Seeking Advice on Choosing the Right Support Belt

hello, i am asking for any info possible on support belts from any members who wear them. i did read info posted already by another member on the site about the armor support.  i dont know that i need something that has a hard protective barrier such as theirs. im only doing arobic at home and swimming. when i looked i found the stealth, nu-hope and the phoenix. i did purchace a phoenix with my regular ostomey supplies. when i got it; it needs to be customized. when i called the phoenix company the owner kerry gallo answered; very nice man a very willing to help! if you need customized you need to order off the sit. by the way mr.gallo developed the phonix belt to have more options; i think it was in1999. his story is on his site. thank you in advance mary ann

Hi Southern woman,

Your question about support belts:  I use the Nu Hope ventilated and it works pretty good. BUT I also use the Ostomy Armor belt too.  You mentioned that you didn't think you needed a hard protective barrier. Well I would have to ask you how you could know that. Because just today I was at a friends house and I happened to not be wearing my Ostomy Armor belt.  They have 2 dogs and you can imagine what happened.  One of them jumped up on me and scratched my stomach.  He could have ripped my bag off of my stomach. So I had to be really careful that whole time I was at their house.  

Just to let you know, I have been at their house multiple other times and was wearing the Ostomy Armor belt and I never worried about the dogs jumping on me because their claws would just slide over the guard. I felt confident that i was safe.

The benefit of the Ostomy Armor compared to any other belt is that it protects you from accidents and incidents that you won't have time to do anything about.  Like being bumped by someone who has some object like an umbrella, shovel, chair, who knows.  I have been bumped in my stomach by all kinds of things including going through a tight squeeze in the sliding glass door that wasn't opened all of the way and it scraped my stomach real hard. I did have the Ostomy Armor guard on that time too.  I wonder if that incident could have ripped my bag off.

So I highly recommend the 'better safe than sorry' mentality.  The guard also tucks on your stomach so good that know one will know you are wearing it. And it stops my bag from making that wrinkling noise.

If you have any questions you can reply to me.

PS I have my blue cross nurse working on a waiver so the Ostomy Armor will be covered.  Before, I had to buy it and then send in my receipt to blue cross to get reimbursed.

How much support do you need?  I like the OstoMySecrets wrap.  It holds your appliance close to your body and has a pocket so your pouch doesn't rub against you or get wet from perspiration.



I also have the StomaPlex guard.  It is one that has a hard exterior.  I like it because it has some clearance to help avoid pancaking.  This is handy when I play with my kids, do dishes (my stoma is right at the counter line), am I a crowd or anywhere else my stoma could get banged.  Trauma to the stoma isn't pretty and I don't want to take a chance!



Sometimes I use both!



Good luck!