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Failing Colostomy Bags

I have had several problems with my bags since my colostomy op last September. Now I know that you can get leakage from underneath the wafer/half moons. I also know that if your bag gets full the weight of it can literally pull the bag from your stomach. Sometimes if the bag fills up suddenly the pressure can literally burst the bag. Also occasionally the velcro strip can for no apparent reason come undone. None of these incidents are pleasant. However, a couple of times my bag has split for no apparent reason. Usually down the bottom near the opening or just above. This happened to me this last Saturday with disastrous consequences.

I was fishing the European Beach Fishing Championships in Bridlington on Saturday. I had not even had a bite, nor had the two other lads from Plymouth that we were fishing with. About half an hour before the match ended I noticed my left leg was damp. I thought that was odd as my trousers were supposed to be waterproof! Then I looked at the beach and there was a pool of poo next to me and my left boot was also covered in poo. I had to get my mate to go to the car and fetch my bag of spare clothes. I had to undress on the beach and change my jeans and my fleece top. I spent about an hour sorting myself out by which time the match had finished.

I went back to the hotel and slept for 13 hours. When I woke up at 7am in the morning, I ached from top to bottom. I also had not had time to clean my flotation trousers and since the weather forecast was torrential rain turning to snow I decided I wouldn't be able to fish the match on the Sunday and so me and my mate drove home.

It is times like this that I wished I didn't have a stoma. Has your bag ever split? I really don't think they should so am going to look for a replacement bag.

Emma :stinks:
 
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Terriernut

Moderator
Emma, that just stinks! We all have the occasional faulty bag. Oh do we ever.

What system are you using again?
 
I use a Dansac 'big boy' with two types of half moons and a stretchy ring which sticks onto the stoma around the opening. The term 'big boy' is not its actual model name but my own nickname because it is so huge. lol
 

Terriernut

Moderator
My two biggest bag failures were with Dansac and Hollister. (Hollister by far being the worst for me)

I found the Dansac were better bags, but when I got a bad batch...ergh! Everything that could split or blow up, sure did. I also found that they didnt have the good filters on them to help with the gas. Whereas the Coloplast bags have been great for filters, and for the wafers. Try getting samples from Coloplast. The Sensura range has been great for me. No issues whatsoever. Obviously with your output a two piece drainable.

And I still think you need a stoma nurse and IBD nurse to help you out with the prolapse etc. (sorry)
 
Hi thanks for your advice. I will ring up my supplier tomorrow and get some more samples. The prolapse really isnt so bad. If they re-site it the chances are it will just prolapse again.
 
Hmm I use dansac and when it fills up with air too quickly, either the wafer will create a channel for the air to escape or the coupling at the top of the bag will come apart a little.

There's been stupid times when I've de aired the bag in bed and done the end up properly and woken up to find output all over my leg. Grrr
 
I have de-aired my bag while driving usually successfully but a couple of times with disastrous consequences. I wear a hernia belt and bowl for a prolapsed stoma and only about a third of the bag shows beneath the belt. I have discovered that it is never a good idea to 'burp' the bag when there is poo already in there at high pressure lol. Spent two hours cleaning my works van a couple of weeks ago after one such mistake!
 
It's also when you have output in the way that causes trouble. I always push the output to the top of the bag and make sure the end of the bag is high in the air before attempting! I find it pretty easy to do in the night now.
 
Hi all,
First post on the site. Had Crohns 12 years now. Glad its not just me who has suffered with leaky bags. Worst one for me was at a Sunday lunch at a country pub!!! Not a pleasent experiance. Glad i was wearing a brown jumper!!!

Had my stoma 3 years now. Fall in and out of love with it on a regular basis.
So lucky to have an understanding wife at 3 in the morning when i've had a leak on the clean bedding.

Has anyone suffered with absess around the stoma? I had one 6 months ago which got drained but bloomin painful. Think i have another one brewing. Going for a scan tommorow to find out.
Would love to hear all your stoma/crohns/bag stories. Good and bad.

Look forward to hearing from you.



Chris,37
 

Terriernut

Moderator
Chris, you should go thru all the threads on here in the stoma subforum. Laugh..cry. Pages of entertainment, believe me!

Welcome!!!!
 
Whereas the Coloplast bags have been great for filters, and for the wafers. Try getting samples from Coloplast. The Sensura range has been great for me. No issues whatsoever. Obviously with your output a two piece drainable.
I agree, I switched to Coloplast Sensura (I use the convex ones) from the Hollister bags about 6 months ago and they are much better and more secure!
I also used to use the Hollister 'donuts' (as I like to call them) a.k.a barrier rings but found that they were really inconsistant and some batches seemed to almost melt and would cause a leak. And one batch had bits of metal in them... not good :mad2:

Suppose its trial and error until you find what works for you. Get lots of samples!
 
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