Urostomy Bag Leakage

Hi JDON
I get the feeling that the uro doesn't give a hoot about your problems now that they have got your money. Not nice of me but sometimes I just feel like they blow me off.
I change my wafer in the morning when the stoma is less active. As I said before I let the water run on the stoma and use soap to clean it. I clean the area before with an adhesive remover pad because I also use a
Eakin Seal on my wafer. After I get out of the shower I use the skin barrier to make a good seal and then I use a gauze pad to wipe it dry. I feel this works good for me. I also sit on the toilet when I am doing this. I don't know if things are different for a man or not. I hope this will help you. I also feel that no one seems to help with any information, we are on our own with the help of this site. The people here are just wonderful. Good luck
Babsiebob

My biggest initial problem changing my wafer/bag was keeping the area around the stoma dry. The stoma continued to discharge and, of course, a good adhesive bond can't be obtained on a wet skin. I finally found that I could press down just below stoma or "pinch" the skin together from both side of the stoma using my two hand. This usually, but not always, exhausts the urine about to discharge and gives me a few minutes to get things installed on dry surfaces. I have always stood while doing this.
One needs to do this quickly of course so I prepare and lay out everything I will need BEFORE HAND. The step-by-procedure I use:

1. Squeeze out as much urine as possible.
2. Dry the wafer area thoroughly with a pad of toilet tissue.
3. Scrub the area thoroughly with an adhesive remover "wipe".
4. Wash the area with one end of a gauss pad dipped in water.
Dry the area with the dry end of the pad.
5. Dry again with a pad of toilet tissue.
6. Apply a coating with a "protective barrier" wipe. I THINK this reduces itching and such. BUT there is a third type of wipe which improves the adhesive bond. BUT the info on the packaging is VERY obscure and it is difficult to determine which type of wipe it is.
7. Fan the area until it is VERY dry. Apply wafer and bag.

I agree totally that the training of follow-up caregivers is very poor. They do not discuss available products or how to use them. (I spent hours with a catalog with hundreds of products trying to decide what I needed.) Most only want to take your pulse and blood pressure (which I didn't need a nurse to do) and get back on the road.

One problem that still concerns me is bleeding from the stoma.
It is usually slight but can be enough to concern me. I asked my urologist about this but he seemed uninterested.

JDON

If I were to point to a failure in the medical system it would be in follow-up in training & technique with the ileal conduit bag. I had 2 appointments with my Wound, Ostomy, Continence Nurse (CWCN, BSN, RN). He had me lay down so of course I could not see how he was doing the cleaning etc. Of course I was ill prepared to deal with cleaning and changing technique. Then I was discharged and had to do it myself! Much STRESS, many 4 LETTERED words, loud shouting- about a month before I found this site.

I believe the ileal conduit system is so simple and straightforward that many of our members don’t come here very often. SO I’m urging you old-timers to recall your difficulties back when you first had to learn technique- share with us dumb newbies. I bet I’m not the only one who does not have a loving caregiver to do it. Everything is reversed in the mirror! {groan}

I just had an appointment with my new CWCN Nurse and looked thru the catalogue of seals and bags available. Thousands ! AMAZING!

I fell asleep last night watching film clips and reading threads I had googled. I’m 9 months in and just now getting a handle on what works for me. It seems like it is a very individual thing where what works best for one doesn’t work for others. Trial & error seems to be part of the process. This is not easy for me and other grouchy old men (& women).

Thank you rolsen64 RONI

I change my bag twice a week and I shower when I take it off. It feels so good to have the warm water on that skin. I also use dial soap on the area. It will help with the skin irritation too. You also might use an Eakin seal on the wafer. That works good for me. Good luck

I've showered just before changing the bag. I wondered about showering with bag off. That sound great. I'll try it. But have a minor skin infection which I should solve first. My ostomy nurse and Hollister are trying the convex and something without the tape edge. It might be that I'm sensitive to the tape. I should get some samples in a day or 2. The convex with the belt certainly gives me a better seal. I was very negative about the belt when my ostomy nurse put it on but because I am pretty active the belt (and convex bag)seem to maintain a better seal.

SC ...
I had an ileam bypass urostomy 2 years ago. Six months ago I started having frequent bag failures ...within hours a couple of times. I tried using paste with no success. I then contacted my supplier and they recommended the convex wafers. I have tried one and it worked. (I am now trying to use up my remaining flat wafers).
I could never determine why the sudden failures started especially since I was doing nothing different when they started. I am physically very active. My urologist suggested the weight of my leg bag tube but he could suggest nothing else.
Home care nurses usually have very little experience with urology devices and the one I had during the recovery from my operation knew essentially nothing. I would not go there for help.
I don't believe the way I sleep was a factor. Since my bag is on my right side, I try to sleep on my left side to lift the bag as much as possible to improve the flow to my overnight bag which is attached to the rail low down at the foot of my bed. The head of my bed is also raised about 4 inches for another problem.
I have also tried, fairly unsuccessfully, to empty my bag every 1 1/2 hours. I believe a very full bag may increase the pressure on urine trying to escape through the opening around the stoma. I usually manage to remember in two hours or so.
You mentioned swimming. I haven't done it but showering with my bag on has never seemed to affect the seal.
My biggest treat these days is showering with the bag/wafer removed.
I hope some others on this site have more insight into this problem. One doesn't care to have another accident in the packed stands of the Titans football stadium.
JDON