.
Dermatographia welts don't hurt, but they can be itchy. Usually, they fade after about 30 minutes.
Dermatographia symptoms vary from person to person. Symptoms may include:
• Raised, discolored (red, pink, purple, or skin color) lines.
• Swelling.
• Inflammation.
• Hive-like welts.
• Itchy skin.
Dermatographia may be an autoimmune disease. Medical researchers think it might be an inappropriate response from your immune system. Your immune system registers scratching or pressure as an allergen. It sends the chemical histamine to the area to remove the allergen from your body.
Dermatographia isn't contagious, and symptoms usually fade after months or years.
It's been 2 years for my wife. Her symptoms are still strong. She had to get bras that have no elastic. Wear loose clothing. Stop wearing her neck chain with a cross pendant on it. She can't sit back in chairs. Sleeps on her side with loose pajamas. Has to be careful washing and showering. Rubbing soap on skin will cause a flare-up. Also, she has to dry off carefully, no rubbing with the towel.
She takes lots of antihistamines. Up to 4 a day. This helps prevent itching and some of the welts.
A prescription medication is available, Cromolyn, which helps block allergic reactions. But she has not tried it.
Simple test. Use a tongue depressor or popsicle stick. Press into the skin, create a 3 to 6-inch line. Wait to see if a raised welt appears.
Hi Stephanie, from a fellow B.C.er! If your skin irritation is around the base of your stoma, I would suggest the thing that worked best for me. It's made by Salts, which we Canadians have access to, and it's a barrier ring infused with aloe and it works wonders to clear up badly irritated or raw skin, which is what I had. The product number is SAR followed by the size of ring you want. I use them all the time, and not only have they cleared up my skin issues, they stick so well, they have also extended my wear time by a couple of days. Salts will send you samples if you ask. Good luck.
Terry
Thank you, Beachboy, that is most helpful to me. I appreciate the lengthy explanation. You know, if one goes it alone, it really is harder than knowing that there are other people with, especially in my case here, that come up with the same thing. I just don't have much trust in doctors, although I like my internist, but that does not make him a top physician. Forget the oncologist; I did not get much out of him after the number of visits to him and after the cancerous colon resection. I know they don't have an ostomy nurse in this town; they may have one in the town where I had surgery. Again, thank you.
Thank you, warrior, for you input. I wear a t-shirt to bed. No buttons, least constriction, no long sleeves to wrap around you, white cotton, easily washed in hot water, no bleach.
Yes, I am aware of the reason one puts all of those possible side effects in small print on paper when one picks up an rx. But, just as I say, I do not need more problems, I need fewer. I believe that there is a dermatologist in town, but I have never been to one in my life, and, dumb me, want to keep it that way. Again, for other reasons owing to what my body is doing to me, have been unable to leave the house to go anywhere.
As to the tip with the t-shirt, well, I don't know. I am usually very cold, owing to anemia. That is not what I could stand. Actually, the normal clothes I wear during the day don't bother me. I just get these itching fits and worry the lesions with their scabs.
I wear a t-shirt too. But that's to keep my ileo bag somewhat in check to my tummy. I find it helps.
I understand your reasons for not seeing any more doctors or taking the meds.
Let us know how you're doing without them. Tough cookie, you. 👍
Indeed, I am a tough cookie. Sadly, though, even the toughest cookie crumbles when continuous pressure is applied. I also want to remark that I was of the opinion that you might have been a military man (and you still could have been), but have come to the conclusion that what you have been through with the knife trade made you choose that name. Of course, that is only one woman's opinion. (smile)
A smart cookie indeed. Yes, the knife options and by-product of long-term steroid use of prednisone. No military exposure. But haven't we all had our battles? And gone through war in some shape or form?
Thanks so much. The process of the powder I used is called crusting? By my stoma nurse. I like the idea of a skin barrier sheet. I'll ask about that.
Thanks so much for your help!
No leaks since I switched to the convex flange and use extenders.
Stephanie, I truly apologize for hogging your thread. It's just that my first thought belonged to the topic "skin issues". That's as far as I got. So, please, don't mind this old woman.
5 foot 2
And eyes of blue (well, they used to be)
I am a tough cookie
And I know you are too.
I just looked up dermatographia. I don't think that it is what ails me. The last thing I need would be my ghost writing on my skin. (grin)
What also makes me think that it's not it is that these lesions do not disappear at all, momentarily or otherwise. As I said before, I thank you for informing me/us because there are things I had never heard of. But pressure is definitely something that makes it feel worse. I had a devil of a night last night, pain from some of the hard scabs, stuck into me like knives. Oh, such fun!
