Replacing Hollister pouch without wafers - is it possible?

So, one week from my husband's surgery and after at least twelve bag fails, we finally have a convex wafer holding well. However, now the pouch on this two-piece unit is starting to fail on the back. We are awaiting a kit delivery - there is no replacement wafer available at the moment, but we have three of the pouches. These are Hollister Turn and Lock pouches. Is it feasible to change out only the pouch?

I change only the pouches at a time. Wed and Sat replace both wafer and pouch. Monday and Fri just replace pouch.

12 bag fails? Whaaat? Describe your process for changing. 12 years here with the bag, zero fails. I had one blowout once but that was entirely an alcohol-related adventure, haha. My 0.02 - you're doing something wrong or have the incorrect product for your situation. With a two-piece system, you can always change just half of it, pouch or wafer, no problem.

Matt

Hello Luke. Sorry to hear about all your pouch/waifer failures. I tried all sorts of things to get waifers to stick without success and with no logical explanation for why this was happening. Having explained my desperation to Coloplast, they were very helpful and sent me a batch which stuck so well I couldn't get the damn things off even with remover spray. Eventually, I took things into my own hands and made myself some baseplates with two holding belts , which I stick the wafers to. I use an adhesive spray on the baseplates so that they don't slide around on my skin but it's the belts that do the work to keep it in place without leaks. Since I've been using this method, I have had no more problems with failures and the appliances last for months. It is my firm belief that many of us need personalised, bespoke appliances which would be financially impractical to provide - so some of us end up making our own!

I hope this is helpful

Best wishes

Bill 

His stomach post-surgery is kinda flat with most of the activity happening at the lowest point - he is still in a small hospital and they did not have the product on hand that worked for him - nurses struggled with cut and paste till we got a wound care angel in with the right product but her supply was almost gone and we have a limited supply till the kit arrives.

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Thank you so much - exactly what we needed.

From what we have experienced so far, your problem-solving attitude is where I hope my guy will be soon - he is just reeling a bit and looking to the medical pros to come up with solutions. If you don't mind, I'd like to share your post with our ostomy RN - okay to do so?

Hello Luke. I am nor sure whose post/reply you wish to share with  your ostomy RN  but if it's mine  - just feel free to do whatever you want with it. 

Best wishes

Bill

Thank you for sharing, Luke.

I had my operation in 2016. I have been trying different pouches. I am not sure if I'm getting the best care and support because the names like "remover spray" that you mention here are so foreign to me.

I have to peel my pouch most of my bad days. The pouch will leak in one place but so intact on the other. My nurse just said my stoma is different. When I'm lying down, it protrudes, but when I sit up, it retracts. Most of the time, I am sitting or driving.

Maybe you should see your stoma nurse and discuss this with them. I have had some real issues with my stoma but my nurse has navigated me through them to a solution.

Maybe you should see your stoma nurse and discuss this with them. I have had some real issues with my stoma but my nurse has navigated me through them to a solution.

Patizell152 and Freelancer - thanks so much for your comments! We are home now with a few weeks of home health care ostomy support - the depth of knowledge these ostomy nurses bring has been wonderful! I am sad thinking about those folks that don't have this kind of support. Paul is unable to see the stoma so his job right now is solo pouch draining and he owns that process. I am learning to vary the wafer opening size as the 2" opening results in a long-lasting wafer but can result in some skin irritation at the top of the wafer - still no real stoma protrusion but we are hopeful. My kitchen table is covered with samples, tape, and various medical waste (Paul's term) till we are absolutely certain we have the best fit - he won't go back to work till that process is working.

If you find him a mirror that he can set on the bathroom counter, it really helps in viewing where the stoma is, and it is then easy to change the appliance. How this helps.

Hiya....the skin irritations can be helped by using the white powder after cleaning the area and before applying the wafer. I had the same problem and my skin was a mess. Applying the stoma powder was the answer. Also, once the skin is irritated, I clean and apply a lashing of aloe vera to the area and sit in the bathroom for as long as possible to let the aloe do its thing, then clean off and apply my pouch. Aloe has worked so much better than any of the creams.