One of the first things that people notice after their surgery is that their stoma changes size and shape. It may seem strange, but it's actually normal. Changes to your stoma are often caused by factors such as diet, fluid intake, medications, or other health conditions. If you have noticed a change in size or shape of your stoma recently- don't worry! This article will provide some insight on what might be happening to your body and how this could affect you going forward.
Let's start with the most obvious reason your stoma might appear to change shape or size- eating. Being in the hospital for any length of time puts you at risk of becoming malnourished or underweight, especially if you are unable to eat normally after surgery. Once you have your stoma, your digestive system will only absorb the nutrients from a certain amount of food at a time. Sometimes, however, people find that after taking certain medications or changing their diet, their stoma begins to appear larger than it did before. Here are some common causes of this:
1. Once you have your stoma, it takes a while for your body to adjust to the amount of food that your small intestine absorbs at once. If you eat more than what your stoma can handle, you might notice an increase in size or leakage of stool and gas from your stoma site.
2. Many medications taken orally, such as iron supplements and some antibiotics, increase the amount of gas your intestines produce. This interferes with digestion and causes more food to pass through the digestive tract than normal.
3. Some foods contain substances that irritate the lining of your bowel or cause excess gas production. These include beans, broccoli, cabbage, milk products (such as cheese and ice cream), fried foods, and high-fiber grains such as wheat.
4. Certain illnesses such as gallbladder disease, intestinal disorders (such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis), and urinary tract infections can interfere with digestion and cause your stoma to appear larger than usual. Gastrointestinal problems, such as a decrease in appetite, ulcers, gallstones, and gastritis can also cause your stoma to change shape.
Is having changes in stoma size/ shape normal?
Yes, it is 100% normal to have changes in stoma size and shape. As we mentioned before, changes in stoma size and shape can be due to diet, fluid intake, medications or other health conditions. The change in your stoma is simply because of the factors listed above.
To minimize changes in stoma size and shape, follow your doctor's instructions on how much food you should eat at each meal and stick to a balanced diet that includes fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meat or dairy products, whole-grain bread and cereals, nuts and beans. Limit the amount of high-fiber foods such as dried beans (which can make your stoma appear larger) and eat slowly to give your digestive system time to adjust to the food.
It's important for you to know that as long as your stoma remains pink and round, there is no cause for concern. However, if it appears to be white or flattened all the time, you should let your stoma nurse know right away. This could indicate a problem with the way your appliance fits. If the color begins to change or if your stoma appears misshapen, get in touch with your doctor immediately.
Most importantly, don't feel embarrassed about discussing changes in your stoma size and shape with a health care professional- especially if they are sudden or severe.
It is really hard to handle a new ostomy, as it is very dramatic and changes your life dramatically, but the positive aspect is that it is life-saving. It has been seen that most of the people who had gone through ostomy surgeries feel more independent and suggest other people like them have an ostomy. Even though, the period before surgery can be very hard and scary. People who undergo ostomy have any questions regarding the aftercare lifestyles and complications, following the surgery.
In this article, we will be discussing everything related to ostomy and ostomy care according to the reviews of a WOC nurse specialist.
Most asked questions by ostomy patients:
Is it okay to get my pouch wet?
Yes. It is absolutely fine, ostomy bags get wet and you can pat dry them easily. The taped border or the pouch doesn’t demand to be changed if got wet.
Can I take a shower wearing my pouch?
It’s your choice. You may take a shower wearing your pouch or you may remove them while showering. In most cases, people get used to the pouch and don’t feel to remove it while bathing or showering. And some people remove it to clean the peristomal skin thoroughly.
Is there something I can use to obscure my pouch?
Yes. Many products and resources are available on the internet and your WOC nurse can also help you with this. There are different kinds of products such as wraps that help you to obscure your pouch.
Am I allowed to swim with an ostomy?
Yes. Many people who have undergone ostomies do swimming as they used to be before an ostomy.
Are there any food items I can't have anymore?
Before getting discharged from the hospital, make sure to consult your doctor for dietary instructions. Always chew your food properly. You can look for a dietarian following the surgery who might help you with food issues.
How many times should I change my pouch?
Generally, it is recommended to have two complete pouch changes per week. In some cases, patients prefer to change the entire pouch system once a week. But two times a week is typically recommended.
In case of any stinging burning or irritation under the skin barrier, the complete pouching system should be changed. Avoid tape or bind the edges.
Hacks you must follow to live easily with an Ostomy
Wearing and clothing: You need not worry about your clothes. You will be allowed to wear the same type of clothes in the same fashion that you used to wear before the surgery. Nowadays, such pouches are in the market that will fit close to your body. No one can notice that you are wearing an ostomy bag. There is also a feature of an odor controller that traps the odor and prevents bad smells. The smell escapes out only when you empty your bag.
You can also get clothes that are specially designed for ostomy patients. Such as undergarments and wraps that help to hold the pouch.
Routine Activities: You can continue your daily life activities. An ostomy patient can normally go to work, drive play sports and continue their sexual activities. Appropriate activities cause no harm. But don’t do much working because the sweat can cause swelling and this will remove the tape from the stoma. In this case, try to purchase a pouch that can allow work out.
Showering: The skin around your stoma should be kept dry and clean. Avoid using alcoholic products it will leave your skin dry. Also, don’t use oily products it will cause your pouch to detach from the skin. You should keep the hairs shaved, which covers the area around the stoma. For more details about showering you have to see you’re your doctor or trainer.
Diet: If you had an ileostomy or colostomy then you can’t control the feces or gas, they will automatically pass out and accumulate in the pouch. So, the amount of feces or gas that will pass out depends on the kind of ostomy and food your meal.
You should avoid gas-causing food items. Such as onion, capsicum, cabbage, and very spicy foods. You must chew your food well before swallowing it because large food particles may cause difficulty in passing through the ostomy. Be careful about the food items that can be the reason for diarrhea or constipation. If you have an ileostomy you must keep yourself hydrated, since the stool produced is very watery.
Medication: People with colostomy or ileostomy take time to absorb medicine taken by mouth. That is why they are recommended to take medicines that are in liquid dosage. These will be more effective for them.
Some medicine can cause increased bowel movements, you must avoid them. Some painkillers or drugs can cause constipation. Also, some antibiotics can be the reason for diarrhea.
Some drugs can upset your average urine level and cause urinary stones. For avoiding such issues contact your doctor.
Be careful about accidents: Your ostomy bag should be emptied many times a day. It is recommended by doctors to free your bag when it is half-filled. Keep your ostomy essentials with you always. Get training about your diet and activities to avoid any kind of discomfort or accident.
Cancer Treatment: There are some rare cases when a cancer patient requires an ostomy while continuing his cancer treatments. If you are having fatigue after the treatment you may hire a helper for your ostomy. In the case of radiation therapy, the radiation might cause complications on your stoma. You must take advice from your doctor or any certified expert.
Emotional Support: Some people have insecurities and fears related to their ostomy. They feel uneasy to go to public places. Because they fear that people will notice their ostomy bag and make fun and ask questions. This is fine. In this case, you can take the help of a therapist. If this is done by any family member or friend this can be the best option. Also, you can contact a counselor for better help.
Conclusion
An ostomy allows you to live freely, though it changes your life. You can adapt to live with an ostomy gradually, following the surgery. A WOC nurse and support groups can help you to adapt better lifestyle.
There are two kinds of urostomy surgery termed urinary diversion. The name of this diversion is given on the basis of pathways of urine diverted from the bladder. The two main diversions are:
Incontinent diversion, often termed as standard or conventional urostomy.
Continent diversion, often called a continent urostomy or continent urinary reservoir.
Incontinent diversion:
This type of diversion is performed in case of bladder cancer, any birth defect, or chronic illness.
An ileal conduit is created for this type of urostomy. A small pouch that holds the urine is called an ileal conduit. It is created by using a small portion of an intestine.
A 6 to 8-inch piece is taken from the lower part of the ileum and cut at the point where it connects with the large intestine and the other region of the ileum is then re-attached with the large intestine. Then the ureters are disconnected from the bladder and connected with the part ileum that was removed. In some cases, the bladder may be removed and in some cases, it remains safe. The last end of the part of the ileum serves as a stoma. And the other end is used to make a pouch or a pocket inside the body that stores the urine. This surgery is life lasting and the patient can’t control his urine. The patient needs to wear an Ostomy bag all the time.
The small intestine has a natural ability to produce mucus. The part of the ileum that was used in the production of the urine pouch will also continue to produce mucus. This mucus will be collected in the pouch along with the urine. There is nothing to worry about this.
Continent diversion:
In this type of surgery, the surgeon needs to create a pouch too. But in this case, the pouch has an addition in the form of valves. These valves prevent the backflow of the urine until it passes out of the body. A catheter is used to drain this pouch 4 to 5 times daily. Your doctor or Ostomy nurse can guide you about the usage of catheters and drainage of the pouch.
Types:
There are many types of continent diversion surgery depending on the parts that are used to make the pocket or the pouch.
End of the small intestine is used to make the pouch, valves, and outlet.
Indiana pouch:
Ascending colon(large intestine) is used for making the pouch. The last part of the small intestine is used to make the outlet. And in this surgery the natural illoce
Valve is used.
Mitrofanoff Procedure:
This procedure offers different choices. The surgeon can use the bladder, large, small intestine or both for making a pouch. And appendix, fallopian tube, or any part of the ureter is used to make the outlet.
Illeal neobladder:
The ileum is used to make the pouch. In the case of a neobladder, there is no Ostomy performed. The urine simply passes through the urethra. You will not feel the urge for urinating normally so you must make a schedule for urination.
Types of Pouches:
There are different styles and sizes of Ostomy pouches. You can ask help from your Ostomy nurse for the selection of pouch according to your condition. All the pouches involve a collection pouch that is used to collect the urine and an adhesive barrier that gets attached to your skin. This barrier is often called a flange. There are basically two pouching systems.
One-piece pouch: It consists of a pouch and skin barrier both connected together in the same place. When the patient removes the pouch the barrier also gets removed.
Two-piece pouch system: It has a pouch and a separate skin barrier. When the patient removes the pouch and the barrier remains in its place.
During your stay in the hospital, following the surgery, the nurse can guide you about the pouching system and its selection. Some patients can use this pouch throughout the life and some may need to jump to another pouching system in case of weight gain or any other reasons. It’s not necessary to stick with the recommended pouch if you are not comfortable with it. You can try various types till you get the best one for you.
What is a skin barrier?
There is a constant flow of urine following the surgery that can irritate the skin around the stoma. This can be avoided by using the skin barrier that comes along with the pouching system. It is very gentle and protects the skin from urine and itching. Some brands offer the barrier with a cut but sometimes you need to make a cut according to the size of your stoma.
The stoma looks swallowed just after the surgery, but with the passing days, it will get shrink. During these 6 to 8 weeks the stoma must be measured. There is a possibility that you get a measuring card along with the pouching system otherwise you can create your own. 1/8 inch is the standard size for the orifice on the skin barrier, otherwise, it will be difficult to avoid urine off the skin,.
It totally your choice of you wants to wear an Ostomy belt in order to keep the pouch in place. The belt serves as a wrap around your waist and gets attached to the pouching system.
Using Ostomy belt or tape:
Some people consider it a good choice because they feel more secure and organized. And some people find it embarrassing and they prefer to use tape rather than the belt. The tape can be used just like a frame around the skin barrier in order to prevent the movement of the pouching system.
A pouching system is used to collect the urine and skin barrier is helpful in preventing the urine to touch the skin,
Selection of a pouching system:
It is recommended to consult with an Ostomy nurse or any person who is a certified Ostomy caretaker while choosing your pouching system for the first time.
While you are ready to leave the hospital it's good if you get a referral of an Ostomy nurse or an expert in order to contact them in the future. This will help you to take better care of yourself.
There are many factors such as the size of your stoma, shape of abdomen, scars, or folds near the stomal skin that should be revised while selecting a pouching system. The stomas with the location on hipbone, groin, or wounds need special consideration for the selection of the pouching system. Some brands offer products that can be used in any situation.
The qualities of a good pouching system are:
Have a good seal that prevents leakage for 7 to 8 days.
Odor resistant
Provide protection to the parastomal skin
Hardly seen under the clothing
Easy to wear and put off
Enables you to have a shower or bath wearing them
Factors that can affect the pouching system seal
It is important that the pouching system sticks with your skin properly. It must be changed before any kind of leakage or loosening. Factors such as skin type, scars, weight, climate, diet and activities decide the time period of the pouch to remain sealed. Other factors that can affect the sticking of the pouch are:
The number of days you can wear a pouch depends on the sweating. Sweating can shorten this period. The heat released by the body will loosen the pouch and let it detach quickly.
The skin type that is oily or moist can also, reduce the wearing time period.
Following surgery, there might be a change in your weight. This can also affect the time period of a pouch to remain stick
Application of drainage bag at night:
You can use a night drainage system if you want to be undisturbed during the night. This system is connected with your pouch system that allows urine to pass through the stoma and enter the drainage bag continuously over the night. It prevents the outburst or removal of your stoma pouch. It also helps to protect the kina and stoma from urine pressure.
You should leave a little urine in the pouch before connecting it with the drainage bag. This will prevent the occurrence of a vacuum. Only one inch of the tube should be allowed to enter the bag and should be hanged above the bag. If the urine starts to flow back into the tubes it will stop draining. You can hang a drainage container on the side of your bed.
You can also use a small dustbin. The tubing and drainage collector should be clean regularly. Use vinegar and water mixture for cleaning purposes. More instructions are provided with drainage systems
People with colostomy have a good option in the form of closed-end pouches. These pouches are without the clips, all the ends sealed. It is supposed to be changed when the pouch is almost 1/3rd filled with feces and needs to be replaced with a new pouch. Some of the closed-end pouches have an additional feature of charcoal filter that enables the gas or flatus to exit the pouch. This charcoal filter helps in the deodorization of the gas, while other pouches are also available without these filters. Many of the companies offer different ranges for the size of the pouches. Starting from the smallest one that can store feces up to 60 ml to the largest one with the storage capacity of 375 ml. These pouches are also accessible as 1 piece system along a light barrier. In this article, our focus is to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of closed-end pouches in detail.
Advantages of closed-end pouches:
The ease and simplicity that come with a closed-end pouch make it the best option for ostomy care. You can simply remove a closed-end pouch and discard it in a waste bin instead of sitting on a toilet seat and drain out feces from your pouch. After the removal of a closed-end pouch, you can immediately apply a new pouch and get a burden down your shoulders. If you are concerned about public places and your social activities there is nothing to be worried about. You can simply remove your filled closed-end pouch place it in a Ziploc bag and throw it in a waste bin.
Things you must consider for selecting a closed-end pouch
Size:
Even though there are different sizes of pouches accessible in the market, but not all brands or companies have every size available for each of their product. You might require a take a decision while opting for another product if you are very much concerned about the variety. It completely depends upon the amount and frequency of your feces that which product will suit you best. If you have a routine bowel movement or let’s say if you have predictable bowel movements then you can choose a large bag. Then replace this bag with a stoma cap. But in case of frequent and small bowel movements, you need medium size bag that can be changed once or twice a day.
Gas filters:
Your selection of the closed-end pouch may also depend on the quality of the gas filters. All filters have different functions. In case of loose feces or periods of liquid feces the filter can’t work. It will cause the leakage of stool through the filter that may leave a stain on your clothes. Even though, the moisture does not affect the filter i.e. showering or bathing. For this kind of problem, some companies offer adhesive filter protectors that can easily attach and detach. A little compression in the pouch can also enhance the activity of the filter by enabling gas to enter the filter. In such a situation when you don’t want to use a filter another method called burping is used. Burping is the release of an edge from the flange so that gas can pass out quickly.
Costs of closed-end pouches
One more crucial point that makes a difference is the cost of a closed-end pouch, Most people need 1 -2 pouch daily instead of 1-2 drainable pouches per week. Your financial state can also be considered while choosing closed-end pouches. Creativity can bring any relief in the costs.
Thin plastic liner
Thin plastic liners can work along with closed-end pouches. They are cheaper as compared to closed-end pouches. And it can leave with you thinking that closed-end pouches are not much expensive. These liners can be lodged inside the closed-end pouch and when the liner gets filled you can simply remove the pouch, take out the liner and place a new liner in the pouch for using the same pouch again.
Limitations of a plastic liner
If you use a liner it will not allow the filter to be effective. It can also disturb the sealing between the flange and the pouch. There are chances that you may not like closed-end pouches as an option for traveling and going out in public places and pursue using drainable pouches.
Other applications of closed-end pouches:
Though it has been mentioned earlier that closed-end pouches can be an option for colostomies but ileostomy patients can also go for it. The people who undergo the issue like poor hand strength or dexterity may face difficulty in using clipping bags. The closed-end bag can bring them more comfort and ease. In the case of colostomies, many possibilities draining the pouch can be a better option than emptying the bag.
Also, there are one-piece closed-end pouches available in the market. There is no need to apply a stoma paste for using them. They can simply be removed and discarded completely and you can easily cleanse your stoma regularly. This is the best option for people with formed feces. It is recommended not to wear them for more than 1-2 days and then the complete system can be discarded.
Closed-end pouches can help you to manage your colostomies or an ileostomy in a better way. You can seek help from your ET nurse for more details.
J pouch surgery is a complex one, used to treat colitis and other diseases. The procedure is done to remove the damaged colon tissue and allowing the patient to have “normal” movements of the bowel, with the stool going through the anus. During this surgery, you will get multiple procedures where the colon gets removed, the small intestine is reconstructed, and then stool leaves in a controlled manner.
The Procedure Itself
This is usually created from the end of your small intestine, creating a J shape for it to wait until you get a bowel movement.
Like the rectum that’s removed during this, the J pouch doesn’t just store stool, but usually the patient controls the bowel movement, and it eliminates the need for an ileostomy. J pouch surgery is usually done in a couple of steps, with two surgeries performed about 2-3 months between each other. The first step is colon removal, the ileostomy formation, and sometimes the J pouch creation.
By this point, the small intestine and the large intestine are separate, and leave via the stoma. For the next few months after the J pouch is healed up, the patient lives with an ileostomy, and then when ready, they then get the next procedure, which is where stool is formed, traveling through your small intestine, to the J pouch, and then through the body like how it did back when you had a rectum.
These two types of surgery are usually the most common kinds of performances, and sometimes, they can do this with one step, where the ileostomy doesn’t get made, the rectum and colon get removed, and then they make a J pouch in your rectal stump, all in one procedure.
In some cases, they may do this in three different phases, and usually involve up to a 7 day hospital stay. This can be complex, and hard to understand without a visual aid and such, which is why it’s hard to sometimes be ready for it.
After Surgery
Usually, once completed, it might be a long time before you get “normal” bowel movements. Normal post j pouch surgery usually doesn’t mean normal from the standards of the person that’s there. Usually the bowel movements aren’t as controlled, don’t happen often, may not be formed, and might be painful. It can have a smooth consistency.
You may experience up to six movements that are controlled in most cases. Someone may think this is an improvement from bloody diarrhea, but usually it can be a bit weird to adjust. In general, once recovery is complete and the person learns which foods aggravate it, usually, it feels good. There are come complications that can happen. one of them includes the nutrition may be decreased in some cases.
Some may also have strictures, which can narrow the anus cause of scarring, which can obstruct the bowels, make the food a bit difficult, or the stool has trouble moving through your digestive tract when it comes to these movements.
You also may have skin erosion, since there is nothing that’s absorbing the excess acid in this case. Sometimes, it may cause burning. Incontinence may happen during recovery too, along with pochettes, which is usually when the pouch is inflamed.
It also may cause diarrhea or more loose stools in some cases. Sometimes, this is common, and if you’re eating stuff that isn’t starchy, it may cause issues with the stool. Finally, dehydration can happen in some cases due to the excessive bowel movements, and the diarrhea should usually be monitored, and the fluid intake should increase.
If you had gone through a colostomy
surgery then you can try irrigation to manage your ostomy in a better way. This
article will help you to know what irrigation is., and all the details you
should have about irrigation.
Irrigation:
The induction of a normal to a large
amount of water into the stoma to clean the feces in the colon is termed
irrigation. This procedure is done after the colostomy. It is a kind of enema.
It is introduced into the stoma to clear the feces in the colon. Most of the
individuals appreciate irrigation, following the colostomy, to improve the
regulation of their stoma. It helps in the prediction of bowel movements and
allows the usage of small pouches, during the irrigation process. Several
factors determine that whether a person can have irrigation or not. It does not
apply to every patient.
Irrigation is applicable for
patients with colostomy and most essentially with descending sigmoid colostomy.
The irrigation process can’t be used for patients with ileostomy, urinary
stoma, or transverse colostomy. If you don’t have any knowledge regarding the
type of your stoma then first you need to visit your surgeon or any
Enterostomal Therapy Nurse to gain some information about your stoma. Just like
this, the patients of continent diversion i.e. Koch pouch can’t use the
irrigation method. They need to use any other methods instead of irrigation.
There also other factors that are
considered before starting irrigation. You can’t have irrigation if you have
gone through or you will be going through chemotherapy or radiotherapy in the
lower portion of your abdomen or pelvic. It can cause complexities if a patient
who is undergoing chemotherapy or radiotherapy applies an irrigation method,
because, these therapies can alter the stomal functioning. In the case of
parastomal hernia, even with the recovering hernia, irrigation is not
appropriate. It can cause bowel obstruction and other bowel problems Irrigation
cannot be used for stoma prolapses. It is a condition when your stoma gets
elongated. In some conditions such as diarrhea or other bowel disruptions,
irrigation is not a good choice. It is a general idea that old patients that
have undergone colostomy can’t get expert to apply this method. So it advised
that they should avoid irrigation. In the end, if you have a temporary stoma
then it better not to adapt irrigation.
Despite all these limitations,
irrigation can be the best choice for people with descending or sigmoid
colostomy, with regular stool formation and elimination. Having and strict and
followed the routine for diet and exercise can enhance the process of
irrigation.
Irrigation helps in the prediction
of a bowel movement: When you induct water from a normal to large range into
the stoma daily or every second day, this develops a habit in the colon that it
will be cleaned regularly. Gradually, the body will prevent any bowel movement
during irrigation. This will also give a prediction about the bowel movement
and allow you to use smaller pouches and stoma caps.
You have to be strict about your
routine: In case if you need to travel a lot and you don’t have any proper
schedules, everything is unplanned then this can’t help you to maintain your
colostomy.
There is some special equipment that
is used for irrigation. You might get an irrigation set from a nearby ostomy
product store. Typically this bag has a big irrigation bag that contains the
water that needs to be inducted; tubes along with clamp and a cone that is
attached at the end of the tubes. These cones are lodged into the stoma and
they avoid the backflow of the water. Irrigation sleeves are used for the
splash-free discharge of the waste from the stoma directly into the toilet.
These sleeves are longer than the ostomy pouch and prevent any kind of a mess.
They can be attached directly onto the stoma or attached to the skin pouch. It
is recommended to place a hook over the toilet, this will enhance gravity and
fluid can enter the stoma easily. Roughly estimated, 5oo to 1000 milliliters of
tap warm water is used by the patients for irrigation. This amount can be
different for each person.
Even though irrigation can give a
clue about bowel movement there are some negative aspects as well. The people
who have been using this method complain about the increasing amount of water
that is required for regular irrigation. Most patients reported that with the
passing time they require 2000 to 3000 ml water to achieve successful
irrigation. It has been observed that once a stoma gets used to irrigation for
the thorough cleansing it can cause issues when you need to stop irrigation or
you want to get back to the normal pouching routine. It would be hard to have
the same bowel functioning without the help of an enema. Sometimes laxatives
are prescribed to get back a normal bowel movement. It has been also mentioned
that in older adults prolonged irrigation can be a reason for poor hand
dexitary and poor eyesight.
Some other important considerations
are that if you are using pure water or tap water that is safe. If you are not
sure about the quality of your water then you should try bottled water for
irrigation. In the case of traveling also bottled water can be the best option.
Sometimes, you may catch the flu or diarrhea because of contaminated food. If you
still think that irrigation can work for you then you must look at your ET
Nurse regarding this matter.
At some point following the ostomy, every person faces the problem of stoma leakage. In some cases, it is a usual issue during the early weeks or months while a patient is learning to live with an ostomy. This can be very untidy and can affect a person’s self-confidence very badly, especially when in public because they can’t have an access to proper facilities to overcome the leakage.
When some time has passed, it becomes less problematic to handle stoma leakage as the person learns how to deal with it. But in some cases this problem can pursue for many years, leading them to mental illness and other complexities
What do you mean by a Stoma Paste?
Stoma paste is often misled with a paste but it’s a caulk. It is a sticky material that is used to contour the uneven skin, making the skin smoother and flatter so that an ostomy pouch can bind to it easily.
It becomes difficult for a stoma wafer to get attached to the skin and keep in its place in case of any gaps between the skin and the stoma wafer. In some situations, the stoma wafer doesn’t stick with the skin properly and it develops the chances of stoma leakage. Stoma pastes have been introduced to maximize the period of wearing stoma wafers for a longer period without being disturbed.
In case of scary and deep skin around your stoma and it’s difficult for you to manage your stoma wafer then stoma paste is the best solution because it contours the uneven skin creating an excellent barrier that allows your ostomy wafer to fit exactly with the skin.
To avoid stoma leakage it’s very important to have a strong and reliable seal that will avoid ostomy leakage. It also prevents any kind of psychological problems.
Important hacks for Using Stoma Paste
Stomata pastes are lifesavers and very easy to use. They don’t have alcohol. Even though, persons with very sensitive skin can use stoma pastes. Neither they do not cause itching nor do they irritate. They are available in soft and easily squeezable tubes, you can easily them. Moreover, the best thing is pliability, it is very flexible and you can mold it in any specific form to fill the scars or uneven skin.
The fact of applying a stoma paste can be very unsettling for some people, but the following are some steps and tips that can help you to avoid troubles and making it easier and safe to use:
Stoma paste can’t stick with wet skin. So make it completely sure that your skin is well dried and cleaned
You should prevent the usage of soaps or other body lotions that can leave any residue since they can disturb the adhering of stoma paste with the skin.
You should apply the paste on the wafer rather than apply it on the skin to confirm that the stoma wafer has been covered completely.
Avoid using a lot of paste a time because it can give an untidy look. You can apply to paste further to fill the gaps.
How to apply Stoma Paste?
The application of the paste can vary with the brand you have selected. It’s recommended to read the instructions that are specific for each brand’s tube.
There are two ways, it can be applied directly on the wafer or you can apply it around the stoma. It’s mostly advised to allow it to dry completely for 2- 3 minutes after applying it. But this condition is different for every brand.
Once the paste is completely dried it is difficult to remove the extra paste, that’s why it is advised to use a small quantity at first. It can be removed by using a cloth with Luke's warm water. Wipes or sprays (adhesive removal) are also available for this purpose. It’s not necessary to remove each bit of the paste, so avoid scrubbing hardly, as it may irritate peristomal skin.
Stoma Paste Strips and Stoma paste Tubes
Stoma pastes that come as strips or stomas paste that comes in a tube, both are the same. It depends on your condition which one you should select for yourself. It is advised to test both of the pastes for a better experience.
Most used Stoma Paste Brands
Stoma paste varies for every brand. For instance, some brands use alcohol in stoma pastes, which can lead to irritation and discomfort. It is very important to consult your doctor while selecting a stoma paste. By the way here are some most used brands:
ConvaTec Stomahesive Paste:
It is among the most easily available paste in the market that comes in a two-ounce tube. It can be spread easily and it’s very pliable. The best thing is that the aluminum tube prevents a lot of paste to come out, minimizing the wastage.
Hollister Adapt:
This paste has a minimal quantity of alcohol. It can be the best choice for alcohol-sensitive people. Just like Convatec paste, it is also available in a tube
Hollister Karaya Paste:
It is a bit more in quantity, most probably it comes in a 4.5-ounce tube and it has karaya that protects the skin from stoma waste because of its chemical properties. It also helps to increase the stoma seal’s age, can be used for a longer period.
Brava Strip Paste
This paste helps in the protection of skin from stoma waste by offering a hard sealing and proper filling of cracks. This paste can be molded in almost every shape you want it to be, and help the wafer to fit in properly
