Colostomy bag advice needed

[pukkap]

I finally pulled the trigger and I made my first appointment with my surgeon and he is recommending a laparoscopic colostomy which will produce a thicker and pasty consistency, I think that is a sigmoid if I'm not mistaken, but my memory is terrible.

I do not want to stink and I was recommended this Hollister bag, https://products.coloplast.us/colopl...TBRANDNAMEWEB=.

Does anyone else use this bag and if so how many times a day do you have to change them? Also how many does Medicare cover a month?

Many thanks in advance for any response.

[TheRainman]

I finally pulled the trigger and I made my first appointment with my surgeon and he is recommending a laparoscopic colostomy which will produce a thicker and pasty consistency, I think that is a sigmoid if I'm not mistaken, but my memory is terrible.

I do not want to stink and I was recommended this Hollister bag, https://products.coloplast.us/colopl...TBRANDNAMEWEB=.

Does anyone else use this bag and if so how many times a day do you have to change them? Also how many does Medicare cover a month?

Many thanks in advance for any response.

I use hollister bag with a wafer and open drainage. And I would never use a closed bag without drainage because there will be times where you will have a case of diarrhea and when you peel that bag off your skin it will me a huge mess.
And i suggest using a bag with a wafer so you don't have to change that every day. Because pulling the bag from your skin to often will cause skin problems.
Another tip. When changing the bag. Tape a chunk to your skin with paper tape below the stoma just in case you have a surprise of diarrhea.

[HACKNSACK44]

I finally pulled the trigger and I made my first appointment with my surgeon and he is recommending a laparoscopic colostomy which will produce a thicker and pasty consistency, I think that is a sigmoid if I'm not mistaken, but my memory is terrible.

I do not want to stink and I was recommended this Hollister bag, https://products.coloplast.us/colopl...TBRANDNAMEWEB=.

Does anyone else use this bag and if so how many times a day do you have to change them? Also how many does Medicare cover a month?

Many thanks in advance for any response.

I use this bag. It works great for me. I have no skin problems from changing it. They do make the same style drainable. I agree with TheRainman about diarrhea. Doesn't happen often but it does and it can be messy.

[vjls]

I am a quad c6c7 I have the 2 ps system wafer and then bag I get diarrha a lot simply because I love veggies and fruit probiotics have helped but I use a garbage sack on lap over me and wheel the I use a plastic ingle or Walmart bag under bag peel off bag clean with tissue put new bag on ties grocery bag up dispose easy no smell fyi had pototoe soup yesterday soft this am I have already change 2 times

I get 2 boxes wafer a month 90 bags a month I also use destin if I get a little red in stoma from diarrha

[beckman]

I use a similar disposable pre-cut closed end pouch from convatec. I usually change them once or twice each day.

Yes diarrhea is a big challenge.

How do you empty the drainable pouch if you have watery diarrhea, Rainman? As a quad I can change the disposable pouches fairly easy especially at home, but I can’t drain the disposable pouches into the toilet. It would be very helpful if I could figure a way to drain them especially when out of the house

[HockeyFan]

I use the 2-piece version of the coloplast sensura mio system (from your link). I recommend it - the system works well for me. The adhesive works well (no skin issues), and I find the charcoal filter does it's job.

The only issue with the 2-piece coloplast system is that the clasp might be a challenge depending on your finger pinch strength. But the upside of the clasp is that it keeps the bag on tight.

In regards emptying and possible messes, I use a 'puppy pad' in my lap and if the bag is very full I either lean over the disposal bag or sometimes I'll use scissors and cut the bottom corner to empty into the bag. A small mess, but it's manageable.

For out of the house, I put some material into a bag that one of the vendors sent to me with samples right after my operation. I carry a 'puppy pad', a velcro tie (to hold my shirt out of the way), a few pouches, some disposal bags, a couple of wafers, some 4"x4" gauze pads (to wipe), and a few other things.

[pfcs49]

CUT TO THE CHASE!:

I use Hollister 14803 flanges and 18363 bags. I'm T12, 72yo, got the colostomy in 2012 when I had my first (in 24 years) and last butt wound, stage 4 ulcer.
Initially I was given and used sticky puttylike stuff to make a peripheral ring before sticking the flange on. It was a time consuming PITA! After 6 months or so I stopped using it (as well as barrier film, 3M Coloplast), and never looked back. I change the flange every 4 days when I shower but sometimes life gets in the way. I've gone 6 days more than once. Occasionally, especially when dealing with thick but creamy shit, a flange will begin to delaminate from the skin and I'll change it early. This is noticeable. When you remove the bag, using toilet paper to clean the site, you'll get present to the weirdness of the wipe (good prose, eh?) as you are pushing shit into the crevasse of the delaminating flange. When you pull it off, you'll see how far it got. You'll quickly get present to when to worry! (and I rarely do-these things are pretty bulletproof with proper technique)

I don't carry much stuff in my wheelchair pouch, just a couple spare bags, 3 or 4 folded up paper towels, a couple alcohol wipes and a flange that I pre-cut the opening to size.

After 17 years of bowel programs ruling my time, I wish I had done this a long time ago! IMO it is clearly an improvement in quality of life and lifestyle. And, with my suprapubic catheter, superman don't need no fucking bathrooms! (they do have some use however )

[SCI-Nurse]

I would agree that a 2-piece appliance is much easier to manage than a one-piece. Who recommended that one-piece to you?

You may also want to select a pouch that has a charcoal filtered vent to manage gas with much less odor. There are also good products that you can put inside the bag (liquids) that will reduce odor. A good CWOCN can recommend a specific product.

You should be seeing a good CWOCN (ostomy nurse) prior to your surgery, who should be marking your stoma site, and recommending products for you to use initially. Often a one-piece system is used immediately after surgery, but then transitioned to a 2-piece as the stoma matures and heals (and usually shrinks). The CWOCN should also see you in the hospital post-op, and be available to you for consultation for at least 3 months after your surgery.

(KLD)

[vjls]

CUT TO THE CHASE!:

I use Hollister 14803 flanges and 18363 bags. I'm T12, 72yo, got the colostomy in 2012 when I had my first (in 24 years) and last butt wound, stage 4 ulcer.
Initially I was given and used sticky puttylike stuff to make a peripheral ring before sticking the flange on. It was a time consuming PITA! After 6 months or so I stopped using it (as well as barrier film, 3M Coloplast), and never looked back. I change the flange every 4 days when I shower but sometimes life gets in the way. I've gone 6 days more than once. Occasionally, especially when dealing with thick but creamy shit, a flange will begin to delaminate from the skin and I'll change it early. This is noticeable. When you remove the bag, using toilet paper to clean the site, you'll get present to the weirdness of the wipe (good prose, eh?) as you are pushing shit into the crevasse of the delaminating flange. When you pull it off, you'll see how far it got. You'll quickly get present to when to worry! (and I rarely do-these things are pretty bulletproof with proper technique)

I don't carry much stuff in my wheelchair pouch, just a couple spare bags, 3 or 4 folded up paper towels, a couple alcohol wipes and a flange that I pre-cut the opening to size.

After 17 years of bowel programs ruling my time, I wish I had done this a long time ago! IMO it is clearly an improvement in quality of life and lifestyle. And, with my suprapubic catheter, superman don't need no fucking bathrooms! (they do have some use however )

absolutely true I could have never gone primitive down the Colorado white water for 7days if I had noy have colonosty

[HACKNSACK44]

I would agree that a 2-piece appliance is much easier to manage than a one-piece. Who recommended that one-piece to you?

How is a 2-piece appliance much easier to manage than a 1-piece?

[pfcs49]

You install the flange which is adhesive coated, and forget it until several (4 in my case) days later when you change it. The pouch snaps onto the "flange" of the flange, like some kitchen storage lid, The U shaped tabs you see are where you pull on it to unsnap it.

[TheRainman]

I use a similar disposable pre-cut closed end pouch from convatec. I usually change them once or twice each day.

Yes diarrhea is a big challenge.

How do you empty the drainable pouch if you have watery diarrhea, Rainman? As a quad I can change the disposable pouches fairly easy especially at home, but I can?t drain the disposable pouches into the toilet. It would be very helpful if I could figure a way to drain them especially when out of the house

I have some fingers use in my right hand.

[pukkap]

CUT TO THE CHASE!:

I use Hollister 14803 flanges and 18363 bags. I'm T12, 72yo, got the colostomy in 2012 when I had my first (in 24 years) and last butt wound, stage 4 ulcer.
Initially I was given and used sticky puttylike stuff to make a peripheral ring before sticking the flange on. It was a time consuming PITA! After 6 months or so I stopped using it (as well as barrier film, 3M Coloplast), and never looked back. I change the flange every 4 days when I shower but sometimes life gets in the way. I've gone 6 days more than once. Occasionally, especially when dealing with thick but creamy shit, a flange will begin to delaminate from the skin and I'll change it early. This is noticeable. When you remove the bag, using toilet paper to clean the site, you'll get present to the weirdness of the wipe (good prose, eh?) as you are pushing shit into the crevasse of the delaminating flange. When you pull it off, you'll see how far it got. You'll quickly get present to when to worry! (and I rarely do-these things are pretty bulletproof with proper technique)

I don't carry much stuff in my wheelchair pouch, just a couple spare bags, 3 or 4 folded up paper towels, a couple alcohol wipes and a flange that I pre-cut the opening to size.

After 17 years of bowel programs ruling my time, I wish I had done this a long time ago! IMO it is clearly an improvement in quality of life and lifestyle. And, with my suprapubic catheter, superman don't need no fucking bathrooms! (they do have some use however )

Many thanks pycs49 for your advice and the pictures as well, always super helpful to see what it will look like when I was sitting down. quick question, are you able to button your jeans? If so, is the bag above your jeans? Also, even though when I lay down and probably a size 36 can I purchase size 40 pants and I still can't seem to button them without squeezing my SP tube like crazy and put crazy pressure on my sacrum. Are you able to button your pants or do you leave your pants unzipped and open?

And I am a C4/c5 quad and I have a little bit of a tino pinch with my left hand, I had tendon transfer surgery, but am not sure if I'm able to handle changing the bag on my own with just one hand. How often do you seem to change your bags?

I would agree that a 2-piece appliance is much easier to manage than a one-piece. Who recommended that one-piece to you?

You may also want to select a pouch that has a charcoal filtered vent to manage gas with much less odor. There are also good products that you can put inside the bag (liquids) that will reduce odor. A good CWOCN can recommend a specific product.

You should be seeing a good CWOCN (ostomy nurse) prior to your surgery, who should be marking your stoma site, and recommending products for you to use initially. Often a one-piece system is used immediately after surgery, but then transitioned to a 2-piece as the stoma matures and heals (and usually shrinks). The CWOCN should also see you in the hospital post-op, and be available to you for consultation for at least 3 months after your surgery.

(KLD)

And think you KLD, I appreciate the advice and I'm actually going to go end of this pretending like I don't know anything and see what she recommends.

And to all who had responded, thank you very much your feedback it relieved at least a little of my anxiety of having this procedure performed.

[pfcs49]

pukkap: If so, is the bag above your jeans? Also, even though when I lay down and probably a size 36 can I purchase size 40 pants and I still can't seem to button them without squeezing my SP tube like crazy and put crazy pressure on my sacrum. Are you able to button your pants or do you leave your pants unzipped and open?

I button and zip my jeans. They're pretty much where they were 25 years ago. The waist and goes over the bag but just under the attaching flange.
When the chocolate factory opens, I'm mindful of it and discreetly monitor things. 90% of the time the poop is in chestnut sized spereoids. I'll hook my right thumb under the waistband to pull it a little clear of the bag and flick the shit-balls into the lower baggage area.
If things get a little unmanageable, I may unbutton my pants and pull my shirt to outside of them; my fanny pack hides all and you wouldn't know my shirt was untucked.
And, there's always a bathroom to dodge into if things get a little out of hand. Don't worry! They will and you'll manage them! That's what gimps do!

If you'd like, I can post more photos that would show where the appliance is shirt on/shirt off and have my wife take them so it's clearer than the selfie.

[vjls]

pukkap I am a quad I manage easily but c6c7 I use 2 ps wafer or flange but I use the bag type where I peel of and just stick to wafer the snap kind like pfcs has I could not hande not strong enough hands
I am a gal and they sit right below pants but I wear pull up elastic waist I have had 13 years never an accident in public only 3 ever at home and it was my fault for not being better prepared
I always lay a garbage bag over lap protects me just in case