Why I Write the Date and Time on My Bag

Always do this for myself.

Especially since some people change frequently and assume "oh a day ago." I replaced it.

A Sharpie, magic marker with the date and time helps me.

And don't write so others can read it. To them, it's upside down. Write on the bag before installing it so you can read it...if someone asks about it? Make light of it...tell them the little guy is taking notes or writing an escape plan👍

Most of you might use calendars. That serves as a history book too. It might seem easier.

Just offering the advice. Curious how you handle it.

GO...

I use my memory.

 Uh oh. There's a mistake waiting to happen. 

Like the idea. Gonna try it. I write the date of my last change in a notebook, but then I often misplace it.

Each to their own; whatever works for you is the right way.

My memory's not that bad yet, so I have no need for it myself. Just like this week, I changed the bag on Sunday, and my skin felt quite irritated on Monday, so I changed the bag again. I just go with the flow and listen to what my body tells me.

With no leaks, my appliances last a week. So I change them every Tuesday. If there's a leak forcing a change midweek, I still change on Tuesday. If I don't stick to a rigid schedule like that, I forget and will be constantly wondering how many days it's been. And forget doing the two ostomies on different days...

Writing on them might be a better plan, to be honest.

Words of Encouragement from Ostomy Advocates I Hollister

I hate when that happens. Like losing your car keys.

When I was using closed pouches, I did in the beginning write down the date but, then I got a pattern of doing Fri and Mon when I was using the Hollister 2 piece systems.

Now I'm back to experimenting with my forgetfulness and simply going on feel; hoping to make it a week on Coloplast Sensura Mio open-end pouches.  Yea, less trash!

Partly the reason I do this is because I'm recovering from irritated skin around the stoma, which has healed to a degree that I'm pushing wear time now.

Maybe 3 months ago, I was getting 2 or 3 days, or an hour due to poor adhesion. In November, I saw the nurse, got treatment, and since it's healing, I now get 7 to 8 days. Very impressed by the healing but also by the Cera adapt barrier ring folks here suggested I use.

Yesterday's change was 8 days long. And looking over the removed appliance, I'm thinking of pushing to 9, but damn, I gotta write that down to help remember. Plus, a quick snapshot of the stoma and used ring helps document progress.

Now, when I start marking my shoes L and R, I gotta worry though. 😆

I like those too but, they still tend to swell and dissolve.  They're nice for the healing power of their ceramide though!

I've been testing many rings out and lately I have been liking the Safe-N-Simple longevity rings.  One side has a SUPER tacky white side and the other is soft like the Cera ones.  I had started putting the white side on the skin but that didn't help them last any longer.  The last 2 changes I put the white side on the flange side and this has been getting me closer to 5 days.  Downside of these IS the dang tackiness of that white side!  Hard to shape it without getting it stuck to your fingers, then having to use another adhesive removed to clean that off. oy!

From the start at the hospital I would date my bag, no time stamp though. When I change I also write it in a book. I do not look back at the dates but I am recording it anyway.

Being lazy, I've discovered I can go 10 days between wafer changes.  Alas, I forget when 10 days are up.  Today I'm at 12 days.  I just snapped off the bag to peek at Mr stoma.... still looks happy.  So I'm putting a sharpie marker in my change kit. 

I blame Mrs B.  She interfered with my couch time this month.... forcing me to put up Christmas lights.  This morning she gaily showed me all the new lights she bought last night!  Then gave an instruction sheet how she wants them installed.  I'm.... appalled.  

You people write down when you change and keep a notebook full of those dates? Why? Has anyone gone back and said….oh, I changed it on Tuesday the 12th 4 years ago. 🤷‍♂️😁 I write down the month/year on my box of supplies so I use the oldest stuff first since I have a closet full of supplies but otherwise I just change when needed or more often when it’s convenient so I always have a fairly fresh bag on. 

Interesting you say they swell and dissolve.

I have not noticed that. I do rinse the bag at every dump but am cutting back on doing so because it's a waste of time cleaning that bag every 2 hours or so.

But I am glad you're experimenting. It helps us all know what may work for us.

Expanding the ring? Have you tried not touching the flat side and using the inner hole and outer side instead? I also use those thin covers that it comes in to help press and stretch the ring open.

They have these wedding ring taper cones in jewelry stores. I wonder if using that sort of thing would open the hole with no touch to the sticky side. Just wobble it down or cut the cone to your stoma size.

Damn. I'm a genius sometimes. 🤔😲😄😆

@Alex... Welcome back if you have returned from those snow-capped mountains.

You asked why keep a record? For me, maybe a weekly thing to note this incredible experience of long wear time while just getting over a common skin issue lots of us ileos have as opposed to "you people" with a colostomy. You people are blessed with that setup. And you know it because you hear of the blowouts and leaks constantly from "us people" 😉

Agreed? So the new ring is working well for me and I record the change dates, just as you would in a similar fashion change your engine oil, date the miles, etc. Agreed?

Doing this record-keeping for a week or two only, though, makes me appreciate the treatment and the better ring so much that I want to shout it off rooftops but rather settle for telling the ileo community—there is hope for longer wear. Better, healthier skin yields that plus better product. Dig?

It's pretty easy for me, as I change once a week, so just need to remember which is 'change day'.  Once in a while, I go a day over, so my 'change day' advances by one day.

Terry

Warrior, Just put a smiley face each day on your bag, then when you hit your desired amount of days your bag will be all smiles. 😁 

You could also use the record book where dates... to play the lottery. Imagine: A grinning Warrior on TV accepting a multi-gazillion payout check while a cheering crowd goes wild. When asked how he came up with the winning numbers... he pulls out this book...

I'll pull out my bag. Ha ha.

Tell them to chew on this!

Hmm... "counting smiles" on the bag... might work. The number of smiles equate to the number of days.

Fascinating idea. Easy peasy. That fresh air did you good, bro.

I might be too self-conscious though... all those eyes looking up at me... but it'll be the most attention I'd have all year.

You got me thinking! It's hard to explain just how tacky the dang thing is.  It is less tacky the colder it is.  Maybe I'll just stock some disposable gloves.  The 💍 sizer isn't a bad idea. It'd get nasty eventually too though.

It doesn't actually dissolve. Wrong word. It gets... messy, sloppy looking.

Well, comparing tackiness... those extenders are awfully sticky. You get that stuck on something you don't want it on... man, pulling a tooth is easier. So I get the idea about it being super tacky. No worries.

And the breakdown of the ring, I get what you mean.

But this Cera adapt, in my opinion, is a nice change-up. With a flange belt and this ring, I'm shooting for 10 smiles. (waves to Alex👋) I mean ten days, minimal now... something I could never achieve with Brava. Eakon ring messed my skin up beyond adhesion.

Do your best with whatever works for you.

I wrote the change date on the bag for quite a while in the beginning; I don't do it anymore, just sort of have a feel for it now somehow.

Lol, I can relate. It was Tues today and guess who forgot it was change day. 🤣

So I'll be doing 8 days this week.... 

Easy, every Monday for the week and every Friday for the weekend. Regards, IGGIE

Nope, I don't time my bag.

My bag times me. 😁

I know now when I'm getting close to a bag change because I'll start worrying about it, like it doesn't feel good anymore.

When it's a good bag, I just nearly ignore it except when it needs a dump and a nice washing.

I find wear times often relate to the amount of bending I get up to each day.

Interesting... so do you hear a "ding" when your bag timer goes off? 😉

@Warrior this is a pretty confusing thread to me. I assumed you were talking about your barrier/flange/wafer change. But then I started seeing people talk about their bag changes — even though I use closed pouches I am aware that open-ended pouches can last multiple days. Or perhaps it's a 1-piece appliance and bag is used synonymously to represent it. I know Lee talked about having a 2-piece system and she changes both wafer and pouch at the same time — so when she is referring about a bag change she is talking about both. Is that the general thrust of this thread 🤔

For example, I change my pouch 2-3 times a day and my barrier/flange/wafer every 7+ days. I don't really know how often users of open-ended pouches change them. You talked about putting the dates on your bag.

What is being referred to 🤔

I think they mean the flange and pouch together. Like you, I change my colonostomy closed end pouch 2-3 times a day and the flange 1x per week. 

For my urostomy, I drain the pouch multiple times a day and replace the flange and pouch together after 1 week. I'm using a 2-piece system but there's really no reason to replace the bag and not the flange. 

I imagine the urostomy is similar to the ileostomy in this sense. 

Writing the date would be useful if your changing days vary, for example every 4 days. Particularly if, like me, your memory is not always reliable 

I'm not sure abt this thread now. I am very disappointed at .....The title .....it has completely changed due to ( whispering..A.I.). Yep.feel like a victim of that. 

I think I was offering advice to everyone to write a date at least on the bag? Or I was curious if anyone did cause I do. 

When people say " I get X amount of days on my bag". I wondered if they kept data or relied on memory. Period. Exclusively.

My memory is awful. Plus I'm documenting this change due to weeping skin around stoma and how well it healed that currently I am  getting 8 days- all documented via photo each change for My stoma nurse. 

Or anyone else interested. Maybe when I retire I can write a book. Make millions on this recovery. Start a interactive stoma web site. Less A.I. of course. 

Confusion beginning with just a bag change..1 bag on / off..or complete assembly as " appliance. 

People say my bag leaks when in fact it's the sealing behind the flange..or worse the seem in the bag breaks and then just the bag requires replacement.

U might be reading too deeply here my friend. Then my mine is on sleeping since it's a snow shift for me tonight and I'm probably babbling  due to lack of sleep..due to this stoma out put every freaking hour. Beyond tired but ha ha my bag..aka know entire assemble is replaced and dated as 1 piece. 1 step.

I never change just the bag. I do both always. A 2 piece drainable mio click sensura. 

Reasons to change bag only depends on why.

But my thread was abt the entire thing being replaced since skin was at fault. .  

I would bet that beachboys cat sharp talons would rip his bag off in 3 seconds. 🐱. That data would be useless . An accident.

I'm looking at long term bag- entire assemble with flange- wear from healing skin. Dating it for proof.

Medical reasons behind my logic asking.

Threads.. conversation wise  go off in many directions. I think it's cool.  Like working a party room.